Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to be able to stand to continue my remarks from a few nights ago. As I said in the first part of my speech, the Bendigo electorate election was close. It was tough, brutal and nasty. Over $2 million, it's estimated, was spent by my opponents to try and buy the seat of Bendigo. They flooded the town with outsiders. During the campaign I was referred to as a dog by somebody who wanted to be the deputy prime minister. That sent shockwaves through people in my community, because they didn't believe that a member of parliament could refer to another member of parliament that way in 2025. I mention that just to demonstrate to other members that, whilst they were in their own battles, this was the nature of the battle in Bendigo.

But the good news is that we held on despite the negativity, nastiness, misinformation and disinformation. My amazing team of volunteers, the local state MPs and my office held on to the seat. At the conclusion of counting I was 2,983 votes ahead of my nearest challenger, securing my fifth term in this place and equalling that of my predecessor. I'm proud to stand here and say we've had 28 years of Labor in the federal seat of Bendigo and counting.

In the future, we hope for elections that are free and fair, honest and respectful. It's the very least that all of us can ask. We want there to be robust debate, but it should be respectful. I ask those opposite who invaded our town during this election to check their language and check their behaviour.

It may happen to one of your own one day, and you would be standing in this place demanding that they be respected in the same way that I am doing now. I got asked during the election, 'What will you do?' I said, 'You always have to call out bad behaviour, not necessarily for yourself but for the next woman or the next candidate.'

I'd like to take a moment to thank the amazing volunteers that stood with me during that campaign. We have a fantastic team of rank-and-file members in Bendigo, as well as volunteers, the people who spend hours on prepoll despite the difficult conditions. Despite being stood over, pushed and provoked, they did not bite. They stood their ground, held their heads high and did the job. I'd like to acknowledge the amazing support that I had from my state colleagues—the Hon. Jacinta Allan, Maree Edwards and Mary-Anne Thomas—and my other federal Labor colleagues like Senator Jess Walsh; the member sitting at the front desk, Minister Giles; and the other fantastic Victorian Labor MPs that stood there with us. You really know that you are in good company when you are in the fight of your political life and your friends come and rally around you.

I'd like to thank my amazing team. We knew it was going to be tight and close, and, after what was the most gruelling prepoll and election day, the party was packed up early. They went to bed, got up and went into quite possibly one of the longest ballot counts that we've had in Bendigo since John Brumby's time as the federal member. I'd also like to thank my amazing family—Matt, Daisy and Charlie. My children are now at an age where they really understand elections, and I'd like to thank them for the love and support that they showed me during that period—picking me up after early voting and letting me know that, if they could vote, they'd vote for me. My children, my family and my extended family's support was truly remarkable.

I'd also like to thank the amazing people of Bendigo. Despite our diversity and the rebuilding that we are now doing, I am so proud to represent you in this place. Thank you for instilling your trust in me again to continue on as the federal member for Bendigo. It is an honour and a privilege, which I know all members stand in this place and say, but we genuinely mean it. Now is the time to get on with delivering the many commitments that we made during the election—funding for skate parks, funding for Bendigo heritage attractions, funding for changerooms for women so that they can change in a safe and inclusive space, funding for upgrades to the North Bendigo Recreation Reserve, funding for reimagining and restoring the Bendigo Creek, funding to deliver a veterans' hub for veterans and families in the Bendigo and district area and funding for a Bendigo headspace Plus. These are some of the many commitments that Labor and I made to the people of Bendigo.

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