Update: I decided to not do this maiden speech about Barry O'Rourke. Instead, it is about me because I know more about my family and it feels more comfortable to me.
3. Thanking and
acknowledging the
leadership of other
past senators (even of
opposite parties)
- Including favourite ones (names plus what some did)
Thank the Rockhampton Labor party
- Thank leader of Labor party (Anthony Albanese) for his dedication to the people of Australia and what
he stood for
- How he inspired me and encouraged me
- Thank Kevin Rudd
- How he inspired me and encouraged me
- Thank campaigners and team for my election
Thank public for putting trust in me
4. I will be representing the
Rockhampton electorate
area as the __nd member
• What the past member (Barry O'Rourke) has
stood for in the past few years
• The traits he has
• The good things he has done
5. Family history
and how fam
came and
settled in Aus
• My mother's family is French. She came to Australia with her
family when she was 9 in 1971. Her father was a medic for
Morocco by 16 due to there not being enough money due to
the great depression. Little is known about her mother.
• When my mother's family came to Australia, it was to escape
the tension happening overseas in Europe. It was a rough
beginning in Australia, sometimes struggling to have a roof
over their head and food on the table, but my mother's
father began to lead a large French catering business and life
eventually got better
• My father's German and English family came to Australia much
earlier than my mother. He was born in Lismore, New South
Wales, and was a mechanic, truck driver, and worked with
water bores. He was raised Mormon and that whole side of the
family was very into Mormon culture
• I was born in 1991 at Ipswich Hospital
• I grew up in Gatton, the Sunshine Coast, and Gladstone at a
public school, private Christian school, and private Catholic
school
• My early years were spent with my mother who was very free-
spirited, and the latter with my father and step-mother who
were religious and conservative
• All of this certainly helped to diversify my views and
understand different communities because life was
experienced from many different angles
• Though I did not grow up in Rockhampton in my adolescent
years, I did graduate with a journalism degree from Central
Queensland University in Rockhampton in 2009
• Doing placement in Rockhampton as a journalist really got me
connections with all sorts of people and into Rockhampton
culture
6. Speaking of family, thank family
and say how they inspired me to
be where I am now
• Last (and certainly not the least) of all, I'd like to thank my family
• I did get a roof over my head and was fed, and am grateful for that
• But I'm referring to my true family, the ones that shaped my soul
• They have raised me to be who I am in many respects
• My youngest brother Damien is the sibling I am emotionally closest to
• I thank him for being a great brother, a great friend, and someone I very much look up to
• Many of his morals (the ones from tough experiences in his life such as homelessness) have
passed on to me. He's a passionate fighter and a kind person
• I'd like to thank my sister Rachel
• Though we are only recently in each other's lives, she has taught me much about standing up
for myself and pushing myself in general
• Qualities that are highly needed to enact change
7. The Murdoch Media
• It is an honor to represent __ electorate
• And one that I will not shy away from accountability for
• If I am corrupt, call me out. It is my role to represent the needs of my
electorate, not my own personal needs.
• If I am unfair, I want my people and the press to hold me accountable.
• That said, I also do not deserve smearing/character assassination from
those who are corrupt themselves
• As a member of the Labor party living in a nation with a media
monopoly that does not like my party, I ask for fairness
• Kevin Rudd quote
• Statistics on Murdoch's media empire – reach, impact on War on
Afghanistan as example
• Recent smearing of Albanese for having covid by Murdoch Empire
8. Housing Crisis/Homelessness
• I really appreciate the fact that I had a roof over my head growing up, and still do.
• Something many people take for granted
• While I had a roof over my head, my brother did not in his latter high school years
• He became voluntarily homeless.
• In year 11 due to domestic violence – specifically financial abuse committed by his parents
• He and I though, are so grateful for the work the hostels did
• We believed (as is commonly done including by our parents) that the only option was foster care where he would experience rough treatment.
• But in his case that was not true.
• The hostel gave him a place to rent, driving lessons at the PCYC, psychological help, and other resources that profoundly fostered his independence
• He was later awarded a ___ award for ___ at his high school graduation
• According to a 2020 article by the ABC, by June 2021, a 2.19% increase in homelessness and a 55.2% increase in housing stress was predicted for the CQ region
• This is "set to be one of the worst in the nation" by 2021, according to a recent Equity Economics report
• CQ has the lowest rental vacancy rate on record and the second-lowest in the state
• The pandemic has cause this, and staff from Roseberry Queensland have been traumatised from having to turn away people in need.
• The turnaway (which is usually of young people) is causing, among other things, depression, anxiety, family breakdowns, and domestic violence situations
• The government needs to invest more money into social housing, and that is something I wholeheartedly stand by and will back
• (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-17/homelessness-to-increase-in-central-queensland/12988944?msclkid=13613b1bcf9011ecaecff1c1c970b2df)
9. Last thank you
• Once again, thank you to all of
the people who have helped me
get where I am now
• I will show what dedication, hard
work, good support, and love can
do to Rockhampton
Editor's Notes
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