STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS

Ms CHANEY (Curtin) (16:21): Every month when I go doorknocking, I ask the people of Curtin to give me three words to describe the Australia they want to live in. These are the words that I hear the most often: fair, safe, inclusive, compassionate, prosperous and sustainable. These are the values that I bring into this parliament on their behalf.

My community does not want to live in a monoculture. We know that half of us were born overseas or have a parent born overseas, and we understand that this is not a threat to the Australian story; this is the Australian story. We want a fair go for everyone, not just our own tribe.

We value expertise and evidence, even when it shows an inconvenient truth about the warming of our planet. And we understand that the complex challenges Australia faces will not be solved by angry slogans. My community is frustrated by political parties more focused on scoring points than planning for the long term.

But, when faced with that frustration, Curtin did not reach for the fear and division of Trump-style politics; the people of Curtin responded in a uniquely Australian way, by returning to the basics and choosing a representative who's answerable to them, driven by their values and not told by any party boss how to vote or which flags to fly. At a time of increasing polarisation, I'm proud that my community has sent me here to represent the values of a modern, inclusive Australia.