CONSTITUENCY STATEMENTS

Ms ROWLAND (Greenway—Attorney-General) (16:47): I've had the privilege of holding many roles in our great democracy. I've been an electorate officer, a local councillor, a deputy mayor and a federal backbencher. I've been in opposition, and I'm fortunate enough to serve now in our nation's cabinet.

Today I rise to speak on one of the most important roles that I've had and one of the first that I held, and that is the role of an electorate officer. When Australians think of democracy, they may think of elections and voting or Parliament House, but I think of distressed men and women walking through the door of an electorate office needing help. Many people think politicians are just trying to tear each other down, but there is another world—a world grounded in professionalism, where we help each other, and we need to remember this.

I engage across the parliament, and my door is always open to colleagues. Those are not empty words. At the last election, the boundary changes meant constituents previously in the electorate of Mitchell, held by the opposition, now fell in my electorate of Greenway.

We were able to work together as local MPs to make sure constituent matters could be handed over. We may be on opposite sides of the aisle, but our offices have always engaged constructively. All of us in this place have a shared goal to service our constituencies, to ensure their voices are heard and represented in this place.

The fact is, the ability of an electorate office to serve as a community is also fundamental to the rule of law. It keeps law responsive to lived experience. When constituents bring problems to their local MP, be it a stuck visa application, a dispute with a government agency or confusion about entitlements, the parliamentarian sees firsthand where laws and administrative processes are working and where they are not.

That feedback loop is an important part of how the rule of law stays grounded in reality rather than becoming abstract or arbitrary in application. The rule of law doesn't just mean that laws exist. It requires that laws apply consistently and citizens have recourse against overreach or error by the state.

It builds legitimacy and trust in legal institutions. The integrity of the rule of law depends on people believing the system is fair and that they have some voice in it. A well run electorate office treats a request from any constituent, regardless of their wealth or their connections, with the same seriousness.

That practice models the principle that legal and administrative processes shouldn't depend on who you know. So to all the electorate offices out there from all political parties, from all of us in this chamber, I want to say thank you. Your work is vital to the continued strength of our great democracy.