Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

on indulgence—Last month Mary Doyle made history, and today Mary Doyle made history as the member for Aston, being the first person to swear allegiance to King Charles. I do note that some in the media perhaps haven't noticed that that's what we do as members of the House of Representatives and of the Senate and as ministers, because that seemed to be controversial while I was in London—something that should not have been.

Today the member for Aston joins us in the work of building a better future. It is the first time a government candidate has won a seat from the opposition in over 100 years. She is already the best member for Aston in over 30 years! And she is the newest member of a government working today, and every day, to deliver the positive plan that Australians voted for in 2022.

When I rang Mary and asked her to be the candidate in the by-election, she had, of course, already contested an election back in 2022 and achieved an outstanding result, standing for an electorate that had received 54.7 per cent of the primary vote for the former member for Aston, Alan Tudge, and a two-party preferred vote of over 60 per cent for the coalition. Mary achieved an outstanding result in 2022, and we were hopeful that we could maintain that result. She went much better than expectations could possibly have planned for, and she did that because of who she is. Mary is someone who grew up in public housing, a mum and carer to three beautiful children, a mortgage holder who knows the pressure that's there on family budgets, a working parent who has seen the punishing cost of child care, a cancer survivor who knows the true meaning of Medicare, and a proud citizen of the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne who cares about her community and cares about the local environment. And Mary Doyle is a person driven by the oldest and deepest Australian aspiration—the aspiration for a better life and a greater opportunity for the next generation.

I say to the member for Aston: I am very confident that you will continue to be a strong voice for your local community. And I am delighted that you are joining us here on budget day, with the great privilege of serving the people of Australia that all of us have from our different perspectives. I've got to know you personally and seen you grow, particularly in that period under the pressure that comes with being a by-election candidate, where the focus of the media on Aston was far greater, it's fair to say, than it probably was in the 2022 election. I saw you grow as a person, and the Australian people, but particularly the people of Aston, saw the character that you showed. For those people who were watching on election night, when you were introduced by the Deputy Prime Minister as the successful candidate, I think your humility showed, your character showed and your passionate commitment for that local community showed. And I am certain that you will bring that diligence, that commitment and that perseverance to representing the good people of Aston in this parliament and beyond. You are someone who has created history; that can't be taken away from you. But I look forward to the future history that you're going to create over many years as the member for Aston. I congratulate you on behalf of the government, very sincerely, on being sworn in today as the member for Aston.

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