Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Smalltown Australia needs bigger voices than ever before, and in Bendigo we have Andrew Lethlean, who is fighting for a fair go for his community after years of neglect by the Albanese Labor government. Andrew Lethlean is not a career politician. He is a small-businessman who has worked hard and created jobs in his community. We have 100 days to make history in Bendigo by getting rid of a bad Labor government in its first term and electing a genuine local champion. Andrew Lethlean will bring common sense to Canberra. Andrew Lethlean has the passion, experience and determination to deliver for families in Bendigo, Castlemaine, Rochester, Kyneton and Heathcote. Andrew Lethlean will help to get Australia back on track. I am backing Andrew Lethlean in Bendigo because you can trust him to stand up for his community on every issue. It's time for change in the seat of Bendigo.

I have met some amazing Australians during my time in parliament. One of them is Mia Davies, a true local champion from Western Australia. Mia Davies is an exceptional state member of parliament and former Leader of the Nationals in Western Australia who wants to come to Canberra and make a difference for her home state. Mia Davies has the experience, the passion and the determination to deliver for her community in the new seat of Bullwinkel. What better than for an intelligent and talented woman to be the first person to hold the seat named in honour of one of the greatest Australians of all time, Vivian Bullwinkel. A vote for Mia Davies is a vote for common sense and for giving Western Australia the strongest possible voice here in Canberra.

There's only one thing that regional Australians fear more than a second term of an Albanese-Marles government, and that is a first term of an Albanese-Bandt government backed by the city-focused Teal party. Regional Australians have every right to be worried about the prospect of Prime Minister Albanese doing a deal with the Greens and the teal party after the next election. The Labor-Greens-teals trifecta would be a disaster for our families, our farmers, our miners and people who work in the timber industry and in our fisheries. It would be a disaster for small and family owned businesses as well.

Regional Australians are worse off under the Albanese government, and the next election is our chance to get our country back on track.