On July 31, Mary Aldred, newly elected Member for Monash delivered her maiden speech.
MP Aldred said that it was her; “life’s greatest privilege to rise as the member for Monash and an honour to address the House on behalf of [her] community.”
Aldred spoke highly of her electorate and thanked them for placing their trust in her.
“Monash is part of the great Gippsland region, where Australia’s richest soil meets the sea adjoining the world’s best beaches. In Monash, it’s callused hands and boots, not suits, that build national progress brick by brick. From dredge to boiler room, paddock to milking shed, harvester to timber yard, workshop to shopfront, I honour these great Australians. Our national success rides on their shoulders,” she said.
She thanked her supporters, including Senator Jane Hume, State MP Wayne Farnham and newly appointed Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, who visited Monash throughout the election campaign.
“My supporters were there for me every day I was a candidate, which spanned about 18 months—or 538 days if you’re counting,” Aldred said.
She also acknowledged her predecessor Russell Broadbent and said that he and his wife are “good people.”
“While we spent the last two years as opponents, the fact is that we were good friends for 20, and it was a privilege to support him over that time,” she said of Broadbent.
Fifty years on from her father’s election to federal parliament and nearly a decade since his passing, Aldred said that “my dad’s views on the world could be complicated. His love for me was not.” Aldred noted that she is the 1,246th Australian elected to federal parliament, and that her father, Ken Aldred, was the 660th. She also acknowledged her mum, Margie, a former teacher and small business owner, for instilling many values in her.
Aldred has many “local priorities” on her radar, including but not limited to a new West Gippsland Hospital.
Aldred has been appointed to several parliamentary roles. She will be the Deputy Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications, the Arts and Sport.
Aldred ended her speech with a pledge to her community; “I recognise that each day I spend in this place is a day closer to when I will leave. I plan to make each day count by advancing the cause for which I am here, a passionate belief in the purpose and potential of the people of Monash. To my electorate: I asked for your trust and confidence. You have given me the opportunity of a lifetime. I will work my heart out for you.”
Aldred’s speech was met with applause from her colleagues in the house and onlookers from the gallery.
Aldred is now encouraging local high school students to enter the 2025 My First Speech competition. The national competition invites year 10, 11 and 12 students to write and submit a 300-word first speech, imagining themselves as a newly elected Member of Parliament and speaking on the issues they care most about.
Three winners, one from each year level, will be flown to Canberra with a parent or guardian to deliver their speeches live in Parliament House.
Aldred said that “this is an outstanding opportunity for students in our local Monash community to stand up and be heard on the national stage.”
“I encourage all year 10, 11 and 12 students in Monash to take part… this is their opportunity to advocate on the issues that they are most passionate about,” she said.
Entries can be submitted by September 15 at www.mfs.houseofrepresentatives.gov.au
