I’ve always been active in the community. I’ve always felt the need to fix and improve things. There were many things like people needing services which were only available in business hours. One time there were 3 of us who went to a bank here in Lismore to open an account for the women’s refuge and they said we needed our husbands signatures to set up a bank account. We went to another bank up the road and opened an account. Unbelievable! There were things that now it’s hard to imagine but that is how our society was at that time. I became more and more active and eventually joined the Labor Party. I was already on so many boards and councils, State and Federal. My main desire was to change Policy, not get elected to Parliament. It wasn’t on my radar.
I remember the first meeting I went to at the Civic Hotel and these old fellas, who turned out to be wonderful, said…What do you want girly? I said, I’m here to join the Labor Party. You know it wasn’t really a Labor town. At that time it was the Country Party. I got really active and eventually I stood for Parliament. I knew I wouldn’t win but it was good for me to do it. I thoroughly enjoyed all the policy work across many areas including Forestry. I did one on Community Justice Centres and internet in all schools which went to Bob Carr’s office and was successful.
I spent 8 years in the NSW upper house. I travelled around the state and learnt so much about water, native vegetation, soil conservation. We set up catchment management committees. In 1991 when I called for a regional water body, so we were dealing with water right across the catchment, I remember saying that one day we will be fighting wars over water and I got pilloried by the National party.
In the middle of all that I did a teaching diploma at SCU. I got a Law Degree at Macquarie Uni. I try to inspire young people in what can be achieved. I have a 35 year old son. I have a beautiful grandson who is 5. His Mum is from Brazil but is Australian now so Gabriel is fluent in both languages. I took him down to visit my son last week. He loves the Heritage Park here and the pool. I take him to Slate cafe where he get’s his cheese toasty. He loves the word beautiful. I sent a text to his mum saying, Can you tell Gabriel I’ve had a beautiful day. She’s a really good Mum.
When I came home, I went through a pre selection and I got it. I just knew I was ready and the 6 years I was Federal Member I did as much work as I possibly could. I thought these things don’t always last so I got so much into this area. It had been neglected for a long time. I got the extra money for the Cancer Care Centre and extra money for the community health centre in Yamba, money for the Rehab, Grafton Hospital’s new surgery. We got the accomodation opposite the Hospital, money for Ballina and money for the Pacific Highway and I got every cent for the Alstonville bypass. I didn’t neglect the environment though.
We need big thinking and we need plans. I don’t see that happening. How do we want our public transport to be? How do we fix our Richmond River? How do we lower our emissions and how do become a renewable energy hub? All these things need a plan and are really important. We make it hard for young people who have left school. Where do they go for full time jobs? We need to have a jobs authority connected to TAFE. Soon we won’t have checkouts with people behind the counter. Sometimes the checkout person might be the only person an elderly person might talk to in the day. My main focus is environment, economy and education. That whole debate on climate change…really? It’s not even a debate. We accept science in so many areas, why not there?