The new Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan has now completed the last part of his transition into the new job, delivering his inaugural speech in the NSW Parliament yesterday.
Wearing a University of New England tie, and declaring himself a proud Albies (St Albert’s College at UNE), Joey’s (St Joseph’s College, a boarding school in Sydney long favoured by New England farming families), and Gunnedah boy, the speech would be a contender for the most quintessentially New England utterance ever made.
Mr Moylan was still in the introductory phase of his speech and praising his family, including his mother who is a registered nurse when he called for a pay rise for nurses, describing them as the back bone of our health care system. That was the only notable policy statement in the warm and relaxed speech that focused on the value of people and community, and was dripping with local references.
The speech was well received by a gallery full of family, Albies and Joeys old boys, National Party members, and all seven mayors and general managers of the local councils in the Northern Tablelands electorate. UNE Vice Chancellor Chris Moran was also in the gallery to hear Moylan praise his time at our local university.
“My five years at university were by far some of the best in my life.”
“The University of New England is a world class organisation, and for over 70 years, it’s provided the tertiary education to kids from right across the world,” he said.
“But more importantly, in my opinion, it has provided a tertiary education for kids from the regions who otherwise would not be able to afford to go to uni.”
He recalled his experience with Webb and Boland, the law firm he worked at in Moree, as directing him towards politics.
“The work was tough, particularly between 2017 and 2022 when there appeared to be what was only best described as a legal war of attrition against our farmers in the north of the state. During those times, the work was awful.”
“Ultimately, though, it was those tough years that steered me towards politics. I saw first hand how the laws that are made in this place can have fantastic results for country people, but can also have devastating results.”
Moylan’s articulation of the role of the National Party and the responsibilities of National Party MPs would give many locals heart, harking back to a time when the Country Party got things done, because it was the right thing to do for our communities.
“I love the idea of a party that’s not based on a political philosophy, but rather a party that’s based on geography.”
“We are here to serve the people of regional, rural and remote New South Wales. Our role is to fight for the bush.”
“We are at our best when we develop effective policy that will improve the lives of the people and our electorates and right across New South Wales.”
“We need to develop good policy and fight hard for those policies to be implemented, and I look forward to helping in that process,” he said.
He praised Adam Marshall for “setting the bar” of how an effective local member should perform, and vowed to follow his lead in putting the people of the Northern Tablelands ahead of politics.
“I want to be a voice for my communities. I want to always put the interests of my electorate ahead of my own interests.”
“The issues in Boggabilla are vastly different to the issues in Armidale. It’s my job when I come to this place to make sure all of those issues are listened to and fought for.”
“We’re a geographically diverse electorate. Our electorate spans from the fertile plains of Boomi, or Boomtown, as locals call it, to the gorges of Ebor. We span from the Celtic country of Glen Innes to the cotton fields of Mungindi.
“And in my opinion, it encapsulates the very best of New South Wales.”
“Our communities expect and demand that I will work hard and that I will achieve results.”
“So to the farmer spraying his weeds at Moree this morning, I’m here to work for you.”
“To the nurse coming off a 12 hour shift at Armidale hospital. Again, I’m here to work for you.”
“I’m here to work for everyone in my electorate, whether you voted for me or not. This is my job, and this is what I will do.”
The video of the full speech can be viewed on the NSW Legislative Assembly Facebook Page.
Read all the way through to the end of the story? So did lots of other people. Advertise with New England Times to reach New England locals who are interested and engaged. Find out more here.