Delivering her inaugural speech in Parliament today, Judy Hannan MP the newly elected Independent and first Female Member for Wollondilly, took the opportunity to recognise the community of Wollondilly and her experiences fighting for equality.
“I remember on enrolment day someone reading my address over my shoulder saying how did you manage to get into University. I learnt that you should not judge on appearance or where someone comes from.” Mrs Hannan MP said.
On her battle to have the Cancer treatment drug Herceptin publicly listed, Mrs Hannan MP said, “Even though I felt extremely unwell I worked hard to afford it but how could I sit next to another woman who couldn’t.”
On women’s rights and equality Mrs Hannan MP recognised, “While women’s rights have improved we have a long way to go. The women who have been successful in getting into this place have learnt to deal with a structure and system often limiting what we can achieve. It’s not just pointing this out to women, but critically every member needs to learn from this. Just last week on being invited to turn the sod on the Performing Arts Centre that I when Mayor got funding for learnt that the builders assumed the member of Parliament must have been one of the men. And sadly even in the lift in Parliament this Tuesday I was asked by another member who I worked for.” Continuing, “I still am unable to understand how sticking up for gender equity, looking after our environment and most importantly, integrity, is something to be snarled at. Perhaps it is that the major political parties feel the threat of someone with authenticity and passion.” said Mrs Hannan MP.
Thanking her broad network of community members, “Some Green, some Conservative, many believers in worker’s rights, the firefighters who campaigned strongly, the nurses and teachers, who bust themselves for our benefit everyday, good friends and many who just wanted to make a difference.” Mrs Hannan MP said. “Dr Seuss wrote the Lorax over 50 years ago chronicling the plight of a community and the environment, according to the words of the Lorax “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
“Thank you to my community of the Wollondilly and the Southern Highlands for allowing me to care.” concluded
Full speech video available: https://youtu.be/7KvM0GAYVc8
Full speech text: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H6eqWynKbAK4S_tTK4_TE2Qf3bN4H9Wlpursfs4atEo/edit?usp=sharing
Media: [email protected] or Benn Banasik 0434 832 636