Warimi. That's 'welcome' in the Indigenous language of the Dharug people, the traditional owners of the lands where Werriwa sits and that I call home. I acknowledge the Dharawal and the Cabrogal clan of the Dharug nation, who have looked after the land and waterways in Werriwa for more than 65,000 years. I acknowledge the Ngambri and Ngunnawal people in the lands in Canberra and all First Peoples all over Australia. I also acknowledge Richard Torning, another Lurnea High School graduate and a member of the Bayala Aboriginal Corporation. They are running courses in the Dharug language, and I did the course last year. I wasn't a great student, and I only have a smattering of words, but I really enjoyed the lessons and the history provided in the course. Thank you for keeping the traditions of our First Nations people alive and relevant. This is really important. There is so much more to do to better support our First Nations people by walking alongside them and finding ways to permanently close the gaps in education, health and wellbeing.

My community is also home to 150 distinct ethnic language groups. We live together in harmony, embracing the difference and enjoying the best of each group. This is the community I represent. When I was elected in 2016, I wanted to represent everyone, to ensure their voices were heard and that community was at the heart of every decision that governments make. I will still be that voice.

I was reminded recently this makes a difference to so many people. Mr Donald Thomas passed away recently, and, due to responsibilities last week, I was unable to attend his funeral. He and his wife were people of our community, opening their house to their children's friends, to their neighbours and to others, and were always ready to lend a hand if it was ever needed. I'm told he apparently liked to watch question time, especially if I was asking a question. He was so proud that a girl from Lurnea High School, the school that educated his children, was in this place. I am humbled by my election and representing my community, but hearing that this makes a difference to people does take my breath away. My heart goes out to Robyn, David, Kris, Peter and their families at Mr Thomas's passing.

My community has given me everything in my life, and I will spend my life giving everything for my community. It is my great honour to serve. I take none of this for granted. I have no illusions about who I answer to and how important the voters of Werriwa are.

I truly didn't think I'd be making this speech. Our campaign faced a massive spend, lies and dirty tactics. But the wonderful community of Werriwa—my home—saw through it all. I didn't know, before the election result was called, whether or not I'd be here today. Every election is a challenge, and if it isn't then you're not working hard enough! I was well aware of the media coverage and what they were saying about my chances of holding this seat—I was asked about it often enough. For the record, I really do welcome media focus on our local issues. I just wish it didn't take an election every three years for them to pay attention!

I thank every voter, especially those who took the time to provide encouragement and support at the early morning train station visits, when doorknocking and at polling places—and even when I was making those late-night shopping trips. Your words made so much difference.

While the behaviour of candidates is normally a matter for them, I feel I must address the behaviour of some during this campaign—not just because of unreasonable conduct, but because so many residents made a specific point of reaching out to me about it. I'm not easily intimidated, especially when I know the cause I fight for is on the side of the angels, but the constant lies, the other campaigns' people yelling and talking over the top of me at polling places, along with the constant barrage of social media negativity, went way too far. My children and grandchildren could see and hear the words that were directed to me and my campaign, and that is not okay. To hire a person to closely circle me at a polling booth is not okay. To have them hand out authorised Liberal Party material to influence voters, even though they protested they had nothing to do with the Liberal Party, is not okay. Voters being grabbed, pressured or having their how-to-vote cards taken out of their hands is not okay. Women were speaking to me, saying they were feeling unsafe and wanting to warn their friends to stay away. That is not okay.

It is completely unacceptable for anyone to feel unsafe when voting. Let's have a contest of ideas, but don't take how-to-vote cards out of voters' hands hoping that will sway them to vote for you. Let's explain the policies, give citizens something to inspire them. Don't reduce their participation in our great country to words of condescension. This is not us, and the results in Werriwa shouted that. In fact, the results Australia-wide tell us the story.

My community endured a barrage of corflutes peppering the area, and most have still not been removed. The thousands of posters of other candidates plastered on trees, telegraph poles and traffic lights did not endear you to our community; rather, it served to infuriate them. I know this because I was fielding the complaints. Residents quite rightly pointed out that the countless signs were illegally placed. Some were in hazardous positions that endangered council workers who had to remove them. Up until this campaign, candidates in our area respected other people's placement of posters, but this time posters were taken off private properties and replaced by the other candidate's. Owners were abused if they had the audacity to ask the volunteers not to do that.

Trespassing, intimidation and destroying property are not only against the law; they are just not right. I fear there were some under the belief that, because it's an election, it's okay to behave this way or they had to do everything possible to win. Let me be clear—and this is what the voters of Werriwa said—if that is the way you want to win, you don't deserve it. When you act like that, you bring everyone down, you make people disengage and you make people lose trust and lose faith.

To sum it up, this was an election like none I had ever experienced before. I believe that people take their cues from one another and from the examples set by their leaders. I believe this is true for other campaigns I've encountered in this election but also for our broader campaign achievements. The Prime Minister deserves credit and accolade for the campaign he led. I just want to add to the thousands of words spoken and written that, in this prime minister, we have a remarkable leader who cares. He cares about our country and he cares about its people. At times, when things have not gone so well for me, I've had the PM personally seek me out to offer his support and encouragement. This speaks volumes of the PM, and it is that quality above almost everything else that I think saw the Australian people get behind him.

Of course, success is a team effort, and, in this respect, the Albanese Labor government has one of the most talented ministries ever. It's united, purposeful and hard working. To each minister who responded to my calls, who provided advice or helped me in anyway: thank you, and I extend this thankyou to their staff as well. But especially thank you to Senators Watt and Ayres for your doorknocking. It was great, and thank you to the members for McMahon, Blaxland, Sydney, Dobell, Shortland and Macarthur in this place. It's been a great honour to serve in the Albanese government, and I look forward to continuing in the 48th Parliament.

I'm extremely excited about what we will be delivering for our electorate over the next three years, because of what we've delivered already and what the Australian people have given us the mandate to deliver for them now. We've delivered tax cuts for every taxpayer. We've already saved over $1,400 for Werriwa's taxpayers. We're providing further energy bill relief for every household, and, as a reminder to everyone listening, if you don't see it on your quarterly energy bill, make sure you check with your energy provider. I'm proud that a re-elected Albanese government will see a cut of 20 per cent to HECS debts. Legislation has already been tabled in the parliament that will help over 25,000 Werriwa are residents, and one resident who's very close to me will have her debt reduced by $20,000.

We've made health a priority, reducing the price of prescription medications, freezing the concession rate for prescription medications and introducing 60-day prescriptions. After a lot of hard work and support from the Werriwa community, there will be a Medicare urgent care clinic opening in the Green Valley area as well as a Medicare mental health care facility. Both are urgently needed and testify that only Labor can be trusted with Medicare, and I'm working to see that they happen as soon as possible. I've heard far too many stories from residents about the challenges of finding an out-of-hours medical care doctor that bulk-bills. It's my hope that the Medicare urgent care clinic will give residents the access to care and ease the pressure on the overburdened hospitals.

Cleaning up after the inaction of 10 years of liberal government, state and federal, has seen massive investments by this government. There is a Labor commitment of a billion dollars to address the mess that is Fifteenth Avenue as well as $1 billion to secure the future rail corridor between Leppington and Bradfield with Western Sydney airport. In education, Labor is delivering full funding to New South Wales public schools and free TAFE, and I've been proud to witness a massive amount of investment in upgrades for local schools. Schools like Ashcroft High School, James Busby High School, James Meehan High School, Miller Technology High School, Al-Faisal College, Heckenberg Public School and Hoxton Park High School—and the list goes on—have all received funding.

And then there's a myriad of community, religious and sporting groups that Labor has pledged to assist. I look forward to delivering for each of them. Some of the organisations that have benefited or will benefit from park and facility upgrades include Southern Districts Soccer Football Association, the Edmondson Park Malayalee Club, Middleton Rural Fire Brigade, Kemps Creek United Soccer Club, Liverpool Meals on Wheels and Liverpool Olympic Football Club.

If there's something to take from this election result, it's a vote for solutions and a vote against obstruction. I would ask that many take heed of that advice, whether you're a senator who has blocked important legislation or a local council that has been allocated federal funding for infrastructure that remains unspent for more than four years. Listen to what the people are saying and what they are crying out for.

That is why I want to make time in this speech to speak about something deeply important for many in my electorate. It is an issue that many have spoken to me about. Throughout the world there are so many conflicts. Innocent people are being displaced and having dignity removed. Everyone in my community is touched by these events. They are distressed; they cannot sleep. Their concerns pervade everything they do. I've heard from so many about their desperation. I wrote this part of the speech more than two months ago. At that time, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas seemed possible, even imminent. Sadly, the situation is now so much worse than it has ever been. Israel and Netanyahu must stop. There is no excuse for killing innocent people, starving children or shooting people who are just trying to feed their families. The horrors are real and abhorrent. Palestinians deserve to be able to live in their homeland in peace with prosperity. There is no event which excuses what is happening. Shooting people who are just trying to feed their families is unconscionable. There must be a ceasefire now. There must be agreement, a solution which sees the Palestinian people able to live peacefully and well in their homeland.

My community already hosts too many that have been displaced and traumatised by war. Our community has Mandeans, Chaldeans, Assyrians, Cambodians, Vietnamese, Bosnians, Serbians, Uighurs and so many more. It is time to stop. While I continue with this speech, I want to make it clear to my community that this issue remains at the forefront of my mind and close to my heart.

Close to my heart as well are those who supported me. I was supported by so many, and in reality I don't have time here to mention everyone. But there are a few people I would like to thank. To Paul Lynch, the retired state member for Liverpool, who letterboxed our message about health care to thousands and thousands and has always believed in me, even when I didn't: thank you for the encouragement. I am ever so grateful. To others, like Chris Hayes, who was a former member for Werriwa in this place, and my state colleagues Chris Minns, Anoulack Chanthivong, Nathan Hagarty, Charishma Kaliyanda, Lynda Voltz, Cameron Murphy, Mark Buttigieg, Anthony D'Adam and Julia Finn: thank you for your support. Also, to the Liverpool councillors Dr Betty Green, Ethan Monaghan, Sam Karnib and Mira Ibrahim: thank you. My thanks also go out to Jo and Matilda, who helped me so much on prepoll. Thank you to the member for Fairfield, Guy Zangari. Without your support on election day, I'm not sure how I would have got through it.

The union movement came out to support me in Werriwa in spades, and I particularly thank Gerard Hayes, Bernie Smith, David Bliss, Phil Chadwick and Henry Rajendra from the New South Wales Teachers Federations, USU, HSU and the SDA and their delegates, as well as Graeme Kelly. My gratitude goes to the inspiring young activists of Young Labor, left and right, who flew into my electorate to deliver our positive message and who are very much worthy of a special mention. They assisted me doorknocking in blistering heat, pouring rain and cold. I know our party will grow in strength with their future leadership. Thank you, all, especially Adam, Imogen and Luke. Thanks also to the New South Wales party leadership, Dom Ofner and David Dobson.

I also need to mention my campaign team—Shannen, James and the fantastic Loretta Fletcher. Loretta is a marvel in a marginal seat campaign. She makes sure the basics are done right and on time. Finally I also mention my exceptional staff. They are the ones who make sure the people of Werriwa are so well supported. Their care and tenacity to help everyone makes so much of a difference every day. Thank you, Natalina, Aaron, Alex, Daniel, Ingrid, Liam and Stella.

Everyone knows I have two beautiful and talented grandchildren, Meaghan and Horatio. This victory is for them and all our future leaders. It means that they will receive equity in education, receive equity in health care and be able to afford university or go to TAFE. There will be homes for them to make their lives in and they will be able to see the promises of what our wonderful world has in store. This is a victory for the true believers and, in the words of Werriwa's greatest representative, we 'maintained our rage and enthusiasm' and we will govern for all Australians. That is because Labor governments care, and I'm proud to serve in the second Albanese Labor government in this 48th Parliament.

Link to Hansard: Full Speech