There were a number of health matters which the community was clearly unhappy about. People were fearful of lived experience, disappointments, a thousand cuts to Medicare and restrictive health measures that have been occurring in recent times. The concerns are real and they need to be addressed.

Another matter of significance was education. The great promise of Gonski is the programs and resources that it funds to ensure that students are able to be supported to achieve success, regardless of their needs or backgrounds. I look to Queanbeyan South Public School, where they have funded an extra staff member to ensure that all students are delivered personalised and explicit learning. I will continue to advocate for the full funding of Gonksi, as the results of its success are clear, it makes a difference.

An efficient and effective transport strategy that enables people to move cheaply and quickly around our region is vital. As such, I am committed to pursuing my strategic transport plan for our region including the long term projects of duplicating the Barton Highway and Pialligo Road, the construction of Dunns Creek Road and improved cross border public transport between NSW and the ACT.

One of my guiding principles is a dictum by first century scholar Rabbi Tarfon, who said: ‘We are not obliged to complete the work of perfecting the world, but we are not permitted to resile from it.’ My role in Parliament is to be a part of a continuum to improve the human condition and that is why I am proud to be part of the labour movement. I want to be here to move that ball forward and be a part of that human chain of progress, which is not immutable and is not inevitable. It requires a lot of passion, sacrifice, leadership and discipline to build it brick by brick with blood, sweat and tears.

- Mike Kelly, member for Eden-Monaro