Libby Coker reflects on re-election and what comes next

A WEEK after her re-election, Libby Coker still carries the weight of the moment.

“It’s quite emotional,” she says. “To have a role to play in helping people — it’s amazing.”

Libby has been returned for a third term in Corangamite, as the Albanese Government swept to a historic national win.

For Libby, the victory felt personal — a validation of years of hard work across the Surf Coast.

“It is such a humbling experience,” she says.

“To see so many people embrace our policies — from HECS debt relief to free TAFE, battery subsidies and paid parental leave — it tells me people want a government that listens.”

Behind the public moments is a long, often bruising political journey.

Libby first ran in 2016 and lost. In 2019, she won but her party lost. Now, after helping deliver Labor’s strongest result in decades, she’s ready for the work ahead.

With this win, she becomes the first Labor MP to be elected three times in Corangamite since the seat’s creation at Federation.

“What keeps me going is the opportunity to set our region up for the future,” she says.

“To listen, to help people be their best, and make sure they can get ahead.”

Some of the campaign’s most powerful moments came at pre-poll.

“One young woman thanked me for helping fix her childcare subsidy — she was paying $1,000 a week,” Libby says.

“Another man thanked us for helping his family get home during COVID. And families told us how we’d helped with their children’s NDIS plans. That’s what matters.”

She’s quick to credit the volunteers who backed her from the start.

“They’ve walked with me in the heat, rain and gale-force winds. They do it because they believe in the party’s principles. Their loyalty means everything.”

But the job, she says, comes with a cost.

“When I first ran, my kids were in their early teens. It was tough on them and my husband. When you lose, it’s brutal. And when you win but your party loses, that’s tough, too.”

Now, she’s focused on the dual responsibilities of being a local MP in government: delivering at home while contributing to national priorities.

“Politics is always local,” she says. “It’s about backing sporting clubs, building urgent care clinics, upgrading rail and roads. That work matters. But so does national reform, like aged care, climate policy, and housing.”

As the government shifts its focus from inflation to productivity, Libby sees major opportunity for the region.

“We’ve got Deakin, the Gordon, great local industries, and the National Reconstruction Fund,” she says.

“If we invest well, we can make more things here and create meaningful jobs.”

Housing, health and education remain at the top of her list.

“I want people to know they have hope. That they can buy a home, access healthcare, get a great education.

“Free TAFE and HECS relief aren’t just smart policies; they’re life-changing.”

And for a region deeply connected to its coastline, the environment is never far from her mind.

“People move here because they love the ocean. They care about protecting it,” she says.

“When I saw our communities weren’t being properly consulted about seismic testing, I stood up. That project didn’t go ahead. Maybe we made a difference.”

For Libby — like many across the Surf Coast region — it isn’t just a place to live. The natural environment is something lived, breathed and carried. It’s part of who they are.Her voice catches.

“Communities should be heard. Their voices matter.”Fifteen years after entering public life as a councillor, she still carries that belief and the emotion that comes with it.

“I’ve watched this region grow and change,” she says. “And I just want to keep doing the work.”