Lisa Neville farewells Parliament

The valedictory speech delivered by outgoing Bellarine MP Lisa Neville in Parliament earlier this week:

The decision to not recontest the seat of Bellarine was a very tough one.

Despite being a member of the Labor Party for 35 years, involved in student politics and being passionate about politics and communities – I didn’t have a driving ambition to be a Member of Parliament.

20 years on as a MP– 16 in Government – 12 as a Minister and 4 as a Shadow- I can truly say I have loved the journey.  It’s been a privilege and honour to have had an opportunity to be part of people’s lives, There are very few jobs where you can drive policy, reform and legislative change – changes that have a lasting impact on communities.

Now it’s hard to say goodbye – Even in the toughest of times I have loved the job – but you need to know when it’s time to go – for me,  that is now –for health and family reasons.  I’m getting to do that on my own terms, which is very special and not something everyone gets the chance to do.

There were times in 2021 when I did not think I would get that chance and Crohns would be the ultimate winner. I have been lucky that with great medical care over last 34 years I have been able to do a pressured job whilst managing this silent autoimmune disease – many have not been as lucky.

When it really caught up with me in 2020/21 it was through great care from my GP Hugh Seward, my surgeon Darrin Goodall Wilson and Gastroenterologist Lauren Beswick that I was able to return to my role as a minister and MP and be able stand here today.  I hope that I can continue to raise awareness of this disease in the years ahead.

I never imagined when I won the marginal seat of Bellarine – and there were a couple of redistributions that made it even more marginal – that I would go on and win 5 elections.  I thank the communities of Bellarine for their continuing support and belief in me through those years.

I had the privilege of working with some of the best people, being part of the lives of so many, helping them with their issues and working with communities to deliver better services and infrastructure. It was a team effort.  I am lucky to call so many people – across the communities -friends.

Bellarine is a diverse group of communities with different needs and voices.  I have always worked with them individually as well as collectively to achieve historic funding into services and infrastructure.  From schools, emergency services, ambulance stations, surf clubs and sporting and community facilities.

The stand outs:

• Drysdale bypass – a road no one thought would be funded,
• Portarlington ferry and safe harbour
• Qcliffe Hub and footy and netball facilities ,
• Point Lonsdale surf club,
• Barwon heads Arts Hub and footy and netball club,
• Ocean Grove surf club and tennis club,
• Leopold footy,netball, tennis and soccer clubs.

For the full list you will need to look back over hansard for last 20 years.

Of course being a Bellarine MP also meant pushing for critical regional services – health services like the significant improvements at Barwon Health like the Womens and childrens, upgrades to the emergency department, Cancer Centre, McKellar Center and Mental Health services.

Rebuilding of Kardinia Park stadium with the final stage almost complete has been a highlight as was our funding to rebuild Geelong Arts Centre.

I was lucky and honoured to be a front-bencher for 16 years – 12 in Government as a Minister.  It’s extraordinary to be a critical part of key decisions, policy and legislative reform of the Government.

In my first term as a minister, I thank both Steve Bracks and John Brumby for their faith in me to become the first minister for mental health and to take on the challenging and rewarding portfolios of child protection, disability, and aged care.

I hope that the first Victorian Mental Health Strategy and the voices of so many who had lived experiences ultimately contributed to the Royal Commission that is seeing changes from the top to the bottom of the system.

The last, almost 8 years have been some of my most rewarding as a Minister.

I started as Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water.

Water was a new area for me including the complexities of the Murray Darling Basin.  I had my first meeting of the MDBA ministerial council within the first week.  I had a crash course – and from that moment – I loved it –once water gets in your blood it never leaves.

I had many a South Australian Minister yell and swear at me about our position on the basin plan.

I am the longest serving water minister in Victoria and during my time a number of significant reforms stand out aside from the MDB.

• Achieving over 50% of women on water boards and CMA and greater diversity across the sector.
• release of Water for Victoria that provided the policy, actions and investment to secure water for the future
• Expanding the water grid in communities right across the state
• Improving the water market
• Formal acknowledgment of Aboriginal links to water and undertaking first return of water to Traditional Owners.
• Integrated Water management projects
• Connections project completed and water returned
• Using desal and embedding it as part of our water security

In May 2016 the position of Police Minister came up.

I remember the call and subsequent meeting with the Premier.  I am forever grateful that Daniel saw in me the ability to take on the police portfolio at a very challenging time in terms of law and order.  Thank you for that Daniel and for your support in that role.

I quickly realised I loved the Police portfolio. I am so pleased that I had the opportunity to be both the first female police minister but also longest serving.

Through that 6 plus years as Minister I was able to deliver long term service and legislative reform for the police.

• Biggest ever investment
• Biggest increase in police numbers and a long term funding model
• Investment in equipment and intelligence and people right across the organisation
• New laws for police and PSO in Counter terrorism, road policing, fire arm protection orders and list goes on

This was about modernising Victoria Police to ensure it would meet the challenges of the future and to drive service delivery transformation – embedding local community policing whilst ensuring police had the specialist capabilities to deal with our more challenging crimes and harm.

There were tough times – times that made me realise the impact the job had on so many members.  The Bourke Street attack in 2017- I witnessed not just the grief of those who lost loved ones, and that of the broader community but also the impact on our first responders especially our police.  I saw the scars these events leave.

I also joined with the Victoria police family to mourn 5 police officers killed in the line of duty.  All of us were reminded of how dangerous policing is every day. I also saw the strength of the Victoria police family – looking after each other at the worst of times.  A true definition of family.

Victoria Police- from its exec command, non-sworn members and to those members on the ground – is a proud organisation and in my opinion, one of Victoria’s finest.  It’s been a privilege working with them all – thank you to Graham Ashton and Shane Patton and their teams and to the Police Association.

Following the 2018 election, me with laryngitis, the Premier asked me to take on the role of Emergency Services.  I of course couldn’t say no.  This is a rewarding, challenging and at times heartbreaking portfolio.

• Delivering fire reform and presumptive rights legislation was one of my key tasks. Im pleased we put to bed the division that had been created in fire services.
• Emergency services is a diverse portfolio and we invested significantly in all agencies.

Over the course of 12 years as a Minister I played a role in supporting communities following bushfires – including Black Saturday, Lancefield, Wye River and the recent Black summer fires.

From the courage of our emergency services family and from those communities affected.  Bushfires ravage not just houses and environment, but people’s wellbeing and sometimes lives.  During these times, I learnt firsthand about fear, pain, heartache, resilience and courage from those communities I worked with.

Since those bushfires in 19/20 we have faced an unprecedented once in a hundred year pandemic.

As a member of Crisis Committee of Cabinet and Co-ordinating Ministers Committee – it was a difficult period for all our community and the enormity of the decisions we had to consider every day is something that will stay with me.  Every decision made was a result of research, health advice and discussions and feedback from the community, health professionals and stakeholders.

During my public life, that has undoubtedly been the most intense of all experiences.  I want to thank my colleagues who were members of those committees – we challenged each other, we challenged decisions and we acted at all times with the needs of Victorians at the forefront of our minds.

Touched on areas just lightly and not everything – so much to say – but I need to move onto thankyous – there are many.

To my mum (who I lost in 2009) and Dad who set me up to be able to take on the challenges I did.

Thankyou to all my Geelong colleagues – we have worked as a team and achieved so much.  Special thank you to Richard Marles and John Eren who encouraged and supported me to run for the seat of Bellarine.

Thank the Australian Labor Party for the opportunity to be a Member of Parliament.

I want to thank my Cabinet colleagues and caucus colleagues – it’s been an incredible group of people to share this journey with.

I want to thank Daniel Andrews for his friendship and support well before I even became the member for Bellarine, but especially since 2014 when he became leader and thank his office especially Lissie, Ben and Jessie for their support.

Thank all my ministerial staff over the years- I was blessed to have so many great people.  Especially thank David Griffith who was my chief of staff for most of the last 8 years and in my view has been one of the best chiefs of staff going around Government.

To Geoff Fraser – what a gem – was a joy having you as part of the team.

I also want to thank my driver Cathy Buchanan who drove me for almost 12 years – we shared so much of our public and personal lives – she was and is part of my family. To my EA Karen Yeo thank you for keeping my life on track.

Thank all my media advisers who were part of helping me manage the challenging issues.

Thank my electorate staff over the years I especially want to thank Kylie Rawson who has been the most amazing office manager always ensuring the community got the support they needed.

I want to thank Sharon, Denise, Kim, Parker and the others over the years.

A special thanks to Sue Spence who I have known and worked with since 1994 – she worked in my EO and Ministerial office and provided unquestioning support and friendship

I want to thank Ian Trezise – a Geelong colleague a friend and wise counsel and my electorate officer for last 8 years.   Who would have thought we would have ended up such close friends.

To Jo Duncan – whom I sat next to in my first term who -I joke – taught me nothing- although claims she taught me everything I know – your friendship has been so important and helped me manage the ups and the downs of the job.

To my very good friends – Gayle, Colette, Vic, Geoff, John, Merri, Harriet my cousin Louise, Tony and Campbell – who have heard all the good and the bad of the job and have always been by my side – this job can be lonely – all of those above have made it less so.

I have had the pleasure of working with some incredibly hardworking members of the public service over the 12 years and as a local MP with the local departments.  I’ve enjoyed the debate, the laughs and the work we have done together to put Victorians first and deliver best outcomes – John Bradley, Helen Vaughan, the water team, Rebecca Falkingham, Corrie McKenzie, the police team and Emma Cassar, Kate Fitzgerald and Andrew Crisp – I have learnt so much from you.

To the amazing staff of the parliament – library, IT, catering, attendants, security, PSO etc etc – thank you for all you do and the support you provide to all of us.

I wish Alison Marchant all the best for the upcoming election – I am confident she will represent the communities of Bellarine exceptionally well.

And finally and most important to me I would like to thank my son Sam.

It is hard to believe that when I entered this parliament 20 years ago he was a little boy, just 6 years old.

Today I proudly look to the gallery and he is here supporting me as a mature young man.

I am so very proud of him and what he is achieving in his life.

As I said in my inaugural speech – Sam continues to show me the true meaning of compassion and love and has always made sure I kept my feet firmly on the ground

I thank him for the sacrifices he has made that has enabled me to embrace my political career

Now is the time for me to repay him with much more of my time, support and attention (whether he likes it or not)

In saying that, I do now look forward to the future surrounded by my family and good friends and to a different life outside this Parliament

Of course I will continue to contribute to the community in one way or another.  Community Service has always been and will continue to be very much part of who I am.

And In finishing I wish all my Parliamentary colleagues well for the future those who are also retiring and those who will serve in the 60^th Parliament.

Despite its many critics, one only has to look overseas in recent years to see how fortunate we are to have such a stable and democratic Parliamentary system.

For me to have served within it and to have served this state and community of Bellarine has been an honour and it has been a pleasure.