By Lachlan Ellis<\/p>\n
A newly re-elected MP is rising up the political ranks with a new role in Parliament, but says her local community will always be her main priority.<\/p>\n
Michaela Settle was elected the inaugural Member for Eureka at the recent state election, and last week accepted the role of Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture and Regional Development.<\/p>\n
The role is essentially a Junior Ministry assisting Minister for Agriculture Gayle Tierney and Minister for Regional Development Harriet Shing, but will allow Ms Settle the chance to put forward her own ideas and advocate on behalf of her constituents.<\/p>\n
She said she was thrilled to be appointed to the new position.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really excited with the appointment. The Premier rang me on Monday [5 December] and offered me the positions, and I was really delighted. Obviously, my most important role is as the representative for people in Eureka, and that will always be my main focus,\u201d Ms Settle told the Moorabool News.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese roles really offer me the opportunity to bring my own personal experience to the table. I know how important agriculture is, and also how complex it is \u2013 it\u2019s a really complex policy space. People sometimes think it\u2019s just a farmer at a farm gate, but it\u2019s much more in terms of international trade, biosecurity, and all of those things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Settle did her Master\u2019s thesis on regional development, and managed her family\u2019s farm in Ararat for 10 years, which she hopes will help her fit into the role.<\/p>\n
When asked about her position on the Western Renewables Link \u2013 a project that has many in agriculture and regional Victorians as a whole concerned \u2013 Ms Settle said she would continue to advocate for the community of Eureka.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been really strong on this. I\u2019m going to do everything I can to support people, however, it\u2019s important to understand what I can and can\u2019t change. What I think people really want is some frank responses and frank answers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bottom line is, as it stands, the Western Renewables Link is an AEMO project, not a State Government project \u2013 it won\u2019t be voted on the floor of Parliament. There isn\u2019t a space for me to change that substantially.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving said that, if the question is around advocacy, absolutely I\u2019m here to advocate for people locally, and will continue to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Lachlan Ellis A newly re-elected MP is rising up the political ranks with a new role in Parliament, but says her local community will always be her main priority. Michaela Settle was elected the inaugural Member for Eureka at the recent state election, and last week accepted the role of Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture […]<\/p>\n