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| BURKE: “People are getting used … what they see in the media. They trust their conversations with people they know more than what’s on a screenâ€. |
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“You are giving the most precious thing you can give: your time and personal authority when you talk to your friends.†– Tony Burke ***
“Our purpose is to improve people’s lives. We strive to make things fairer, to create opportunities.†– Jihad Dib ***
“The Labor Party has built not just a foundation, but a movement dedicated to workers’ rights.†– Sophie Cotsis
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Tony Burke calls on community values during campaign launch in Punchbowl
24/02/2025
(See translation in Arabic section)
Sydney-Middle East Times Int'l: Tony Burke, the member for the seat of Watson, has held his campaign launch for the upcoming federal election. The launch, in the Sydney suburb of Punchbowl, was attended by several leading ALP figures, including former Senator Graham Richardson and former Speaker of the House Leo McLeay. Canterbury Bankstown Mayor Bilal El Hayek ran the event. Speakers included Mr Burke himself, State Member for Bankstown Jihad Dib and State Member for Canterbury Sophie Cotsis. Together, they emphasised the importance of community, shared values, and the need for a strong Labor presence to guide Australia. The following are edited extracts of their speeches.
TONY BURKE
Tony Burke opened his speech by expressing gratitude to those who have supported him throughout his career, including Tony Stewart, a former mayor of the area, who has consistently stood by him.
Mr Burke also recounted the assistance of Leo McLeay, a longtime senior member of the ALP, who left “incredibly big footsteps†to follow.
“It was an honour to follow someone with the natural profile and authority that Leo McLeay had. Every election day that I’ve run, I’ve spent the whole day with Leo, going from booth to booth. He has never stopped providing support and counsel. But there was one night before I took the press McLeay – Leo and I sat together in his office at Kingsgrove, which later became my office. We talked until about 3 am. He kept saying to me, “Well, what do you believe? If you want to achieve one thing, what would it be?â€
We talked back and forth about my work and what really mattered. I left that conversation with one ambition, which took me until this term to make law: to bring the concept of secure employment back to Australia. For people to be able to have a secure job. That conversation over 20 years ago with Leo McLeay is now law throughout Australia, and we have had more job security than we’ve had for about 40 years. Leo, I am so grateful for all the conversations we had.
Nearly 10 years before that, I was a young student, still at school, passionate about saving different parts of the environment. I joined an environmental organisation, writing letters to save the Daintree Rainforest. I was writing to Graham Richardson. After a while, it occurred to me if I wanted things to happen, I didn’t want to be part of a fringe organisation; I wanted to be part of something that could change people’s lives. Seeing Graham Richardson get things done inspired me. That led me to the Labor Party. My first secure job as a full-time employee was working for Graham when he came back as Health Minister. It means a lot to be here today.
** ** To all my State colleagues, thank you so much. I know how busy you all are, and setting aside time to be here today means a lot. I am grateful. To everyone here, you are giving the most precious thing someone can give to a cause – because the Labor Party is a cause. We are not a brand. Don’t ever let anybody tell you we are a brand. We are a cause to change people’s lives for the better.
You are giving the most precious thing you can give: your time and personal authority when you talk to your friends. There is nothing more I could ever ask for than that. I know that for some of you, particularly in the last year and a half, these have been some of the hardest times when talking to your friends. The world has been difficult, and I know you’ve stood by me in those conversations. I am so grateful for that.
Over the last year, we have seen the government’s position evolve on issues we care about. Some things I have done in the open, but much more has been behind closed doors. Yet I am glad you trust me enough to stand by me.
Now, this election – they’ll come at us like they never have before. We know some radio stations, newspapers, and even TV channels won’t be on our side. But you know, people are getting used to questioning what they see in the media. They trust their conversations with people they know more than what’s on a screen. This election will be won in lounge rooms.
People are under a lot of pressure right now. Energy bills, wages, and cost-of-living concerns are real. Three years ago, wages were falling. Now, they are rising. Inflation had a six in front of it; now it has a two. Interest rates were climbing; now they are starting to fall.
Healthcare matters. We should be proud of what we’ve done in this area. Canterbury and Bankstown hospitals are being modernised. Under the Libs, they were neglected. Under Labor, they are being rebuilt. Healthcare should be accessible. Peter Dutton wanted to make Medicare no longer free. Imagine having to choose which child you can afford to take to the doctor. We can’t afford to go back to that.
They will try to divide us. But look around. You know our community, our values. We walk together. We win together.
JIHAD DIB
As I look around this room, I see who we are as a community; I see people from different backgrounds, different cultures, different levels of wealth. I see diversity, but most importantly, I see unity. The fact that so many Members of Parliament, councillors, former MPs, and party leaders are here today to support Tony Burke speaks volumes about the respect he commands – not only in the community but also within our party. He plays an incredible leadership role here locally and on the national stage in Canberra. ** Tony, my involvement in politics started with a conversation with you. While I was considering it, Tony was already working behind the scenes. He introduced me to a bloke called Graham Richardson, and from there, things moved forward. That’s how we do things; we find the right people, people with the right values, and we believe in them. Tony has always said that we don’t do this for personal gain but because we believe in the cause.
And that cause is simple: our purpose is to improve people’s lives. We strive to make things fairer, to create opportunities. These opportunities exist because of the Labor Party’s commitment to education. A quality education shouldn’t depend on whether a family can afford it – it should be a fundamental right.
Look at our schools here in Punchbowl. No matter what background a child comes from, they deserve the same opportunity as anyone else. When you need medical treatment, you shouldn’t have to pull out your credit card – you should be able to pull out your Medicare card. That’s what Labor has always stood for.
This has been a tough year. There are people out there trying to divide us. But Tony has been unwavering in his message: we are better than that. We must stand together as a community. Look around this room; this is what the world looks like. This is Australia. And not only do we have a voice, but we have a powerful voice.
So today, I say this: have faith. And Tony, I’ll say this too – we have faith in you. For 25 years, you have shown us who you are. We know your integrity, dedication, and strength. We stand with you because you have always stood with us.
SOPHIE COTSIS
I have known Tony Burke for 35 years. To everyone here, we are all one big family and leaders like Graham Richardson and Leo McLeay have played a significant role in our community and in shaping the ALP. Their dedication has ensured that families like mine have had a voice and equal rights. My mother was a cleaner and a cook, uneducated and unskilled. My father was a painter. It was people like Leo, Graham, and the Labor movement who stood up for workers like them, fighting to ensure that new Australians had fair opportunities and strong workplace protections.
The Labor Party, through years of advocacy and commitment, has built not just a foundation but a movement dedicated to workers’ rights. People like Tony Burke have been at the forefront of this fight for decades. Thirty-five years ago, Tony advocated for fair wages and conditions, ensuring workers had basic rights. If you worked in construction, he fought to ensure you had proper safety measures so you wouldn’t lose your life on the job. If you were a casual worker in the same job for over a decade, working the same hours every week, he fought for your right to secure employment. If your child was sick, you shouldn’t have to choose between keeping your job and caring for your family. These rights were not handed to us; they were won through hard work and dedication.
This is a turning point in Australian politics. The choices before us are clear. Peter Dutton has made it known what he intends to do, and I say this without hesitation: we should all be deeply concerned. This is why it is our responsibility to stand up, to support Tony, and to fight for what we believe in. Whether it’s door-knocking, handing out leaflets at train stations, making phone calls, or working in your local communities, we all have a role to play. |
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