What is it
Why it matters
What to look for
Where to find the the first speech
Transcripts of a parliamentarian’s first speech can be found on their relevant parliament's website.
The GovConnex platform usefully contains a full transcript of the first speech of every Australian state and federal parliamentarian, conveniently located next to BioPro in the parliamentarian’s profile. Here, you can access and export relevant biographical information such as factional affiliation, positions on popular issues, and other less-known facts.
Together with the first speech, this information can help you build a quick picture of exactly who you are engaging with, making sure that every engagement you have is as effective as possible.
The new federal parliamentarians
The first speeches to watch out for
House of Representatives - 35 new Members (1 National, 3 Greens, 3 Liberal National Queensland, 4 Liberal, 7 Independent, 17 Labor)
Andrew Charlton - ALP - Parramatta
Jerome Laxale - ALP - Bennelong
Allegra Spender - IND - Wentworth
Sophie Scamps - IND - Mackellar
Kylea Tink - IND - North Sydney
Kate Chaney - IND - Curtin
Monique Ryan - IND - Kooyong
Zoe Daniel - IND - Flinders
Dai Le - IND - Fowler
Gordon Reid - ALP - Robertson
Daniel Repacholi - ALP - Hunter
Sally Sitou - ALP - Reid
Jenny Ware - LP - Hughes
Marion Scrymgour - ALP - Lingiari
Stephen Bates - GRN - Brisbane
Colin Boyce - LNP - Flynn
Max Chandler-Mather - GRN - Griffith
Elizabeth Watson-Brown - GRN - Ryan
Andrew Wilcox - LNP - Dawson
Matt Burnell - ALP - Spence
Louise Miller-Frost - ALP - Boothby
Michelle Ananda-Rajah - ALP - Higgins
Sam Birrell - NAT - Nicholls
Cassandra Fernando - ALP - Holt
Carina Garland - ALP - Chisholm
Zoe McKenzie - LP - Flinders
Sam Rae - ALP - Hawke
Aaron Violi - LP - Casey
Keith Wolahan - LP - Menzies
Tania Lawrence - ALP - Hasluck
Sam Lim - ALP - Tangney
Zaneta Mascarenhas - ALP - Swan
Tracey Roberts - ALP - Pearce
Henry Pike - LNP - Bowman
Alison Byrnes - ALP - Cunningham
Senate - 11 new Senators (1 Independent, 1, Liberal, 1 National, 1 Country Liberal, 1 Jacqui Lambie Network, 1 United Australia Party, 2 Labor, 3 Greens)
David Pocock - IND - Australian Capital Territory
Ross Cadell - NAT - New South Wales
David Shoebridge - GRN - New South Wales
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price - CLP - Northern Territory
Kerrynne Liddle - LP - South Australia
Barbara Pocock - GRN - South Australia
Tammy Tyrrell - JLN - Tasmania
Linda White - ALP - Victoria
Ralph Babet - UAP - Victoria
Penny Allman-Payne - GRN - Queensland
Fatima Payman - ALP - Western Australia