2025-09-01
Off and running in Parliament, in the community, in the media, with petitions, and in setting up an office in Albany.
By Hon Jess Beckerling MLC
It’s been a fabulous couple of months getting established in the Parliament, setting up my new and wonderful team, and being a part of a huge range of community events.
Focus areas for me have been:
In the Parliament:
- Speaking on our Climate Bill, particularly focusing on the existing impacts of climate change on nature.
- Asking questions on and without notice on prescribed burning, greyhounds, family and domestic violence and sexual violence, Alcoa, water licensing, Ludlow Tuart Forest, Murujuga and forest thinning.
- Engaging in Estimates.
- Responding to the 2025-2026 Budget.
- Continuing to develop relationships across the chamber.
- Briefings from DBCA regarding thinning and Water Corporation regarding water supply challenges and strategy.
- Official invitation to Minister Swinbourn to Tingle forests field trip.
- Post and Boast ‒ we were successful in gaining the support of the whole cross bench and opposition to send the post and boast Bill to committee. This has bought us and the sector 3 months to inform and mobilise the community to pressure Labor to make a suite of critical amendments that we have developed.
- Guns ‒ as others may have indicated in their reports, we did not support the disallowance motion which would have thrown out the 2024 Act’s regulations entirely. We have acknowledged that there are real and numerous issues with the regulations, and previously successfully moved that the regulations be referred to committee. We formed the view that the risk of reducing gun control measures by reverting to the 1974 Act, if Labor was even to seek to revive it if the disallowance had been successful, was a more significant concern than the problems caused by the regulations.
Petitions
I am currently facilitating two petitions: to extend the coverage of the Stolen Generations Redress Scheme; and to stop Alcoa destroying Aboriginal Heritage.
Office set up, team and Greens gatherings:
- Finding a beautiful office in Albany (4/4 Peels Place). We are hoping to move in around the end of September.
- Setting up a temporary office in Denmark (2/59 Strickland St).
- Employing Gabby Lane as my communications manager.
- First Nations members’ yarn.
- Elleker and Albany coffee mornings.
- Setting up kitchen table catch ups.
In the community:
- Tour of Greater Yakamia Forest, recently burnt Tingle forests and a hike on the Bibbulmun considering the impacts of Alcoa’s clearing.
- Meetings with multiple local government, environment, wildlife, water, FDV, sexual violence, justice and landcare experts and groups to inform our positions and approaches in the parliament.
- Hosted two Alcoa submission writing workshops and a climate doorknock.
- Spoken at Palestine rallies in Albany and Denmark and a Corals’ Last Stand screening in Albany.
- Attended the Katanning Landcare Conference.
Media
My media focus has been largely on Alcoa. We’ve had some great stories on ABC TV, radio and online and in the Guardian exposing the impacts Alcoa’s proposal would have on cockatoos and the climate and the very real risk it poses to drinking water. We’ve also had a huge reach on social media, especially with a collection of graphics that AG and Senators Steele-John and Hanson-Young collaborated on – big thanks for their support.
Header photo: Mt Cooke on the Bibbulmun with the Little Jarrah Walk