2026-01-15
A new office in Kinjarling Albany, battling the State Development Bill and addressing Family and Domestic Violence
By Hon Jess Beckerling MLC
This Christmas and New Years’ season has felt particularly significant. I always look forward to this time of the year for the long hot days with family and friends at our favourite south coast beaches, tucked in behind granite or limestone rocks and swimming for hours in rock pools; pottering around in the garden; and enjoying the slow, connecting time with my kids and dogs.
And this year I am enjoying that too, but I am also processing the Bondi attack and the devastation it brought to so many families and the Jewish community, and how we are responding. Families celebrating Hannukah being targeted, killed and torn apart at a Sydney beach is utterly devastating and our response must ensure the Jewish community knows they are loved and supported, and it must make us a stronger, safer and more peaceful society.
We do this with empathy and care; with recognition that all people everywhere have a right to peaceful lives and their own cultures; and with a dedication to nonviolence, anti-racism and community building.
The movement to end the genocide and free Palestine has been blamed for creating the circumstances for the Bondi Attack and that is wrong. Mass murder and bloodshed is unconscionable whether it is in Gaza, Sudan or Sydney. We can do so much better than reacting and blaming, and fuelling the anger and hatred that goes on to underpin new tragedies. My heart goes out to everyone who has lost loved ones and has been traumatised by the unthinkable violence and misery of the attack. I urge us all to redouble our commitment to action for peace and nonviolence and to maintain clear minds and a steady resolve to stand against cultural and racist violence here in Australia and around the world.
Kinjarling Albany Electorate Office is Open
In brighter news, we now have an officially opened and thoroughly warmed electorate office in Kinjarling Albany. We had SUCH a fun opening and my deep gratitude goes to everyone who helped plan and set up, played music, brought food, beer and wine, welcomed us to Country, left a message on the board, sent a gift, took photos, tidied up, and helped us to celebrate. Special thanks to Nelson Blake who stage-managed the entire event with style and aplomb ‒ it was an absolute triumph!
State Development Bill
The wretched State Development Bill has now passed the Parliament despite our best efforts and a huge showing of opposition from environment, legal and integrity groups as well as political and regulatory experts.
I’m sure that Labor and the Opposition expected us to relent when it became apparent that a deal had been done to prevent consideration of our amendments, and that they would force us to debate through the night if we wanted to still bring scrutiny to the Bill. But we did not.
We meticulously went through the Bill raising issues and seeking clarification on every significant clause and brought dozens of amendments on for debate. At 3am the committee of the whole stage of the debate finally wrapped up after over 20 divisions and careful scrutiny of the legislation.
Unfortunately nothing we learned in that stage gave us any comfort. The legislation provides the Premier with the power to override 40 Acts of Parliament to ram through any project he deems to be a priority, and that could be anything at all because zero guard rails have been imposed. I am distressed by what this means for forests, water, woodlands, Aboriginal heritage, democracy and the climate. We will fight on in 2026 to limit the damage and I am proud of the level of awareness we were able to ensure, the 5 year review clause we managed to implement and the paint we knocked off the Cook Labor Government for this anti-democratic, anti-nature move. The next stage is for the Cook Government to develop the guidelines for the types of projects that can be eligible for priority status, and we will be maintaining a strong focus on this in 2026.
Stopping Men’s Violence Against Women and Children
We have received huge support for our decision to create a new portfolio focused on stopping men’s violence against women and children. My heartfelt gratitude to Brad for immediately accepting this request and for all his work already. We are urging the Labor and Liberal parties to do the same, and to set a target for the eradication of men’s violence against women and children and to fully fund the crisis response, system reform and meaningful evidence-based men’s behavioural change programs that are required to keep women and children safe. In the lead up to next year’s budget, we will be campaigning hard for a significant uplift in Family and Domestic Violence (FDV) funding, and for the newly released sexual violence strategy and action plan to be fully resourced.
In the media:
Key mainstream and social media has focused on Family and Domestic Violence, the State Development Bill, the opening of our new office and stopping burning of the Tingle Forests. Please check out my Instagram and Facebook for links and videos.
In the community:
- I hosted an incredible weekend on Country for the Northern Jarrah Forests where about 40 people came together to plan, walk, swim, reflect, inspire and connect with each other. It was a powerful and reenergising weekend and we will be doing many more of them.
- Tim Clifford and Brad Pettitt and I, and our teams, had an important trip out to the Albany Motorplex site while everyone was down for the office opening. We spent time listening to the impacted locals and making plans for how to support them and will be continuing this work in 2026.
- Another major highlight this last couple of months was the Mt Clare Tingle Forest Community Blockade which I had the joy of supporting. I’ve never been involved in such a quick direct action outcome before and it is wonderful that all three tingle forests that were listed to be burned this season are now off the list. Now the protection must be made permanent.
- I also attended a wide range of community events and meetings and as always it is such a pleasure to benefit from the wisdom and generosity of people advocating for and delivering on social justice and environmental protections across this State.
Huge thanks to all of our members, supporters and community allies for a huge and inspiring end to 2025. I am looking forward to continuing to work with you for people and Country in 2026 and hope that you get a restful and fun break over the summer.
Header photo: Jess, Nelson, Gabby and Georgia at the Kinjarling Albany office opening party on 26th November