2017-07-20
Losing Scott Ludlam as a Senator was a shock and a sad experience for all of us. Scott continues to be an incredible mentor and friend to me and he leaves a huge legacy.
We are only at the beginning of this process and there are still a lot of steps to go, but I am ready to do this job. My decision has come after careful reflection, as befits the significance of the role.
It will be a privilege to join Senator Rachel Siewert in the Senate and to add my name to those Greens who have represented WA in Federal Parliament.
I look forward to representing WA and the Greens in the Senate for as long as the people and the party deem it appropriate.
I would like to thank the party for their support for me while I have taken the time to come to the decision I feel is best for the party.
And while no one can replace Scott, I know that I will be able to rely on his guidance in the future to step into his very fashionable shoes.
The future belongs to young people: we need to be represented in our parliament. There is a very large group of people who will now have a voice that truly understands and represents their interests.
Over the course of my life I’ve learned that to be a young person with a disability in contemporary Australia is to occupy the intersection of some of our society’s most ingrained myths and most damaging preconceived ideas.
At every opportunity I’ve worked hard to bust these myths, challenge these preconceived ideas and be a strong voice for the issues that matter to me - which include: ensuring we fully fund and implement a world class NDIS; having young people involved in the decisions that affect them; and the transition to a renewable, clean energy future.
I now look forward to tackling these issues on the floor of the Senate.