A column by Seymour Baptist Church pastor Geoffrey Johnstone
State Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad shared a stall with friend and colleague, State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland, at the Seymour Alternative Farming Expo.
Part of the Victorian Legislative Council, Ms Broad represents a region that stretches from Mildura to Corryong and everything south to the outskirts of Melbourne.
She entered parliament at her third attempt.
“I first tried in 2016 when Damien Drum resigned, but I was beaten by Luke O’Sullivan,” she said.
Ironically it was for the same seat she now holds.
In 2018 she ran against Jacinta Allen for the safe seat of Bendigo East. Despite it being a Labor stronghold, Ms Broad thought it was important that people be given a choice.
She polled 15.9 per cent of the primary vote. The National Party was impressed and so she was given a winnable seat.
On November 26 last year, the Andrews Government was re-elected in a second landslide. It was another three weeks before Ms Broad was declared one of the five sitting members for Northern Victoria.
Like many politicians, a defining moment ignited Ms Broad’s passion for public service.
“Twenty-eight years ago I did a parliamentary internship,” she said.
“I was assigned to Murray Thompson, the son of the former premier.”
What impressed the 30 interns from Monash and Melbourne universities was the commitment to community that the members expressed.
This idea resonated with Ms Broad and became the driving force behind her ambition to become an MP.
“I belong to a family of community-minded people,” she said.
In her maiden speech to parliament, Ms Broad paid tribute to her grandmother, who often said “just get on with it”.
“I was very, very nervous,” Ms Broad confessed.
“There were lots of commas in my speech which allowed me to control my breathing.”
This was a technique she learnt from working in radio.
Ms Broad has entered parliament at a time when Labor is on the rise. After the Aston by-election and the NSW election, Labor holds government in every state on the mainland.
Despite this, Ms Broad believes the National Party is still a force to be reckoned with.
“Just look at the quality of candidates we attracted at the last election,” she said.
“There is Jade Benham in Mildura and Kim O’Keeffe in Shepparton. These are great people. And Melina Bath in the upper house — absolute quality.
“We are a stable, contemporary party with deep connections to rural people and a loyal supporter base.”
It is still early days, but so far Ms Broad has proved a steady hand and sympathetic ear.
She will be one to watch.