This is the maiden speech delivered to the House of Representatives by Gladys Liu, the Liberal member for Chisholm, Victoria.
Liu is the first Chinese Australian woman elected to the House of Representatives. Her family has operated a number of small businesses in the Chisholm area. She previously worked as an adviser to Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu. She unsuccessfully contested the Victorian Legislative Council election in 2014.
Liu won Chisholm at the May 18, 2019 elections. She replaced Julia Banks, who won the seat for the Liberal Party in 2016 and resigned to sit as an independent following the overthrow of Malcolm Turnbull in August 2018. Banks unsuccessfully contested Flinders as an independent at the election. The Liberal member for Flinders, Greg Hunt, can be seen linking arms with Liu at the end of her speech.
Chisholm is in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Predominantly residential, it is based around Box Hill, Blackburn, Mount Waverley and Glen Waverley.
Liu won the seat with 50.57% of the two-party-preferred vote, a swing against the Liberal Party of 2.34%. The Liberal Party’s primary vote 43.38%, a decrease of 3.71%. The ALP polled 34.30% of the primary vote, a decrease of 0.39%. The Greens polled 11.84%, up 0.30%.
Chisholm is now the most marginal seat in Victoria, held by 1,090 votes. It is the Morrison government’s second most marginal seat in the nation. Bass is the most marginal, held by 563 votes, or 0.41%.
Listen to Liu (20m):
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Hansard transcript of maiden speech by Gladys Liu (Liberal-Chisholm).
The SPEAKER (16:57): Before I call the honourable member for Chisholm, I remind the House that this is the honourable member’s first speech and I ask the House to extend to her the usual courtesies.
Ms LIU (Chisholm) (16:57): I am thankful to rise to speak in the Parliament of Australia for the first time and for the opportunity to represent the people of Chisholm, who have entrusted me to be their voice in this place. It is a wonderful example of the welcoming character of Australians that my electorate has sent a woman born in Hong Kong to speak for them in the parliament. We are so fortunate to live in a country where migrants can come to Australia, become Australians and serve its people here in the parliament. How good is Australia? [Read more…]
