Meryl Swanson

ALP Federal

First Speech in Parliament

10 October 2016

# Youth Employment # Digital Infrastructure # Environmental Justice

Personal Background and Values

• Meryl Swanson reflects on her heritage with a miners lamp symbolizing her commitment to working people and justice.
• Inspired by her family's history and personal experiences, especially the hardships faced during the miners' strike in England, she emphasizes loyalty to the labor force.
• Acknowledges the influence of her parents and grandparents, particularly her grandfather's political beliefs, in shaping her values.

Electorate Insights and Challenges

• Represents Paterson, a resource-rich region transitioning from coal to cleaner industries and renewable energy.
• Highlights the high youth unemployment rate (15.3% as of July) and the loss of vocational training opportunities due to government cuts, stressing the need for job training and education.
• Calls for improved internet access, addressing the digital divide affecting rural areas, and criticizes the government's handling of the National Broadband Network.

Policy Goals

• Advocates for justice regarding PFAS contamination in her community, linking it to her father's health struggles with mesothelioma, and calls for government accountability and remediation efforts.
• Emphasizes the need for investment in infrastructure, particularly transportation connecting cities and regions.
• Believes in strong leadership, public investment, and the importance of research and development for a better future.