IT will probably come as no surprise to anyone that I’m a political nerd, in fact I’m an utterly intolerable political tragic.
I’m not sure how I came to be so obsessed with politics but, I do remember when I realised others did not necessarily share my obsession.
It was 1993, I was 15 years old and in year 11.
I had followed the federal election campaign of that year with an almost unhealthy obsession and I had presumed others in my class had, like me taken a real interest in who would make up our nation’s 37th Parliament.
I remember the sense of excitement because it was widely expected that the Liberal National Coalition lead by John Hewson would take Government ending a decade or so of Labor Governments under Prime Ministers Hawke and Keating.
I felt physically ill watching the election coverage that evening when Paul Keating in claiming victory described it as the ‘sweetest victory of all’.
As an ardent fan of the Essendon Football Club it was like the 1990 Grand Final only so much worse.
Even now I find it hard to describe my emotions that evening, but more surprising for me than my guttural response was the fact that seemingly no one in class on Monday cared in the slightest who had won the election.
Fast forward almost three decades and I’m still that same political nerd.
I like to think I weaponise my inner nerd to achieve outcomes for communities right across Barker but in truth I’m so incredibly privileged to have been given the opportunity now four times to serve the people of Barker in the Federal Parliament.
On a personal level an election is an incredibly humbling experience, a performance review on steroids but more importantly given the conflict in the Ukraine and geopolitical tensions elsewhere in the world the recent federal election is a stark reminder that we are blessed to live in a robust democracy.
I congratulate Prime Minister Albanese and his team on their election victory.
As hard as it was to set foot in the Opposition Party Room in Parliament House for the first time this week, I am so pleased that ours is a nation in which the will of the electorate is accepted without bloodshed, animosity, or acrimony.
Tony Pasin
Member for Barker
