FOLLOWING on from retiring Labor favourite Melissa Parke was never going to be an easy task, but Fremantle MP Josh Wilson said he loves the role.
Three months on from the Federal Election that saw him secure the seat, the former Fremantle councillor said he had jumped headfirst into the gig.
“I can’t imagine a task or responsibility that would be more meaningful to me than representing Fremantle and it has been a privilege to throw myself into the range and intensity of the work that is involved,” he said.
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READ NOW“While I have some experience of representative work, being a Federal Parliamentarian is of course a new and demanding role.
“Nothing can really prepare you for the first time you stand up to speak in the House of Representatives; it’s a special moment, and I was glad to acknowledge my family and the wider Freo community that has shaped me as person.”
Mr Wilson said he enjoyed getting down to the “nuts and bolts of representative work”, tackling concerns over rising unemployment and WA’s share of shipbuilding and other infrastructure projects.
“Another issue that stands out is the frustration people feel about the terrible state of broadband in many neighbourhoods across the Fremantle electorate,” he said.
“I have already met with NBN Co to press the importance of rolling-out fibre around the Coogee and Hilton exchanges in particular, as together they serve more than 30,000 households.”
Mr Wilson visited the Cockburn Men’s Shed last Tuesday to deliver a grant to help the club replace unsafe equipment.
“You can’t help but be impressed and even moved by the strong sense of camaraderie and social inclusion that is created by the work and activities in the Shed,” he said.
“There’s no doubt the Men’s Shed movement has made a big difference in reducing social dislocation and improving mental health.”