Address in Reply

Mr FATCHEN (Mount Gambier) (11:29): Thank you, Madam Speaker, and congratulations on your recent elevation to the role. I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet, the Kaurna people. I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging.

What a privilege and what an honour it is to stand here today as a member of parliament but, even more than that, to serve as the member for Mount Gambier. I was born in Mount Gambier, raised in Mount Gambier and I have raised my own family there. I have been part of that community for more than 50 years, and now to represent it in this place is something I will never take for granted.

This is a community of hardworking, resilient and forward-thinking people who take pride in what they do. They are people who back each other in and who continue to build a region we can all be proud of. That is what drives me to work hard every day on their behalf. While we often speak of Mount Gambier, this electorate is so much more than the city, it is a collection of proud communities anchored by Mount Gambier at its heart.

It extends from Tarpeena in the north, with its strong forestry roots, through to our agricultural communities: Mil-Lel, Suttontown, Compton, Moorak, Burrungule, Mount Schank, OB Flat, Glenburnie, Wandilo, Yahl, Allendale East and Kongorong. Then we have our coastal towns rich in fishing history: Carpenter Rocks, Pelican Point, Blackfellows Caves, Donovans, Nene Valley, Racecourse Bay, Eight Mile Creek, Wye and Port MacDonnell. Each of these communities plays a vital role in shaping who we are as a region, and I am proud to stand here and represent every one of them.

My connection to this region runs deep through both sides of my family. My father, John, was born in Penola in 1940 to parents Harry and Jean Fatchen. His early life was not an easy one. He lost his mother at a young age and, after attending St Joseph's in Penola, he left school at the age of 15 to begin working with his father, milking cows and cutting firewood. Dad wore many hats. He started driving trucks interstate at age 17 before becoming a pine faller at age 21. Later in life, he sold life insurance and eventually established his own firewood business with a bit of truck driving and pine falling on the side. He was never afraid of hard work, and that example has stayed with me ever since.

My mother, Ann, was born in Mount Gambier in 1943 to parents Clinton and Lorna Bellinger. She, too, experienced the loss of her mother at an early age, but her father stepped up and became a constant source of strength and support throughout her life and, later, he was an important figure in ours. Pa became our personal taxi, dropping us to sport and friends' houses. He worked in the local shoe shop and was very particular about the state of our shoes. Every night he would meticulously polish our school shoes, and I know he would be proud of how I keep my own RMs polished today.

Mum was educated at Mater Christi College before matriculating and beginning her career at the National Australia Bank. Aside from time spent raising myself and my siblings, that was her life's work. She dedicated more than 30 years to the bank and, if I had a dollar for every time someone said to me, 'I saw your mum at the bank today,' I would be a rich man. Life growing up in Mount Gambier was simple. In many ways, it was what made it so good. It revolved around family, sport and friends.

I was born at the Mount Gambier hospital, the second of four children, alongside my older sister, Danielle, and later joined by my younger siblings Parish and Monique. We lived on the edge of town with enough space to jump in dad's ute with a few mates and, perhaps a little earlier than we should have, started honing our driving skills around the paddock. Every Sunday we spent attending St Paul's Church. While I may not attend church as often as I should, the values that were instilled in me have stayed with me: to treat others with respect and kindness and to treat people the way we would hope to be treated ourselves.

My siblings and I were educated at St Paul's Catholic Primary School before moving to Tenison Woods College. I genuinely enjoyed my time at school; however, from an early age, I knew I wanted to get out into the workforce. I left school at the end of year 11 at the age of 16 to begin an apprenticeship as a diesel mechanic. I spent the next seven years learning my trade at K&S Freighters under the watchful eye of Des Ind. It was a real privilege to attend Des's retirement in 2024 after more than 60 years of service to the one company. The work ethic he demonstrated is something that has stayed with me throughout my life.

My family had a longstanding tradition of camping at Robe Long Beach caravan park every January. Each summer brought together a large group of teenagers and it was through mutual friends in those early years I first met my wife, Jacquie. In my early 20s, I finally found the confidence to see our friendship could become something more. Jacquie grew up in Hamilton, just over the border in western Victoria, and before long I convinced her to move to Mount Gambier. We were married in 1998 and now have three beautiful children: Taylor, Madison and Austin. Robe remains a special place for our family. What began as a childhood tradition has continued through today, with our own children now part of the annual January camping trip.

My next career move took me to Cummins Diesel where I spent the next 18 years. I progressed from diesel mechanic to workshop manager and then service manager, leading a team of around 15 staff. Cummins gave me my introduction to leadership. The company invested in me, and I invested in them. I genuinely saw myself spending the rest of my life working at Cummins. Leigh Newton, the branch manager, was a trusted mentor and friend throughout my time there, and I was happily planning to step into that role when he retired. It was also during this period that I began to understand leadership was not confined to the workplace, and I found myself increasingly drawn to getting involved beyond the job, contributing to the community that had given me so much.

I fully credit my parents as the ones who instilled in me the sense of community and the importance of being an active participant. My mum served on countless sporting, school and dance committees as well as being the president of the local debutante ball for over 10 years. My dad has also spent his life volunteering for various organisations, including Rotary and the RSL Blue Lake Highland Pipe Band, where I think he is approaching around 67 years of involvement. It was a particularly special moment on ANZAC Day, in one of my first official roles as the member for Mount Gambier, to watch dad, at 86, lead the parade as drum major for the Blue Lake Pipe Band.

Those values naturally shaped my own involvement across a range of committees and community groups, whether it was canteen duty at Apollo Soccer Club, scoring at North Gambier Netball Club or driving three hours for a three-minute dance solo. Community involvement was simply part of my family life. That same commitment led me to serve for 10 years on both the local health advisory council and as chairman of the Automotive Industry Group, become life member of the Mount Gambier Pioneers and proudly serve as a justice of the peace. I have always believed volunteering is about giving back and helping build stronger, more connected communities.

Basketball, though, has been the constant throughout my life. I spent 37 years with the Beagle Boys Basketball Club—not a bad effort for a five-foot-something teenager. But, over time, it became far more than just the game itself. It was about lifelong friendships formed, mentoring younger players and helping guide them through life's challenges, often over a well-earned beer after the game.

I would say I have had two pivotal moments in my working life. The first came in 2012 while working with Cummins. The day before my 40th birthday, I was called into the office and told I was being made redundant, as the service manager positions throughout Australia were being restructured. The decisions had been made at corporate level and there was nothing that could be done about it.

The second pivotal moment came around two years later. I received a call from local member Troy Bell asking if I would consider the office manager role at the Mount Gambier electorate office, and so began my introduction to the world of politics. The past 12 years as office manager have been a real journey, learning the ins and outs of the political system and the highs and challenges that go with it. But, hand on heart, the most rewarding part of the job is achieving real outcomes for community members, whether it is assisting someone to finally access the health care they need, cutting through red tape to resolve a long-running issue, or simply being there to listen and guide someone through a difficult time. They are the moments that stay with you and the ones that remind me why this work matters.

When the opportunity arose to run for the seat of Mount Gambier, it was not straightforward. While I have seen the many positives that come with public life—the ability to make a difference and advocate for your community—I have also witnessed some of its more difficult aspects and the toll it can take on families and loved ones who can find themselves caught up in circumstances beyond their control. At times I think we forget that those in public office are real people with families who did not choose the spotlight but often share in both the highs and the hardships. That perspective weighed heavily in my decision.

But, ultimately, with the blessing of my family, my belief in the community and the opportunity to serve it outweighed those concerns. So, on 15 October, I officially launched my campaign to become the next member for Mount Gambier. I was genuinely blown away by the support in those early weeks. It did not just encourage me; it reassured me I had made the right decision.

What followed was a whirlwind five months. I was learning on the run the ins and outs of campaigning and the pace of constant public engagement, but more than anything I saw the strength and support of this community. The electorate of Mount Gambier, like many in the region, is built on natural resources—forestry, agriculture, fishing—all of which play vital roles in the prosperity of our region and it is crucial that we protect these resources for future generations.

I spoke earlier of my dad as a pine faller. During this time he was employed by Les McDonnell, a forestry leader in his day and co-founder of N.F. McDonnell & Sons—one of the largest family-run timber mills in our region—and someone who had become a close family friend. The McDonnell family is a prime example of what makes our region so strong. Through hard work, innovation and deep respect for the land, N.F. McDonnell & Sons grew into a cornerstone of our forestry industry. They have provided generations of local jobs, supported countless families and played a significant role in shaping the Limestone Coast into one of Australia's leading forestry regions.

But, just as importantly, businesses like theirs understand that their future depends on the sustainable management of our natural resources. They know that looking after land is not just good practice; it is essential to ensuring that the industry and the communities it supports continue to thrive for decades to come. That balance between economic opportunity and environmental responsibility is something we must never lose sight of. It has never been more important than right now, as we navigate the challenges of net zero, environmental sustainability and increasing pressure around fracking and rare earth mining. It can sometimes feel like decisions are being made far from regions like ours by those who do not fully understand what is at stake.

I was recently reminded of a point made by Premier Peter Malinauskas at the Bush Summit in 2024 when he said, 'Regional South Australia has always been at the core of our economic achievement.' If that is true—and we know it is—then it must also be reflected in the decisions that are made for our future, because too often regions like ours are expected to carry the burden of change without being given the respect, the voice or the certainty we deserve. We are not opposed to progress, but progress cannot come at the expense of the very industries, landscapes and communities that have made this state what it is.

Our land is not just a resource to be extracted, it is the foundation of our economy, our environment and our way of life. It is Tom Ellis, a fifth-generation farmer and winemaker from Coola Station in Kongorong; it is the Williams family, fishermen from Port MacDonnell; and it is Wendy Fennell, a second-generation forester. These are the people who live and work on our land, and it is these people who should not just be consulted, they should be central to the decision-making.

If regional South Australia is at the core of our economic achievement, then it must also be at the core of our future. That means properly equipping our regions with the services and infrastructure our communities need and deserve. Access to health care, radiation therapy, palliative care, aged care, housing, education, public transport and safe roads—these are not luxuries, these are the basics. Right now, they are the very thing our community is crying out for.

Alongside our neighbouring MacKillop electorate, we form the Limestone Coast—a region generating more than $5.1 billion in gross regional product, despite making up 3.6 per cent of South Australia's population. We produce over 30 per cent of the state's agricultural exports from just 2 per cent of its land mass. We do not just contribute, we drive this state forward. And I think we can all agree the Limestone Coast punches well above its weight, so perhaps now is the time for South Australia to give back to the people who contribute so much, because growth in our region does not happen by chance, it requires investment.

We need housing and the enabling infrastructure to attract key workers to our region. We need a strong workforce to support essential services, particularly in health care, so that specialists can live and work here and not just fly in and out, because as everyone in Mount Gambier and the surrounding communities know, our transport options are simply not good enough. Too many people have experienced the frustration, and at times the real consequences, of cancelled or delayed flights disrupting critical specialist appointments.

We are fortunate to have strong schools and growing university pathways in our region. I acknowledge the recent investment by the South Australian Labor government, including the new technical college and upgrades to TAFE which are providing important foundations for our young people, but we must continue to build on that because all of this is connected. We need housing to attract people, we need people to fill jobs and we need education and training to build that workforce. But none of these challenges are beyond us. In fact, if there is one thing I have learned throughout my life in Mount Gambier, it is that community has never been afraid of hard work, big ideas or backing itself.

We are a region built by people who saw opportunities, people who invested in our industries, supported their communities and helped shape a place we proudly call home today—and you can achieve big things from a regional city. Allan Scott was a perfect example of that. What began in 1952 with a single truck grew into one of Australia's largest transport companies. Today, the Scott family continues to have a significant footprint in Mount Gambier through K&S Freighters and the Ray Scott Group, while continuing to support many important community initiatives. Companies like Roundwood Solutions and Van Schaik's Bio Gro are proof that the innovation and initiative within our region remains just as strong today.

Roundwood Solutions, led by Stephen Telford, has become a leader in timber processing through investment in advanced manufacturing and environmentally sustainable treatment technology. Bio Gro, a third-generation Mount Gambier business, operates organic receival facilities across South Australia and Victoria, helping divert organic waste from landfill and create more sustainable outcomes for industry and the environment. Together, these businesses not only support local jobs and strengthen key regional industries like forestry and agriculture but they also demonstrate how regional companies can lead the way in developing smarter, more innovative and sustainable products for both Australia and international markets.

These are just three examples of many, because with the talent, resilience and innovation we have in communities like ours, there is no limit to what Mount Gambier can achieve. For that potential to be fully realised, we also need those in Adelaide to look beyond the tollgate and recognise the value of regional South Australia, not just for what we contribute economically but for the opportunities that exist there, because when governments invest in regional communities like Mount Gambier, they are investing in the future strength of the entire state.

Before I conclude, I would like to express my gratitude to a number of people. Firstly, to everyone who helped throughout my campaign, I cannot express how much your support meant to me, and 'thank you' never seems quite enough. To my dad, Maree, Wil, Gail, Dennis, Barry, Jo and all of my pre-poll team, thank you for turning up day after day, through rain and scorching heat, and even on days when you were not rostered on. Your support and commitment meant the world to me.

To everyone who assisted in any way throughout the campaign, whether it was putting up corflutes, letterboxing, supporting me at forums or manning booths on election day, thank you. Campaigns are never won by one person. They are built on the support of people willing to give their time and energy to something they believe in.

To Theo, PJ, Dodge, Davo, Arns, Curt, Baldy, Matt, James and Mike, my amazing mates who I have shared friendship with since primary school, thank you. From schoolyard pranks to standing beside each other at our weddings, to weekends on the Murray, you have been there through every stage of my life. Right from the start, you have supported me, and on election day you manned many booths all day long. I will be forever grateful for your friendship and loyalty. You have always been there whenever I needed a hand.

I also take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank the former member for Mount Gambier, Troy Bell. During his time as the local member, our region secured significant investment and important outcomes for the community, and I thank him for his years of service to our region.

No democracy can function without people willing to put themselves forward for public office, and in Mount Gambier we had 11 candidates do exactly that. To Matthew Key, Lamorna Alexander, Anne-Marie Loef, Cody Scholes, Kate Amoroso, Sharon Holmes, James Thomson, Rachael Kenyon, Eleanor Day and Martin Godfrey, thank you. While we may have held different views and priorities, we all shared one common goal: wanting the very best for our community. Anyone willing to put their hand up deserves acknowledgement and respect.

I would also like to make heartfelt mention of my in-laws, Marg and Noel Ellis, and mum, Ann, who are sadly no longer with us. Your guidance, love and support helped shape the person I am today, and I know you would be incredibly proud. I am sure you are looking down on me today, cheering me on.

To my brothers and sisters and their families—Danni, Parish and Monique, Sally, Dino, Liam, Cooper, Will, Hudson, Lexi, Piper and Joli—thank you for your love, encouragement and unwavering support. I know you will always be there for me. To my Victorian family, who have travelled across—Lisa, Grant, Brent, Sam, Chloe, Brandon and Hutchy—thank you for your ongoing love and support over many years.

All members of parliament know that the real work happens in the electorate office, and I cannot thank Denise, Ilana and Zoe enough for coming on board and for their many years of service. I look forward to continuing to work together to make a positive difference for the people of Mount Gambier.

Dad, you have been an incredible role model throughout my life. Your work ethic, humility and commitment to family and community are values I carry with me every day. I hope I make you proud.

Finally to my wife, Jacquie, and our children Taylor, Madison and Austin, and their partners Koby and Aiden and, of course, Billie and Bonny—thank you. You were my sounding board throughout the entire campaign and the people who kept me grounded and focused when things became challenging. None of this would have been possible without your love, patience and support.

To the people of Mount Gambier, thank you for placing your trust in me. I stand here today committed to working hard every single day for our community, listening, advocating and delivering outcomes that help build an even stronger future for our region. We have challenges before us but the best days for Mount Gambier are still ahead of us. Together, we can continue building tomorrow. Thank you.