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| New Australian MPs: who are the Labor and Coalition rising stars? | New Australian MPs: who are the Labor and Coalition rising stars? |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| LABOR: Jim Chalmers | |
| There weren't too many positives to come out of the election for Labor, but a rare bright spot was the entry of Jim Chalmers into parliament, former Queensland premier Peter Beattie hailing him as "one of our future leaders". | There weren't too many positives to come out of the election for Labor, but a rare bright spot was the entry of Jim Chalmers into parliament, former Queensland premier Peter Beattie hailing him as "one of our future leaders". |
| "He's someone with enormous ability, a fantastic individual," Beattie, who failed to win the seat of Forde, said. "The really most important thing that came out of the election in Queensland yesterday was the election of Jim Chalmers." | "He's someone with enormous ability, a fantastic individual," Beattie, who failed to win the seat of Forde, said. "The really most important thing that came out of the election in Queensland yesterday was the election of Jim Chalmers." |
| Chalmers is seen as one of Labor's more astute thinkers. He worked as former treasurer Wayne Swan's chief of staff, and was credited with helping devise the Labor government's response to the global financial crisis. He has also been the executive director of the left-leaning Chifley Research Centre and secretary of Labor's national policy committee. | Chalmers is seen as one of Labor's more astute thinkers. He worked as former treasurer Wayne Swan's chief of staff, and was credited with helping devise the Labor government's response to the global financial crisis. He has also been the executive director of the left-leaning Chifley Research Centre and secretary of Labor's national policy committee. |
| Chalmers recently penned a book, called Glory Daze: How a world-beating nation got so down on itself, which examined why such a poor view exists of Australia's economy given its strength compared with other nations. | Chalmers recently penned a book, called Glory Daze: How a world-beating nation got so down on itself, which examined why such a poor view exists of Australia's economy given its strength compared with other nations. |
| The book includes a plea for a "future less consumed by the poisonous politics of recent years", although Chalmers hasn't himself been immune from the rough and tumble of political life. He was linked to a statement by Swan in which the then treasurer attacked Kevin Rudd, who was challenging for the leadership, as having no Labor values. Former Labor MP Brett Raguse said Chalmers' involvement was "a bit naive". | The book includes a plea for a "future less consumed by the poisonous politics of recent years", although Chalmers hasn't himself been immune from the rough and tumble of political life. He was linked to a statement by Swan in which the then treasurer attacked Kevin Rudd, who was challenging for the leadership, as having no Labor values. Former Labor MP Brett Raguse said Chalmers' involvement was "a bit naive". |
| Chalmers managed to win Rankin, succeeding the retiring Craig Emerson, with a slightly improved Labor two-party-preferred margin compared with 2010. | Chalmers managed to win Rankin, succeeding the retiring Craig Emerson, with a slightly improved Labor two-party-preferred margin compared with 2010. |
| Tim Watts | Tim Watts |
| Tim Watts, a former manager of telecom company Telstra's corporate relations team, has been touted as one of the potential modernisers among Labor's "next generation" of MPs. He certainly looks like he will have the time to make his mark – Watts has succeeded Nicola Roxon as MP for Gellibrand, the west Melbourne seat that is Labor's safest in the country. | Tim Watts, a former manager of telecom company Telstra's corporate relations team, has been touted as one of the potential modernisers among Labor's "next generation" of MPs. He certainly looks like he will have the time to make his mark – Watts has succeeded Nicola Roxon as MP for Gellibrand, the west Melbourne seat that is Labor's safest in the country. |
| Like Chalmers, Watts has worked for a high-profile Labor minister, assisting former communications minister Stephen Conroy on the crafting of the national broadband network. | Like Chalmers, Watts has worked for a high-profile Labor minister, assisting former communications minister Stephen Conroy on the crafting of the national broadband network. |
| It appears he is ready to embark upon the long road to Labor's revival, telling his local newspaper that one of his political mentors advised him "'Labor's mission should be winning centuries, it shouldn't be focused on winning elections, it should be winning centuries' – what he meant by that was Labor's job is to change the terms of the political debate." | It appears he is ready to embark upon the long road to Labor's revival, telling his local newspaper that one of his political mentors advised him "'Labor's mission should be winning centuries, it shouldn't be focused on winning elections, it should be winning centuries' – what he meant by that was Labor's job is to change the terms of the political debate." |
| Watts, who studied at the London School of Economics, is a staunch supporter of marriage equality, has a blog on which he ponders the existential threat to Labor posed by the Greens, and speaks English and Cantonese at home with his Chinese-born wife and their two children. | Watts, who studied at the London School of Economics, is a staunch supporter of marriage equality, has a blog on which he ponders the existential threat to Labor posed by the Greens, and speaks English and Cantonese at home with his Chinese-born wife and their two children. |
| Pat Conroy | Pat Conroy |
| Aged just 34, Pat Conroy was chosen by Labor members to succeed Greg Combet in the safe New South Wales seat of Charlton following a bruising preselection battle. | Aged just 34, Pat Conroy was chosen by Labor members to succeed Greg Combet in the safe New South Wales seat of Charlton following a bruising preselection battle. |
| Conroy worked for Combet, the former climate change minister, for six years, helping devise the carbon pricing package which many blame for eroding trust in Labor. Combet has said that Conroy, who has strong union backing, has a "bright future" within the party. | Conroy worked for Combet, the former climate change minister, for six years, helping devise the carbon pricing package which many blame for eroding trust in Labor. Combet has said that Conroy, who has strong union backing, has a "bright future" within the party. |
| An economist by trade, he has pledged to live up to Combet's achievements in parliament, without trying to directly emulate him. His path to Canberra was significantly eased by the 11th hour disendorsement of Liberal candidate Kevin Baker over the "tit banter" controversy. | An economist by trade, he has pledged to live up to Combet's achievements in parliament, without trying to directly emulate him. His path to Canberra was significantly eased by the 11th hour disendorsement of Liberal candidate Kevin Baker over the "tit banter" controversy. |
| COALITION: Michael Sukkar | |
| Until now, Michael Sukkar's main claim to fame was standing next to Tony Abbott when the the Coalition leader made his infamous "suppository of wisdom" comment. But the lawyer-turned-MP is thought of highly within Liberal circles and will be looking to climb up the ranks of the new government as quickly as possible. | Until now, Michael Sukkar's main claim to fame was standing next to Tony Abbott when the the Coalition leader made his infamous "suppository of wisdom" comment. But the lawyer-turned-MP is thought of highly within Liberal circles and will be looking to climb up the ranks of the new government as quickly as possible. |
| Sukkar began a marathon campaign to win the Melbourne seat of Deakin 15 months ago, stating that he wanted to act as a "de facto member" prior to unseating Labor's Mike Symon, who has admitted that he was outgunned by the Liberal. | Sukkar began a marathon campaign to win the Melbourne seat of Deakin 15 months ago, stating that he wanted to act as a "de facto member" prior to unseating Labor's Mike Symon, who has admitted that he was outgunned by the Liberal. |
| A senior associate at law firm Ashurst Australia, Sukkar also regularly speaks at schools about the threats posed to students by drugs and alcohol. He is strongly supportive of the school chaplaincy program and has stated that he would not vote for same-sex marriage. | A senior associate at law firm Ashurst Australia, Sukkar also regularly speaks at schools about the threats posed to students by drugs and alcohol. He is strongly supportive of the school chaplaincy program and has stated that he would not vote for same-sex marriage. |
| Sarah Henderson | Sarah Henderson |
| Of all the Liberal candidates challenging Labor incumbents, Henderson would have felt most confident. | Of all the Liberal candidates challenging Labor incumbents, Henderson would have felt most confident. |
| The former journalist was pitted against Darren Cheeseman in Corangamite, the most marginal seat in the country. She easily swept away Cheeseman's 0.3% margin after coming agonisingly close in 2010, when she spent a reported $1m on her campaign. | The former journalist was pitted against Darren Cheeseman in Corangamite, the most marginal seat in the country. She easily swept away Cheeseman's 0.3% margin after coming agonisingly close in 2010, when she spent a reported $1m on her campaign. |
| Henderson will be a familiar face to casual parliamentary observers due to her work on the ABC's 7.30 Report. She has also worked for channels Nine and Ten, as well as fronting ABC consumer advocacy program The Investigators. | Henderson will be a familiar face to casual parliamentary observers due to her work on the ABC's 7.30 Report. She has also worked for channels Nine and Ten, as well as fronting ABC consumer advocacy program The Investigators. |
| Henderson, who was also a columnist for the Melbourne Herald Sun, won a Golden Quill for her work covering the Port Arthur massacre. | Henderson, who was also a columnist for the Melbourne Herald Sun, won a Golden Quill for her work covering the Port Arthur massacre. |
| She benefited from visits from Abbott and Julie Bishop during the campaign and has found favour with local paper the Geelong Advertiser, which has backed her pledge to fix the crumbling Great Ocean road. | She benefited from visits from Abbott and Julie Bishop during the campaign and has found favour with local paper the Geelong Advertiser, which has backed her pledge to fix the crumbling Great Ocean road. |
| Lucy Wicks | Lucy Wicks |
| Wicks's prospects in the new parliament look healthy due to a key backer – Abbott himself. The Coalition leader reportedly stepped in to back the selection of Wicks for the seat of Robertson on the NSW Central Coast to ensure the capture of seats in the region which eluded the Liberals in 2010. The decision didn't go down too well with some Liberal powerbrokers, according to the Daily Telegraph, as Wicks had not lived in the electorate for some time. Wicks, a teacher, is considered a moderate conservative who has campaigned hard on law and order and road upgrades, alongside standard Coalition themes such as the carbon tax repeal. Deb O'Neill, the Labor member for Robertson, has been edged out by Wicks in a closely fought battle for the seat. | Wicks's prospects in the new parliament look healthy due to a key backer – Abbott himself. The Coalition leader reportedly stepped in to back the selection of Wicks for the seat of Robertson on the NSW Central Coast to ensure the capture of seats in the region which eluded the Liberals in 2010. The decision didn't go down too well with some Liberal powerbrokers, according to the Daily Telegraph, as Wicks had not lived in the electorate for some time. Wicks, a teacher, is considered a moderate conservative who has campaigned hard on law and order and road upgrades, alongside standard Coalition themes such as the carbon tax repeal. Deb O'Neill, the Labor member for Robertson, has been edged out by Wicks in a closely fought battle for the seat. |
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