As a fifth generation Mallee girl, farming is definitely in my family, but I’m a generation removed from it now, with my Dad having been the first to break the mould and become a teacher.

But it doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten where I’ve come from. My opportunities have been on the back of the hard work of my pioneering great-great-great grandparents in Lalbert, my great-great grandparents in Ultima, my great-grandparents in the Millewa, my other great-grandparents who were soldier settlers in Birdwoodton, and my grandparents who took over the block in the late 1950s.

I would not be here without the sacrifice and success of those generations. Because of all that, farming policy is a core focus of my political work. Whether it’s advocating for drought relief in the Millewa, a fair deal for our irrigators or rural rate reform, I will do whatever I can to support them, because they support us.