Cross-party friendships supporting diverse communities

Parliamentary friendship groups, while not formal entities of the Parliament, bring together Members of Parliament of different political persuasions to show support and advocate for communities of interest. They build deeper connections with Victorians that have a shared purpose, and promote ties with countries that have historical, cultural and economic links to our state.

Member for Ripon, Martha Haylett is co-chair of Victorian Parliamentary Friends of Landcare, which supports the volunteer movement that seeks to use sustainable land management and environmental conservation to enhance and protect the natural environment of local communities. 

Haylett traces her interest in Landcare back to her childhood.

‘I grew up with a father who was a president of his Landcare group locally in country Victoria, so I grew up in Landcare. I went to planting days constantly, it was just part of my upbringing,’ she said.

Haylett remembers meeting Landcare volunteers who wanted tangible ways to engage with Parliament. This included having opportunities to speak with the environment, water and agriculture ministers to ensure there was a focus on Landcare through, for example, adequate funding into the future.

‘There have been a few advocacy points that Landcare Victoria and the groups have come to us with. We’ve taken that directly to the minister and been able to get some really good results,’ Haylett said.

She sees parliamentary friendship groups as a ‘powerful tool that can help cut through issues to get outcomes and advocate for change’.

‘They help shine a light on matters beyond politics, and support groups to feel more connected to Parliament,’ she said.

‘We don’t all agree on many things, but we can all agree that we love Landcare, so let’s band together.

‘Volunteers of any group, especially Landcare, don't do things to be recognised. They're doing it for the benefit of their community.’

Member for Croydon, David Hodgett is co-chair of three parliamentary friendship groups covering the Melbourne Storm Rugby League Club, the Melbourne Victory Football Club, and the Kingdom of Thailand.

According to Hodgett, it’s a two-way effort as it takes both parliamentarians as well as communities to drive the powerful capabilities of friendship groups.

‘It’s important not to downplay the importance of having a connection to Parliament for the community involved,’ he said.

Hodgett noted that having connections across different parties empowers groups of all kinds, from youth to cultural communities, to feel seen and heard.

The bilateral parliamentary friendship groups connecting with a specific country, such as the Thailand group, were among the first to be established.

They elevate awareness of culture, language, food and business, by meeting with ambassadors, consuls and delegations, as well as by participating in events such as national day celebrations.

Citing one example, Hodgett noted that the International Day of Thailand brought together people from across the community.

‘We had parliamentarians, Thai representatives, heads of organisations and community and business people there. The ambassador also came down from Canberra,’ he said.

‘People appreciate that you come in and continue to build and foster that relationship. Parliamentary friendship groups serve a great purpose in helping strengthen ties in terms of those visitations.’

Friendship groups are renewed in each new Parliament, with each group electing co-chairs, or convenors, and a secretary at their inaugural meeting.

According to Hodgett, working with co-chairs and members from different parties to collaboratively push constructive outcomes on shared goals was ‘deeply powerful’. 

‘All parties supporting a cause and connecting with those communities reflects Australia itself as a multicultural society,’ he said. 

It also provides an opportunity to keep informed about the issues relevant to different communities, which includes hearing about matters such as housing, education and employment.

‘Keeping in touch with community leaders and community issues is important,’ Hodgett said.

Beyond the country groups, there are also a number centred on health matters that affect Victorians and their families, such as diabetes, dementia, and drug use.

The Parliamentary Friends of Harm Reduction, for example, seek to explore policies, programs and practices that best minimise negative health and social impacts caused by drug use, drug policies and laws.

Member for Frankston and group co-chair, Paul Edbrooke indicated that these friendship groups wield a unique opportunity, allowing MPs to ask questions of experts and guest speakers about a social issue happening in their community and what members can do to help.

‘I was a former firefighter a long time ago and responded to a lot of medical incidents which involved people with drug overdoses,’ he said. ‘I’ve seen how the ice epidemic has really affected each suburb, not excluding Frankston.’

According to Edbrooke, the parliamentary friends group opened the door to a more bipartisan approach, by together supporting efforts to raise awareness and save lives, including by speaking to those well-versed in what was happening on the ground.

That’s also important for debating legislation before Parliament, as people can ‘get rid of stereotypes or have a look at some data’ from experts.

‘An educated Parliament makes better decisions,’ Edbrooke said. 

‘We have to become intimate with the issue, so we know what it is and then use a progressive approach to treat people as humans that have medical problems, as opposed to making it a legal or a justice problem straight away.’

One way this friendship group brought more understanding to the issue was by organising an interactive event where MPs got to examine different drugs and use pill testing equipment.

‘MPs want to be really educated in what they're talking about in Parliament because it impacts their community,’ Edbrooke said.

‘Sometimes the community think that people are getting up there and just putting a bill through because that's how their party wants to vote, but behind the scenes there's a lot that goes on.

‘Behind the scenes, people in a party will influence the decision of that party, and that's where parliamentary friendship groups come into it.’ 

According to Edbrooke, the work of the parliamentary friendship group that he co-chairs contributes to ‘pragmatic and productive efforts’ that can help to save young people’s lives.

‘Any chance we can have for people to find common ground in Parliament reflects the common ground they might find elsewhere in their decision making,’ he said. This makes for a ‘stronger Parliament, and stronger Victoria’.