New Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan wore his UNE heart on his sleeve during his maiden speech to NSW Parliament in early August.
Wearing a UNE tie and watched on by some of his St Albert’s College friends and Vice-Chancellor Professor Chris Moran, Brendan acknowledged the important role of the university.
“My five years at university were by far some of the best of my life”
“My five years at university were by far some of the best of my life,” he said. “The University of New England is a world‑class organisation that for over 70 years has provided a tertiary education to kids from right across the world. More importantly, in my opinion, it has provided a tertiary education to kids from the regions who otherwise would not be able to afford to go to uni.”
A farm kid from Gunnedah, who “grew up driving utes, operating machinery, farming paddocks, shooting pigs and working cattle”, Brendan followed his older brother Paddy into law studies at UNE in 1999. Brendan’s graduating class today includes partners in international law firms, registrars in federal and supreme courts, lecturers, an Army legal officer and now, a freshly minted politician.
“Looking at where people are now is quite impressive,” Brendan said. “Because of the importance UNE placed on mooting, we were good on our feet and could stand up and argue a case. At UNE, I learnt that everyone has different views, which are valid; it gave me a great foundation for being a solicitor, because there are always two sides to every argument.
“The opportunity to meet so many intelligent and interesting people, living and studying on campus, was the big advantage. I was one of those annoying kids who would seek out my lecturers’ offices and knock on their door to ask questions if I didn’t understand a concept. You could do that at UNE. I would pick their brains, ask questions and talk cases with them. You had access to your lecturers and it was a great way to learn.”
Brendan (second from right) during his college years.
And not only great preparation for the legal career that unfolded but also – as it turns out – the bear pit of State Parliament. The embers of Brendan’s political fire were stirred while working at the legal firm Webb and Boland, where he practiced for 21 years and became a partner, before earning the National Party’s nomination for the seat vacated by Adam Marshall.
“My practice was predominantly environmental work – that tricky and emotional space of contested land acquisitions, planning law, water law and environmental law. Quite often I was dealing with cases that were incredibly unfair by virtue of the laws that had been made in Macquarie Street. I would get very frustrated by the unintended consequences of some legislation and found myself, so many times, saying to clients that I could only deal with the laws that had been given to us and directing them to their Member of Parliament if they wanted the laws changed.”
Now, Brendan’s in that hot seat himself, in Opposition and grappling with health care, childcare, cost-of-living and crime issues across his electorate. “The honeymoon lasted all of the election night,” he said. “My diary is now chockablock with meetings.”
Still, parliamentary procedures are not dissimilar to court procedures, and he “maxed out” his allocated number of speeches and notices of motion in his first two-week sitting.
The Nationals, Brendan says, are a good fit because it’s a political party based on geography and not a political philosophy. Even so, he has already managed to surprise some of his party colleagues.
“The Nats were founded purely to look after the regions. That’s the way I am looking at every question and problem coming across my desk – what is best for the people of our area? I have come out and supported a pay increase for nurses and it’s unusual for a Nat MP to support a union, but it is the right thing to do by our region because we are losing nurses to Queensland, where they are better paid, have better rosters and ratios.
“If government can get the policies and parameters right and let people go about their business, earn a living and look after their families, that is the best form of government, in my view.”
And as for the role of a State member, it’s relatively simple. “You must be accessible and available to help people and work hard. I am the first person in my family to enter politics; there’s no political pedigree. When it’s all over, hopefully the communities in my electorate will say that that bloke worked his butt off and did his best.”
Holding one of the safest seats in NSW is of little comfort. “It’s obviously nice to have that margin [81.93%], but at the end of the day every election is a performance review. And there will be another one in less than two-and-a-half years’ time.”
