There was orange as far as the eye could see as Helen Haines celebrated retaining the seat of Indi on Saturday, May 3.
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Incumbent Independent Helen Haines swept to victory in Indi at the weekend’s federal election, securing 58.49 per cent of the two-party vote and an increased primary vote.
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In the electorate where Australia’s independent movement began, she saw a 2.35 per cent swing in her direction, and she is keen to get on with the job.
“I feel really grateful (and) very happy,” Dr Haines said.
“It’s a huge privilege to be a member of parliament and to be re-elected now and to serve for the third time with an increased primary vote is an emphatic endorsement.
“I'm very grateful to the people of Indi for showing that amount of confidence in me.”
With Labor gaining a landslide win nationwide, the next parliament will mark the third time Dr Haines has needed to work with a majority government.
“I worked with a majority Liberal government in my first term of parliament and a majority Labor government in my second term, so it's back to business for me.
“And I've been effective locally and nationally with majority governments, so I will be taking the same approach to this one.”
Ian Arendshorst and Julie Folan serving sausages at a Benalla polling station, the Faithfull St campus of Benalla P-12 College.
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Billie Davern
Dr Haines said she was keen to work with the government of the day, alongside the crossbench and opposition, to represent the people of Indi.
“I will work with anyone and everyone in the Federal Parliament, if our interests align around what we're trying to achieve,” she said.
“For me, my interests are strongly in the domain of what the electorate of Indi needs, more broadly, what rural and regional Australia needs and what's good for the nation.
“I'm a very strong collaborative parliamentarian. I come into the parliament looking at legislation very, very carefully. I make amendments successfully, and then I'm out in the community when I'm not in the parliament.
“And I work with our local governments as well. So that's the way I'll continue to be.
Dr Haines said it was striking that many communities were following the lead of Indi and electing independents.
“That doesn't surprise me,” she said.
“We've seen an electoral wipeout of the federal Liberal representation, and some of those seats have been replaced by Labor candidates, some of them have been replaced by community independents like myself, and there's many seats still too tight to call.
“I think what Indi has shown the nation is that when you listen to the community, when you work for the community, not for a party boss, and when you work hard, honestly and transparently, you get a lot of local impact and a lot of national influence.
“And clearly in Indi, the voters of Indi like it, and they want more of it. So I'm very proud to represent them.”
Dr Haines thanked her supporters, and upwards of 1000 volunteers that had assisted in her campaign.
“In Indi, we have people-powered politics, and it works,” she said.
“When an independent such as myself can have over 1000 volunteers working towards my re-election it shows that people like what we've got in Indi, and they’ve shown that (by) voting me in with an increased primary vote.”
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