Q&A: Chris Buckingham, Labor

EXPERIENCE

1.Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you grow up, where do you live now, and what brought you to the Bass electorate?

I was born in the UK and immigrated with my family in 1979. The first school I went to in Australia was Jamieson Primary School. There were 12 pupils – we didn’t study particularly hard, but it was a lot of fun for a ten year old.

I moved to Gippsland in 1997 and have lived in a number of beautiful communities since, including Tanjil South, Willow Grove, Inverloch, Moe, Warragul and Ellinbank.

After holidaying in Inverloch nearly every year for the last 35 years, I made the move here permanently in January.

2. What work have you done before entering politics? 

I have a really diverse work history. When I was at Uni I poured beers at Zagame's in Chadstone and did factory work to build up the bank balance. 

My first real job out of Uni was as a youth worker with teenage boys. I have also worked in the disability sector and Early Childhood Intervention.

I am proud of the fact that I owned and operated my own very small business for a number of years. I did not make a fortune, but I kept my family fed and the bills paid.

I have held senior leadership roles in tourism, public libraries and regional development. I have extensive experience working in and with Local and State Government.

Everywhere I have lived, I have made a conscious effort to volunteer and actively participate in community life. 

3. What experience or qualities would you bring to the job of being the MP for Bass? 

I have worked hard all my life, I understand the value of a dollar, but more importantly I understand how important it is to value people. 

People who know me would say that I lead with integrity and kindness. They would also smile and agree that I very good at getting stuff done.

When I speak people listen, and I listen when people speak.

POLITICAL

4. Have you been a candidate in state or federal elections before? If yes, please give details. 

Yes, I ran for the Federal seat of McMillan (now known as Monash) in 2016 and came second. It was a great experience and it is one of the reasons 10 years later that I am running for the seat of Bass.

5. When did you join your party and why?

I joined the Australian Labor Party nearly 30 years ago when I witnessed firsthand the enormous damage Jeff Kennett and the Liberal Party caused the Latrobe Valley and Gippsland. 

The debate about whether the privatisation of the SEC was a good thing is now a moot point, but in the ruthless pursuit of debt reduction, Kennett sold our region down the river.

I realised the only way to effect change, was to join a political organisation that would always stand for fairness and social justice. 

6. Why did you decide to stand for Parliament at this election? 

I care deeply about community. Nominating as a candidate for the Labor Party seemed like the most impactful way I could volunteer my time and knowledge for the benefit of people.

7. What is the single major issue for you at this election?

Right here, right now, it is the corrosive influence One Nation pose to Victoria. They are a cynical vote harvesting machine for Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce. They are leveraging understandable anger and frustration in our community, but when you dig down into their policies they are offering Victorians nothing. 

8. Which three of your party’s policies do you believe will most benefit people in the Bass electorate? 

In Bass we need to stay the course delivering the best possible healthcare, quality educational opportunities and cost of living relief.

9. The Bass electorate includes areas of Melbourne’s outer suburban fringe through farming country to coastal towns and Phillip Island. How would you make sure the very different interests of all these communities are heard and represented?

I lived and worked on a small beef farm in West Gippsland for ten years. I understand how important it is that we protect the rights of farmers, while ensuring our environment is given the opportunity to regenerate.

As a recognised leader in regional tourism, I know how important the visitors are to our economy, but I also appreciate the need to make sure the locals benefit and that their quality of life is enhanced not compromised.

As the CEO of Casey Cardinia Libraries, I made sure that our services were accessible to rural and suburban communities alike.

Our diverse communities should be a cause for celebration, not division. We can celebrate what is special about our part of the world and look after our neighbours at the same time.

At the end of the day, we are all human beings. We have to look after our environment and ensure that people can prosper.

10. This electorate has some of Victoria's most significant coastal areas, wetlands, woodlands and wildlife habitat. How do you see the balance between protecting the environment and accommodating housing, industry, agriculture and population growth?

Bass is home to some outstanding nature, and we should do our level best to ensure that we are preserving special places like the Western Port Woodlands and indeed taking a strategic approach to protecting Westernport Bay.

We can find a balance between protecting the environment and accommodating growth, if we are prepared to do the hard work together. It will take a willingness to be pragmatic without surrendering our principles.

I would like to see a greater focus on getting things done the right way rather than simply stopping things from happening because we can.

VALUES

11. Political decisions often involve competing interests. What personal values would guide your decision making?

Integrity, Fairness and Kindness

12. Is there something you believe in strongly enough to stand up for, even when it might be unpopular with voters, or go against your party platform? 

Yes, if I see injustice particularly in the form of discrimination I will always call it out, even if it means copping criticism. 

I will always put people before profit, and I will always put the interests of my community first. 

If I have to make a compromise or accept a decision that is out of my control, I will take personal responsibility.

PERSONAL

13. What do you like most about living in the Bass electorate? 

I love the passion people have for their community and their willingness to support the people around them whether it be family, friends or neighbours.

14. Where do you take visitors on their first visit to our region?

Inverloch Surf Beach and the George Bass Walk. If there is time, I do enjoy sitting on the sun deck at the Killy Pub or hanging out with friends on a lazy afternoon at Dirty Three in Inverloch

15. Do you have a pet project that you hope to achieve as the MP for Bass? 

I will keep supporting the development of more footpaths and trails in our communities. There are so many benefits – health and well being for community, accessibility for people who don’t have cars, great experiences for visitors and an opportunity to get out and smell the roses. 

16. If you weren’t campaigning, what would you rather be doing on a Sunday morning?

Trail running or tree planting and then a bang-up breakfast.