Teesdale blesses kind act on campaign trail
A simple, instinctive act of kindness from a small boy has underlined the importance of caring and of human connection for new Bass MP Jess Teesdale.
Tasmania
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A simple, instinctive act of kindness from a small boy has underlined the importance of caring and of human connection for new Bass MP Jess Teesdale.
The former teacher recounted the anecdote during her inaugural speech in the House of Representatives this week, saying it was a reminder that there was power in kindness and gentleness.
She told the chamber how she came to acquire what she calls her “lucky button” as she knocked on doors in the state’s north during the election campaign.
“A little boy handed me a button. His name is Archie,” she said.
“No explanation. No big moment. Just a quiet, unexpected gift at the door of a stranger.
“It was the final week of the campaign. I was tired. Hopeful. Stretched to my limit. And there he was, a small hand reaching out, offering me something precious. Something small, yes. But full of meaning.
“Did he sense that maybe, at that point in time, I really needed a lucky button? Perhaps.
“I carried it with me through that final week. I kept it close on election night.
“And I brought it with me here, today. Because this button became a reminder. Of kindness. Of trust. Of why we do this.”
“This chamber hears a lot of talk about policy, priorities, and power, but it’s the small, human things that hold us together, especially when distant horizons feel like they begin to darken.”
Ms Teesdale paid tribute to her predecessor, Liberal Bridget Archer and thanked her family, friends and political mentors — with a special mention for teachers.
“Only a few months ago, I was a teacher too,” she said.
“If you’ve been in a classroom lately, you know teachers wear too many hats, carry too many roles.
”They’re educators, counsellors, snack providers, data collectors, resource creators, learners, reporters, and event organisers. Often, all in one day.
“But through it all, they focus on their students. They carry their hopes, their futures, their fears.
“Teachers walk beside us quietly. Steadily. Believing in us, even when we don’t believe in ourselves.”
Among those watching the new MP’s speech was her mum.
“I’ve never felt more love and admiration than watching Jess in the chamber,” Anne Teesdale said. . She poured her heart and soul into that speech — it showed her grit, her compassion, and why the people of Bass have put their trust in her.
“She’s always had this quiet determination. She knew how she wanted to approach Parliament right from the start — it was so clear in that speech.”
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