Understanding Who Melanie Gibbons Really Is

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Table Of Contents
Page 3 - Political Will Protects The Community A Fine Example From Melanie Gibbons Page 5 - Working On It Jobs Creation Is A Community Development Agenda For Melanie Gibbons Page 7 - Melanie Gibbons Works With Constituents For A Clean And Green Community Page 9 - Drawing The Line Melanie Gibbons Takes Steps To Get Graffiti Under Control In Menai Page 11- Melanie Gibbons And The RMS Help Preserve Motorist Safety With Deadmans Creek Bridge Upgrade Plans Page 13- Melanie Gibbons Campaigns For Safer School Crossings Page 15- Melanie Gibbons Dedicated To Serving the People Of Menai Page 17- Melanie Gibbons Puts Babies And Nurses On Top Of Healthcare Agenda Page 19- Why Did Melanie Gibbons Choose To Champion Autism and Disability Support Page 21- Melanie Gibbons Making Waves As MP For Menai

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Political Will Protects The Community: A Fine Example From Melanie Gibbons
The problem of asbestos is a global health concern, most especially in areas where this building material has seen widespread use. Australia, in particular, tops the list of countries with the highest incidents of asbestos diseases per capita. While asbestos has been banned as a building material since 2003, and there is now a national plan to get rid of public buildings with asbestos by 2030, the countless structures that used it are still standing and have been tagged as ticking time bombs. In fact, a study has calculated that over the next 20 years, an estimated 40,000 Australians can be diagnosed with lung diseases caused by asbestos exposure. Meanwhile, as the state government works on the long-term and widespread solution, communities make it their responsibility to make urgent, decisive decisions to reduce the risk of asbestos exposure in their localities. A shining example of this is the case of Newbridge Heights Public School that showed how local awareness and committed leadership helped secure the wellbeing of children and the community. MP for Menai Melanie Gibbons advanced the local campaign to reduce asbestos risk as she helped the parents and students of Newbridge Heights Public School to urge authorities to finally take concrete steps into ensuring that the school grounds are safe for students use and maintenance after asbestos was found on the grounds. Under the former Labor government, the community had long been promised comprehensive testing of the school oval and playing field, but this has been delayed or postponed repeatedly. www.melaniegibbons.com.au Copyright 2013

Gibbons invited the stakeholders for a discussion of the issue and studied the documents and video footage that revealed the negligence. She also certified the 500-signatory petition for a complete remediation of the site, and delivered this to the Minister of Education. The Minister then ensured immediate, careful remediation that will protect the safety of the schoolchildren. Meanwhile, the specific details of the petition were forwarded to the Legislative Assembly stating the following points: temporary closure of the school oval; comprehensive soil sample testing of the entire school site; a report of the testing results; and an accurate asbestos management plan submitted to all parents, teachers, school staff and the community of Newbridge Heights Public School. Observers say this incident proved how community action plus political will is indeed an effective combination for positive change. Local mum Linda Lambourne has this to say: I have enormous respect for Ms. Gibbons. After many refused to address the seriousness of asbestos, Melanie reacted immediately. If all our politicians displayed the same compassion for childrens wellbeing, we would have no reason to complain. Asbestos is a building material that has been used heavily across the world. A few years ago, it was discovered how toxic and fatal exposure to asbestos can be. Asbestos is made up of long, thin strands of microscopic fibre, unseen by the naked eye. Dormant and enclosed between other materials used for insulation, asbestos is considered low risk. However, when it is disturbed for some reason, such as if someone hammers a nail in the wall or the ceiling structure begins to weaken over time, the small fibres can float in the air and can be easily inhaled. The fibres can easily accumulate and get lodged in the lungs. This can cause scarring, inflammation, breathing problems, and eventually, more problematic complications such as cancer of the lungs and abdomen. More information mentioned here.

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Working On It: Jobs Creation Is A Community Development Agenda For Melanie Gibbons

Global and local leaders are now all looking towards growth and revival after the most recent economic downturn. While a majority of affected sectors are still struggling to get back on their feet, reports say the outlook is generally positive, and there is much hope and support given to the various programs and policies that are being set in place towards a speedy and sustainable recovery. One of the focus areas that are being given more interest and attention today is the goal of jobs creation. Almost every politician has a jobs plan or a workforce opportunity program being designed for their constituents a natural direction to take, political observers say, given that job stability is an urgent and major concern for the millions of individuals and families that are facing unemployment or underemployment. While providing a source of livelihood for everyone sounds like a good plan, thinking leaders know that a truly effective strategy is one that puts jobs creation in the context of all other community issues. MP for Menai Melanie Gibbons believes that decent work opportunities arise only if the state of the community is in good condition, and so she provides www.melaniegibbons.com.au Copyright 2013

support for the labour force by integrating jobs creation into her community development agenda. As a New York Times columnist wrote, Jobs, in other words, are not the cause of a healthy economy; theyre the by product. When a multinational company decided to situate their $40 million facility in Liverpool, Gibbons was among the first to provide her support and encouragement into the investment. Setting up the new headquarters of HPM Legrand Australia was estimated to regain 380 jobs and create 40 new more. Gibbons welcomed the investments, knowing how beneficial it is for the community to have job opportunities created that are closer to where people live, as the local newspaper quoted her. Gibbons priority objectives are also connected to the aim of serving the labour force and making the community more prepared for the local and global job market, from her work as Acting Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and as Deputy Chair of the Committee on Children and Young People, to her programs to help the disabled and disadvantaged, to her focus on community health and wellness, and to her unwavering commitment to uplifting the morale of her constituents by providing genuine, constant service. Never say you cant, Gibbons says, quoting her favourite uncle, paraplegic and accomplished athlete Bourke Gibbons. For more info, check out this site.

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Melanie Gibbons Works With Constituents For A Clean, Green and Healthy Community

The phrase politics is a dirty job, may be loaded with meaning, but for some hardworking politicians, the meaning can be simply literal. MP for Menai Melanie Gibbons has walked on landfills, picked up trash, cleaned up dirty rivers and tightened measures against vandals, all in the name of making the community greener, cleaner and healthier. In the morning of Clean Up Australia Day, Gibbons walked to the Thompsons Bay Reserve on Fowler Road at Illawong with the Menai Scout Group, Menai Wildflower Club and the Woronora River Rural Fire Service to start the river clean-up. The group moved amongst mud and the mangroves to pick up rubbish, plastic and heaps of glass. After hours of cleaning, they carried the trash to the boat provided by the Rural Fire Service. Afterwards, they were regaled by the local historian with stories of how the place used to be a social hub in the 1880s. Learning that the area was once a place where people held picnics, played cricket games and a major transportation route made the clean-up team even more inspired to revive neglected areas in the neighbourhood. www.melaniegibbons.com.au Copyright 2013

Another activity that similarly aims to make good use of the beautiful, useful spaces in the community is the enhancement of the boating facilities in the Georges River and Botany Bay. Gibbons supported the waterway safety initiatives that were proposed through The Botany Bay Georges River Boating Safety Plan, which includes removing objects that are considered a navigation hazard and installing CCTVs at designated areas. The plan also proposes the establishment of an aquatic park at Floyd Bay, Lansvale to make way for more water-based activities. Gibbons likes things clean, including electric power. She paid a visit to one of the largest landfills in Australia, the New Illawarra Road Landfill at SITAs Lucas Heights Resource Recovery Park, as a show of su pport to its ability to generate clean, green power for 20,000 homes in the NSW grid. The facility converts methane and waste gases from the landfill to pump sufficient energy, into what the community describes as a way of turning a liability into an asset. Another clean-up activity led by Gibbons is her support for the campaign to curb vandalism through a set of proposed changes on the law against graffiti offences. According to her, graffiti is the most complainedabout problem to her office, and so she considers it a big step to have a legislative framework that requires offenders to clean up their graffiti and to appear in court. People take pride in their homes and the area they live in so this funding will help us find a solution that works, Gibbons was quoted as saying. To learn more about this, consult Melanie Gibbons Menai.

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Drawing The Line: Melanie Gibbons Takes Steps To Get Graffiti Under Control In Menai
In most communities, graffiti is considered a negative presence. The term pertains to writings or drawings that have been marked onto walls or other public surfaces. Often, these markings consist of single or multiple words or elaborate illustrations that may have underlying social or political messages. They may also be symbolic forms that mark the territory of certain groups or indicate activities related to gangs. While the "artists" behind the graffiti often claim that these markings are expressions of their freedom of speech and creative, artistic inclinations, in the eyes of city officials and community members, putting graffiti on public or private properties using paint, spray paint, or markers is considered an act of vandalism and defacement, and as such, is a punishable crime. In the electorate of Menai in New South Wales, MP Melanie Gibbons vowed to take control of the proliferation of graffiti in her community by supporting measures to curb graffiti vandalism that were debated in State Parliament. In August 2011, a bill was passed by the Legislative Assembly with the following proposals: offenders will be required to face court instead of merely being given a caution; magistrates will have the power to order offenders to remove the graffiti and restore the appearance of the defaced buildings (unless this is found to be impractical); and courts will have the power to suspend the offender's driver's licence for up to six months, dispense demerit points, or extend time on L-plates or P-plates. www.melaniegibbons.com.au Copyright 2013

Gibbons, along with fellow Liberal MP Mark Speakman (for Cronulla) were among those who backed these proposed changes. They believed that losing one's driver's licence would make a person more hesitant about engaging in vandalism, especially since an offender can simply refuse to pay a fine he has been slapped with, and because many offenders no longer fear being reprimanded when they get caught for the offence. The Opposition also supported the bill in the Legislative Assembly, although certain MPs expressed concerns about the measure to suspend licences. Lakemba MP Robert Furolo, specifically, said that the suspension may push offenders to commit a much more serious offence driving while unlicensed. The move, he said, would also have the effect of criminalising young people and giving them a long-time record something that can substantially affect their ability to get into universities, apply for jobs, and provide for their families. The government decided to accept two of the proposals that offenders must face court and that magistrates can order them to remove the graffiti and restore the buildings appearance but not the controversial plan to suspend licences for up to six months. Despite this seemingly "watered down" version of the legislation, the Sutherland Shire MPs were pleased that the legislative framework for this community problem has been laid down and were optimistic that it would create a huge, positive impact on the task of curbing the issue. Gibbons said that requiring offenders to appear in court would be an effective deterrent in itself, as offenders would now be forced to tell their parents about their deeds. According to Attorney-General Greg Smith, the approved reforms turned out to be significantly stronger than anything that the Labor Party has introduced in its 16 years in office. Visit this site for more info about this.

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Melanie Gibbons And The RMS Help Preserve Motorist Safety With Deadmans Creek Bridge Upgrade Plans
Deadmans Creek Bridge, a narrow, two-lane bridge on Heathcote Road found in Sandy Point (an area in the New South Wales electorate of Menai), is an important public passage in this locality. It connects the two sides of Menai and serves as a valuable link between communities. Heathcote Road is a major arterial link that serves both local and commercial traffic from Liverpool to Wollongong, not to mention the Department of Defence at Holsworthy; thus, countless cars and heavy vehicles (like trucks) pass by the road and this bridge every day, as well as a number of people on bikes or on foot. Unfortunately, Deadmans Creek Bridge has been known as a notorious "black spot" residents know very well that many accidents have occurred here and that the dangerous stretch often throws traffic into chaos. There is a high risk of vehicles crashing into or clipping each other. One resident who lives 300 metres from the bridge reported witnessing many near-accidents and calls the decision of some people to ride a bike or walk across the bridge as "verging on suicide." Before being elected as Menai MP in 2011, Melanie Gibbons announced her plans of upgrading Deadmans Creek Bridge to protect road users and eliminate the reputation of Heathcote Road as one of the most

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dangerous in the area. In November 2012, Roads and Maritime Services (formerly Roads and Traffic Authority) Minister Duncan Gay disclosed that although the initial plans were to upgrade or widen the bridge, the preferred option is now to replace it entirely. The decision was made days after another serious accident took place on the bridge a truck rolled over just before 4am on a weekday. Thankfully, the driver escaped serious injury. But in the past six years, the bridge has already claimed nine lives, and Gibbons and the RMS believe that a total replacement of the bridge would be the best solution to prevent more accidents from happening. The 69-year-old Deadmans Creek Bridge will carry two lanes of traffic in each direction and will include wider approaches on either side. Improving the tight curves, steep grades and narrow shoulders will greatly improve visibility for motorists and cyclists and will also reduce safety risks. The replacement is due to be completed in early 2015. Gibbons made the plans for the project accessible to the community so that they could provide their feedback and insights. According to the MP, the project is an "important and exciting step in meeting the commitment I and the NSW Liberal party gave to the community during the election campaign." To learn more about this, check out melaniegibbons.com.au

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Melanie Gibbons Campaigns For Safer School Crossings

It was a dreadful accident on Old Illawara Road that prompted Menai MP Melanie Gibbons to take action. A 12-year-old school girl, like many of her fellow students, was in the habit of crossing the road to attempt to catch a red Metrobus. That day, however, she missed the ride and, on her way back, was hit by an oncoming vehicle. The young girl was rushed to the hospital with a broken leg unfortunate, but a decidedly much luckier outcome given the circumstances. Known for being a champion of causes for children and young people, Gibbons raised the issue of school crossing safety in the House as soon as the incident had been brought to her attention. The main problem indicated by the accident is that the section of the road where the girl was hit was not a designated crossing and the traffic there could be quite busy. The stretch of road closer to the school required vehicles to slow down, but at that point of the road which pupils still needed to navigate to get to school or back home, cars tended to speed by at about 60 kilometres per hour. At the beginning and end of the school day, you were bound to find young children dodging traffic and walking down the lane lines as they traversed to the other side in groups. Something obviously needed to be done to keep young pedestrians safe on their way to and from school. www.melaniegibbons.com.au Copyright 2013

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Gibbons reported to the House that the Sutherland Shire Council had quickly collaborated with Roads and Maritime Services in extending the school zone. Measures had also been taken to put signage reminding drivers to watch for pedestrians. While its best for everybody if children and young people were to observe correct road crossing practices, it would be irresponsible to take for granted that they would. Since the issue was first raised, the school zone has been extended to cover this and while flashing lights were already installed closer to the school, consideration is being given to relocating them to this area or installing another set. During the term, these are turned on in the morning and in the afternoon to coincide with the arrival and departure of the students. Extending the school zone may not have completely eradicated the problem, but it has significantly increased safety for the students as they regularly cross to catch the Metrobus. In relation to this, Gibbons remains in discussions with pertinent agencies on what other measures can be taken to improve road safety. Melanie Gibbons is lauded for actively listening to the concerns of her constituents and for wasting no time in springing to action to resolve issues. Sutherland Shire-born and raised, Gibbons is fully committed to serving the people of Menai. Her background includes working for TAD, a disability charity, and her record shows continuous active support for the young and the disadvantaged. For more info, browse through Melanie Gibbons Community Programs.

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Melanie Gibbons: Dedicated To Serving The People Of The Electorate Of Menai

A Member of the New South Wales Parliament brings forward the views of the people in his or her respective electorates in debates regarding public policies and proposed laws. Within the appointed four-year term, one works to assist constituents in a number of matters that are relevant to maintaining a good quality of life, and this includes health and hospital services, public housing, roads and transport, fair trading, industrial relations, community services, public works, electricity and gas services, and others. In addition, an MP also acts on behalf of the people to address various government agencies, the local council, and State and Federal Ministers. Melanie Gibbons successfully performs these functions and so much more. Born and raised in Woronora in the Sutherland Shire, she demonstrated her commitment to serving the community early on by becoming Councillor of the Sutherland Shire Council in 2004; she completed her second term in September 2012. Prior to her election into the Legislative Assembly, Gibbons worked as the Fundraising Manager for the not-for-profit organisation Technical Aid to the Disabled (or TAD) in NSW, a charity that was established to provide custom designed aids, communication or computer support www.melaniegibbons.com.au Copyright 2013

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services, and other technical skills that can help improve the lives of people with disabilities. This experience taught her much about the opportunities and options available to the disadvantaged and how she can bring these closer to the people who urgently need assistance. Gibbons assumed her position as Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Menai in March 2011. In addition to her primary duties of acting as an advocate of the Menai community, taking the concerns of residents to Parliament, and voicing out her electorate's views on new laws that are being introduced, she also currently serves as Acting Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and as Deputy Chair of the Committee on Children and Young People in NSW, a current joint standing committee that reviews the work of the Commission for Children and Young People as well as examines trends in the issues relevant to children and young persons in order to make the suitable recommendations to Parliament. She is also Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Mental Illness Group. With the distinct responsibilities, achievements, and advocacies of Melanie Gibbons, the residents of her area are assured that they have a strong, committed, and compassionate voice speaking in their best interests and working to bring harmony and a true sense of community to their locality.

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Melanie Gibbons Puts Babies And Nurses On Top Of Healthcare Agenda

Improvement and protection of the communitys health is one of the primary advocacies that Melanie Gibbons is known for as MP for Menai. Some of the causes she is most passionate about include supporting people with autism and disabilities, and she is very visible in her role as Deputy Chair of the Committee on Children and Young People and Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Mental Illness. Gibbons has often said that her main goal is to provide better options for the disadvantaged, and this focus on health and wellness is seen as one way to achieve that vision. One of her most recent moves is to work with the Miracle Babies Foundation, a foundation that provides support and services for families who have a premature sick baby. As with most subjects she handles, Gibbons sees the situation with a wide-angle view. She understood how having a preemie with medical conditions is a concern not just for the parents, but also for their friends, families and loved ones, and for the whole community as well. In her Private Member statement, she mapped out the various issues that needed to be addressed from the emotional weight of the problem, to the tricky logistics of repeated hospital visits, to the financial expenses of extensive testing, medications and rehabilitations and a whole lot of other interconnecting concerns.

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She knew that this complex web of issues requires an equally layered and sophisticated support network as well. By working with the Miracle Babies Foundation, Gibbons believes that she can lend a hand in enhancing community awareness and raising this knowledge to the level of a national issue specifically, that there are 44,000 babies born in Australia every year that need the help of newborn intensive care. The birth of a premature or sick newborn can be an overwhelming and traumatic experience for families. Their lives can be changed permanently and influenced significantly by their newborn intensive care unit experience, she said. Meanwhile, Gibbons knows that the only way to help care for the sick and the disadvantaged is to care for the health care providers as well. Thus, she also makes it a priority to provide help and support in the funding and enhancement of the facilities of local hospitals and the development of medical workers and professionals. For instance, she provided support during the process of Liverpool Hospitals redevelopment, and she has also led the welcoming party when new nurses took their posts at Liverpool and Sutherland Hospital. According to the community newspaper, the new nurses are part of the state governments promise to provide an extra 2,475 nurses over the next four years. This promise has been delivered, with there being 4,000 more nurses and midwives employed by NSW Health than when they were elected. For additional information on this, click here.

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Why Did Melanie Gibbons Choose To Champion Autism And Disability Support?
MP for Menai Melanie Gibbons has declared early on during her inaugural speech, to be accurate that her main advocacy for this term lies in providing support to people with disability and mental illness. I will judge my time as a parliamentary representative and the performance of this government by how successful we are in supporting those living with disabilities, she said in her inaugural speech in June 2011.The benchmark must be by how much we have improved their lives and delivered greater independence. Her pet projects have remained aligned with this vision more than two years after she has outlined her priorities. The two pivotal roles she now holds accurately reflect on her chosen advocacies. Gibbons is an Acting Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and Deputy Chair of the Committee on Children and Young People, and is a Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Mental Illness Group. For local political observers, the long-standing commitment of Gibbons to help heighten support for people with physical and mental disabilities can be anchored to her years of professional and personal experience with related health conditions, as well as her electorates present situation. This decision is seen as a natural route for her to take, after she had earlier revealed how she had seen first-hand the unfairness and difficulties that the elderly and many people with disabilities face on a daily basis.

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Improving the lives of the disadvantaged is an advocacy close to her heart, and the following reasons may have also strengthened her commitment on healthcare, mental health and disability issues: She has a personal stake on the issue. Gibbons has said that one of her life heroes and main inspiration for her principles is her uncle Bourke Gibbons. Bourke has cerebral palsy, is a dual paralympian, and is described by the local paper as an amazing fund raiser. Her uncles influence on her is seen early in her career. Prior to the elections, she worked for the charity Technical Aid to the Disabled. More recently, she served as chair of the Sutherland Shire Councils Aged and Access Committee. There is a significant autism rate in her community. Records show that more than 50% of children with autism from NSW are living within a 40km radius of Liverpool. Gibbons is aware that autism is a collective concern, and that helping affected individuals is also providing support to the community. Not only is the child with autism affected but so is his or her family, and in turn, the community," she said. Local support groups need support. Funds are vital to not-for-profit organisations... that rely on the generosity of the community, she said. On behalf of Premier Barry OFarrell, Gibbons has presented Liverpool-based Autism Advisory and Support Service a $5,000 grant to help the release of an autism awareness DVD in April 2012. Since then, Melanie Gibbons has continued to work for the improvement of local healthcare and more support for medical workers and professionals.

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Melanie Gibbons: Making Waves As MP For Menai

She had set her sights on entering the Parliament of New South Wales in 2004, but an unsuccessful attempt to win pre-selection kept her from doing so. Seven years later, however, Melanie Gibbons was finally able to secure her seat as the MP for Menai and she did it with gusto. Gibbons was born and bred in Sutherland Shire and developed her commitment to public service as she fulfilled her role as Councillor of the said location (she completed her second term as Sutherland Shire Councillor in September 2012). She also worked as the Fundraising/Development Manager of the not-for-profit organisation Technical Aid to the Disabled (TAD NSW) which was established to assist people with specific disabilities. 2011 proved to be an interesting year for state elections as all four MP seats for Sutherland Shire were won by members of the Liberal Party. Gibbons was elected for Menai, while Mark Speakman, Graham Annesley and Lee Evans cinched the seats for Cronulla, Miranda and Heathcote, respectively. Gibbons also had a particularly remarkable achievement gaining an impressive swing of 27.5 per cent, the third largest in the state. Labor Party candidate Peter Scaysbrook (who ran for the Menai seat against Gibbons) expressed his belief that the larger than average swing may be attributed to the proposed Moore bank intermodal freight terminal. As a community representative, Gibbons believed that she would be able www.melaniegibbons.com.au Copyright 2013

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to be a voice against this proposal, especially as she planned to work with local residents and federal Hughes MP Craig Kelly as a demonstration of a united effort. Gibbons aimed to hit the ground running upon assuming her MP role by addressing the crucial election campaign promises that were made (in addition to the freight terminal). These included upgrading Deadmans Creek Bridge, the expansion of the M5, and the transformation of Heathcote Road into a much safer transportation channel. And of course, because providing services for disadvantaged people is an issue that is very close to her heart, Gibbons also vowed to help make disability services more accessible for everyone who needed them. Gibbons credited her uncle for providing her with life lessons and solid inspiration for attaining her goals. Bourke Gibbons, who has cerebral palsy but never let the condition prevent him from representing Australia at the 1988 Seoul Paralympics and 1992 Barcelona games, would always tell his niece to "never say you can't." This dear uncle gave his support throughout the campaign and joined in celebrating the victory of the new and first Liberal MP for Menai. Discover more about Melanie by browsing through Melanie Gibbons Political Plan.

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