Same government, two new faces. Both want to be backbenchers, primarily focused on serving their electorate. And neither hesitate on that perennial Canberra conundrum: the southside is better, they say.
Caitlin Tough and Taimus Werner-Gibbings are Labor's new representatives for Brindabella, the southernmost seat that takes in Kambah to Banks, Tharwa and beyond.
Ms Tough said she had picked up on the desire for change while campaigning, but found there were people who wanted a changing of the guard rather than a complete switch.
"People were willing to go, 'OK, yep, new face, new team, new people. We like Labor. We love what Labor is doing for the city, but it's time for some new people," Ms Tough said.
A mood for change
Mick Gentleman lost his Brindabella seat, which he had held for Labor in two stints since 2004. Labor's Joy Burch retired after four terms and eight years as speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
Mr Werner-Gibbings, who said there was a mood for change at every election, had run unsuccessfully in 2016 and 2020, and was returned to the 2024 ballot after factional jockeying over preselections. He said Canberra, while by no means perfect, was a great place to live because of 23 years of uninterrupted progressive government.
"I really hoped that there would be three of us, and that we would be able to work with Mick and get all his advice - and Joy would be out, but [receive] all their advice. But working with Mick within the parliament would have been the ideal outcome, certainly from a government perspective," Mr Werner-Gibbings said.
"By the same token, Caitlin and I have got a real opportunity to present a fresh, new look for Labor representation in Brindabella. I'm the average age of Tuggeranong at the moment: 43. Caitlin's got a younger family; I've got kids at school.
"We can connect with a lot people of who haven't necessarily felt apart from the Labor representation recently."
Asked why she put up her hand to become a politician, Ms Tough said she had always been drawn to helping people.
"To me, this is kind of the ultimate helping people. I've been an ambassador for Endometriosis Australia for 18 months, nearly two years now, which is somewhat public facing. ... So I've done that public-facing, talk-about-myself-in-public to help other people and educate and lobby. It didn't feel that strange to then go more public with myself," she said.
"And, I figured, this is how you help people. I had a pretty tough teenage years: my mum had cancer, my dad travelled a lot for work. I had chronic pain no one could diagnose. And so I just want to give back and help my community."
Mr Werner-Gibbings remembered being in year nine at Stromlo High and a fresh-faced, 26-year-old Simon Corbell came to introduce him as a new member of the Legislative Assembly.
"He came, he put his foot on the football, and just talked about being involved in community. I remember that assembly, and that was a light-bulb moment. You go, 'Yeah, right, that's something you could aspire to', or that's something that's worthwhile doing," he said.
Mr Werner-Gibbings said being elected to the Assembly was the beginning of the end of the first 30 years of his political consciousness raising.
Now, Mr Werner-Gibbings said, he had a lovely person to work with in Ms Tough, and the pair would see how annoying they could be on behalf of their community and Tuggeranong.
"Constructively," he said. "That's our role, to make sure that Tuggeranong is focused on and the Chief Minister has acknowledged that we are going to have, as a government more of a focus on Brindabella," he said.
Ms Tough said she was eager to contribute to "little local legacies" in her electorate, like playgrounds upgraded, paths fixed and suburban amenities restored.
"I really want to see the Richardson shops changed, even just to get the ball rolling. Having run the petition at the start of the year and had the Planning Minister agree to look into the harsher penalties and rezoning - I really would like to see something happen in the next four years on that side," she said.
Both Mr Werner-Gibbings and Ms Tough expect an exciting and dynamic Assembly, with a similar but refreshed government working in a new parliamentary environment.
"I think everyone has come in with the view of best representing their community, whether they come from a party or they're an independent, I think everyone's got their community front of mind. So I think that makes quite a good Assembly," Ms Tough said.
