General News
27 October, 2022
Pulford pulls out on poll eve
UPPER House MP and senior minister Jaala Pulford will not stand for re-election in next month's state poll. Ms Pulford, whose Western Victoria Region includes southern Loddon towns of Wedderburn, Inglewood, Bridgewater, Newbridge, Tarnagulla and...
UPPER House MP and senior minister Jaala Pulford will not stand for re-election in next month's state poll.
Ms Pulford, whose Western Victoria Region includes southern Loddon towns of Wedderburn, Inglewood, Bridgewater, Newbridge, Tarnagulla and Dunolly, announced her retirement this morning.
She has been an Upper House MP since 2006 and a minister since 2014. When elected in 2014, Ms Pulford’s daughter, Sinead, died after a battle with cancer.
In her statement, Ms Pulford said:
After what has been the most rewarding journey in politics, I’ve advised the Premier of my decision not to recontest the 2022 state election.
Around the time of the 2006 Commonwealth Games my family driving was through Melbourne. My husband Jeff pointed out a big building and said: “hey kids, Mum is going to work there.”
Four-year-old Sinead exclaimed to her little brother “it’s a fairy castle!”
That little brother is now 18.
We still call Parliament House ‘fairy castle’ and while that may never change, the time has come for me to seek new challenges.
Representing the people of Western Victoria has been an extraordinary privilege. Serving the people that rely on Labor governments has been a tremendous honour.
I’m conscious that I’m making this decision on the eve of a state election but I’m absolutely confident that the time is right for me, and for the Government.
The Victorian election is on November 26
Ms Pulford (right) at Wedderburn College in May