And welcome to Bennelong. I'd like to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land, the Wallumedegal People of the Eora Nation, and pay respects to elders past, present and emerging. And everyone, we did it. We got over the line. Thank you so much for your support. And thank you to the Prime Minister for convincing everyone, and for his support. We know it's very difficult for Labor to win Bennelong, but we put up a really good challenge here.
We had good ideas and a strong local campaign. We would not have been able to get over the line without support of the community here in Eastwood, in particular, but also right across Bennelong. So, a huge thank you from me, and I'm sure a huge thank you from our Prime Minister. Winning Bennelong means we're that much closer to majority Government. And I think that'll be good for the nation. But you know, we'll get there. Three years to go. But for now, welcome the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese.
And thanks for agreeing to take your outstanding representational leadership from the council into our national Parliament. I have no doubt that you will be a fantastic local Member for Bennelong and that you will secure an increased majority at the next election, with all of your help. It is just one week since the election. It seems like a bit longer. And forgive me for saying that. But it's been a very big week indeed. But I said on Saturday, last Saturday night, that I didn't intend to just occupy the space, I intend to be a Prime Minister who made a difference each and every day.
And we have done that. We were sworn in with an Interim Ministry on Monday morning. Penny Wong then came back from that meeting and headed off to Fiji. We need to re-engage with our Pacific Island neighbours. The truth is that the former Government had a submission from Foreign Affairs and Trade, backed by the Foreign Minister at the time, Marise Payne, for increased aid in the Pacific. And they ignored it. And they dropped the ball when it came to that engagement.
We won't drop the ball. We are engaged in our very first week. I was able to outline Labor's commitment to peace and security in the region, but also to action on climate change, which people have been crying out for.
