The man behind the politician

BORN in Koo Wee Rup, Russell was a draper who sang a few songs before being a member of Parliament for near on 21 years, with the last 18 a straight run.

But who is Russell and what is important to him?

Russell spent Easter with his family – his wife, Bronwyn, three adult children, grandchildren, extended family and Caesar (VI), the black Labrador.

“It’s very important that local members have their communities in focus at all times,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s funding for the streetscaping in Leongatha or the aged care at Korumburra, the rail precinct between Leongatha and Korumburra, or major road projects, these are all things that occupy our time.”

And once they are complete, it’s about looking to the future.

“We’ve given Bass Coast $14 million (since 2020) and South Gippsland $32 million,” he said.

“Funded the Cowes Cultural Centre, the Toora Footy Club for their lights, Woolamai Surf Beach, all of these things are daily jobs for me, on behalf of my community that I represent.”

The recent injection for local roads and infrastructure means programs across Bass Coast and South Gippsland Shire’s could proceed.

“A road that needed sealing in San Remo, for instance, wasn’t going to get done outside of this – that’s been funded and that’ll make tremendous change to the amenities of people around the new school,” he said.

“You get excited about the money that went into Walhalla Tourist Railway, the Mirboo North Pool, that wouldn’t be there without the funding.

“I get excited about the things I’ve done around women’s issues across 14-15 years.

Issues brought to Russell’s attention by locals.

With a career in politics spanning over two decades, Russell is not finished yet.

“The general demeanour of the Parliament, that we might be a kinder, more compassionate society, that we’re able to discuss issues like climate change, or refugee policies, or the integrity commission and have a discussion, rather than be polarised the whole time,” he said.

“You’re either for or against it and no-one can have a discussion anymore; we need to be a society that can have a discussion, at least we can talk about it then.

“I keep getting placed in a box, this side or that, and Russell Broadbent has never been able to be placed in a box because I have a number of views on lots of issues.

“I think I reflect my community very strongly – there’ll be people in the community who say no you don’t, there’ll always be disagreements with decisions that I take, but I take them from a national and local perspective.

“And just about everything that I have done has been driven by or come from the inspiration of the people in my electorate, who talk to me.

“I never thought I would be (in politics this long). But once I realised that this was a contribution that I could make I was determined.

“I still have a strong contribution to make, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt more able to make that contribution than I do now.”

A fireman at Pakenham for 12 years, Russell has seen his fair share of heartache and pain.

“Ash Wednesday was a pretty horrific time and shocking for my community.

“At that stage, I was also a councillor at the shire for Pakenham – and shire president the following year, so we were dealing with the aftermath of the fire, it was a rough time.

“(Money for emergency planning) those things are very important, that communities can make the right decisions in the middle of an emergency.

“We are about to make an announcement at Walkerville – spending a whole lot of money on communication system down there.”