One of them will likely be a minister in the next government. But first they have to get re-elected.

MEEGAN FITZHARRIS, 43, is the newest member of the ALP Assembly team. She has represented Molonglo since January, having won the count back to fill the seat vacated by Katy Gallagher. She will seek to represent the new, outer-northern seat of Yerrabi at the next election. Fitzharris was born in Wellington, NZ. She is married with three children. She was a candidate at the 2012 election. When she did not win a seat, she became chief of staff and senior adviser for then Minister, later Chief Minister, Andrew Barr.

ANDREW WALL, at 31, is the youngest member of the Assembly. He has represented the outer, southern electorate of Brindabella as a Liberal since 2012 and plans to stand for the redistributed seat at the 2016 election. He was born in Canberra, raised in Wanniassa and attended Marist College. He is married with one child. Before the Assembly, he worked in the construction industry, managing a patio business.

Q: You face the voters in a year, as a member from an outer electorate, what issues do you think will drive success for you at the election?

WALL: Local services and maintenance of local facilities will be the key for Tuggeranong residents. Tuggeranong has been neglected for too long and the plan to build light rail illustrates that. 

My focus will be on highlighting the need to better care for our established suburbs, by better maintaining parks and footpaths as well as the need to attract more employment opportunities to Tuggeranong.

Currently many businesses in the town centre area are doing it tough and there is a real need to tidy the place up, build business confidence and create more jobs.

FITZHARRIS: That people feel I understand their experiences, will hear them out and advocate for them. I can’t and won’t be all things to all people, but I know what it’s like to juggle work and family commitments and to live and commute from the city’s fastest-growing region, Gungahlin.

Every electorate has shared interests across Canberra as well as local issues. Yerrabi is a diverse electorate with suburbs that are new, 50 years old and everything in between. But people still want to know that our economy is growing and innovating, that they can get and progress in a job, get excellent health care, a world-class education and move around the city.

Labor is building a new hospital in Belconnen, a new school in North Gungahlin, building new roads and making major investments in transport through stage one of Capital Metro light rail from Gungahlin to Civic. These are important.

Q: You are new to the Assembly, what frustrates you most about it?

FITZHARRIS: That we don’t treat each other a little more kindly more often. I hold firm Labor values. For me this means a society and economy that delivers opportunity, growth and fairness. There are many ways to make this happen and I think Labor understands and delivers these more than any other party. But I don’t necessarily disagree with something just because another party or person suggests it.

WALL: With youth comes a fresh perspective, I understand how difficult it is to buy a house, how hard it can be to make ends meet and the challenges of modern parenting because that is what I am living through every day.

Growing up I watched my parents struggle with the challenges of running the family business in the hope they could give my sister and me the best start in life. I started working at McDonald’s at 15 and learnt firsthand what hard work is all about.

Having grown up in Canberra and seeing how hard it can be to get a job, run a business or buy a house it frustrates me that the government fails to truly understand or recognise these challenges.

Q: What will characterise your campaigning style and priorities over the next 12 months?

WALL: The success to my election in 2012 was knocking on over 6000 doors and my style hasn’t changed. It’s all about listening; listening to what is important to an individual, and the best way to find out is to knock on their door and ask.

In 2012, Tuggeranong voted overwhelmingly for a Liberal government that would deliver better local services. In 2016 my focus will be on how we can do this by highlighting the need to properly maintain our local shops, roads and parks, keep Tuggeranong a family friendly place to live and better support local business.

FITZHARRIS: My style will always be optimistic and accessible. I like talking to people about what they think. I’ll hear people out, put a case for why I believe in something, and be willing to advocate for change.

My priorities will be local and whole of Canberra. Yerrabi is a great new electorate with many interests. I want to make sure Gungahlin’s infrastructure and services keep pace with its development and that Belconnen’s infrastructure is revitalised.

I’m also keen to advocate for new ways of connecting people, whether it’s through education, technology or collaboration. And I’ll look for opportunities to bring public, private and community sectors together to achieve social outcomes.

Q: Why will your party win government in October 2016?

FITZHARRIS: Because Labor can offer a future to Canberra that builds on our strengths. We will speak to the best in people and of our community – a community that is smart, big-hearted and compassionate.

Our future depends on all of us contributing to make sure Canberra stays the most liveable city in the world. In our second century we’re coming into our own as a city driven by innovation, technology and community. We need to explain how Labor will help shape this change and provide opportunity, growth and fairness to more people.

WALL: I believe the Canberra Liberals will represent all Canberrans; we have done the hard yards of opposition and are in touch with the challenges, concerns and aspirations of Canberrans.

We will deliver a government that supports families, encourages business and investment and creates opportunities that everyone can afford.

Q: You are at the start of your political career, how do you imagine Canberra will look at the end of it?

WALL: Canberra is a growing city and it’s important that we don’t lose our character as we grow up.

When people mention Canberra I want them to think that it’s a great place to live, a great place to do business and a city that has something to offer everyone. I hope that our town centres become the hubs of activity that they were envisaged to be, while the character and open space of our suburbs that really define Canberra are maintained.

I want Canberra to be the best place, not just to start a business but the best place to run a business. Most importantly, I want Canberra to be a city that is safe and clean and that offers a future for my daughter as she grows up.

FITZHARRIS: Canberra will still, at its core, be a smart and generous city where we lead the nation on innovation, opportunity and compassion.

Our city will be denser, but still eminently liveable. People will be able to study at the country’s best schools and universities, get world-class healthcare, move easily around the city and live active, connected lives where everyone has an opportunity to pitch in.