Ms Jade Benham

Prior to entering Parliament, Jade did many things and has had a pretty colourful life thus far. Jade worked in media for 13 years before escaping and going to live in a tree on Lake Michigan. She ended up staying in the United States for an extended period, before moving to the UK to take up a position at the Global Digital Media Agency. When her tenure was done there and she had all of this new knowledge, she returned to regional Victoria to set up her own business to assist small regional businesses with digital communications and marketing. Jade has travelled, worked in corporate and owned a small business. She was also a Councillor and Mayor before being tapped on the shoulder and asked if she would ever consider a career in politics.

Jade has always been taught not to whinge about things if you are not willing to change them, which is why she ran for local government in the first place. During the pandemic the regional discrimination regional and rural Victorians suffered was amplified, and she decided she had to try to do something about it. This is what prompted her to run for Parliament.

The main passion and priority Jade has as a member of Parliament is regional healthcare. Jade believes your postcode should not dictate your health outcomes, but it certainly does if you do not live in the city. Jade is passionate about promoting the food producers in her region, which produce everything – grain, meat, nuts, fruit, vegetables.  Jade believes her region is feeding the nation and a few others, and she wants growers to know that they are valued and respected for that. Jade is passionate about roads and believes it is getting harder for food to get to market and port with little rail freight, and roads crumbling away before her very eyes.