Green Amanda Cohn makes inaugural speech in NSW parliament

The family history was recalled on Wednesday May 31, 2023 as Dr Cohn gave her inaugural speech to the NSW parliament after being elected in March to the Upper House.

The Greens MLC said Herbert and Gerte Cohn separately escaped Germany with her Oma surviving Kristallnacht "by riding the train that circled Berlin around and around with the family savings stuffed in her socks".

"What my family's story has taught me is the danger of an us-vs-them mentality and the importance of standing up for all persecuted people," Dr Cohn said.

She said it "chills me to my core" to see neo-Nazis parading openly in Australia and there was a collective responsibility to respond firmly to the threat of the far right.

Dr Cohn touched on many personal and professional experiences in her speech.

They ranged from living in Canada as a child, studying in Chile and being bisexual through to working as a doctor, SES volunteer and councillor.

"I navigated a conservative majority in the council chamber and had big wins on climate, protecting native vegetation, trans rights, accessibility for people with a disability, and recognition of First Nations' heritage," Dr Cohn said.

She told of COVID's impact and caring for a Sydney-bound four-month old baby, in respiratory distress, over more than six hours after already working for 10 hours without a break.

"The one optimistic lesson I took from the government response to COVID was seeing that things can turn on a dime given political will - from the federal government providing free childcare to suddenly having to present documents to cross a policed border between Albury and Wodonga," Dr Cohn said.

"Imagine if we applied that sense of urgency to action on climate change or addressing the housing crisis."

Dr Cohn also contrasted NSW with Victoria.

"Living on the Victorian border, I've seen the tangible difference that state government decisions make - just across the Milawa Bila/Murray River, my patients have better access to domestic violence services, gig and casual workers have access to sick leave, and nurses have better pay and safe staffing ratios," she said.

"In 2019, I watched this Parliament debate whether to decriminalise abortion over the live-stream, hanging on to every word.

"I will not forget that many of my now colleagues voted that I should be a criminal for my work as a medical abortion prescriber."

Dr Cohn pointed to her completion of an Ironman triathlon as being emblematic of her determination and persistence to fight for changes in NSW.

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