Kay Hull (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the honourable member for Maranoa, Mr Scott, be elected as Deputy Speaker.

The member for Maranoa has a vast range of experience in this House. He was first elected in 1990 and he has represented for a long period of time the people who reside within that 600,000 square kilometres of land. He is an avid supporter of rural and regional interests and a great champion of those interests in this House. In his past life, he was an Australian Nuffield Farming Scholar and in 1993 he studied the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Commission and the processing, marketing and promotion of Australian wool in the UK and Europe.

Mr Scott undertook a variety of shadow ministries in opposition and then he rose to be Minister for Veterans’ Affairs from 1996 to 2001. His achievements were great in that area. He created an enormous number of programs that assisted the health of our service veterans and their families. He established one of the most highly successful programs; that is, Their Service—Our Heritage commemorative program, incorporating the Regional War Memorials program. He was also A Deputy Speaker for the House of Representatives between 2002 and 2007.

The member for Maranoa is a passionate, dedicated and committed member of the Nationals. He has certainly served this House in a magnificent capacity since his election in 1990, having experienced, as I said, the benches of opposition, the benches of government, the benches of government ministry, the back benches again and then the Speaker’s panel, where he has served with distinction. The member for Maranoa has always maintained his absolute, ardent support and representation for his region. In his maiden speech he said:

Let us not be fooled into thinking that the heart of Australia can be ignored. Our future—this country’s future—will depend on the development and utilisation of all our land—

and, of course, all our people. I commend to you, Mr Speaker, the nomination of the member for Maranoa, Mr Scott.

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