Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

I am delighted to also join in congratulating the member for Chisholm and the member for Maranoa on their election. I am sure they will provide very able support to you, Mr Speaker, and help ensure that this parliament runs smoothly and that members have the opportunities they need to bring forward issues and to effectively debate the important policy issues confronting our nation. I guess the numbers in this place virtually ensured the result. There are not too many shocks when these elections are held. Both members have talents and skills that fit them well for the post. Both are experienced representatives. Both have had the opportunity to meet and work with people in their communities over long periods of time. I am sure that that background fits them well for the tasks ahead of them.

I have a particular friendship and association with the member for Maranoa. We are neighbours. We came into parliament together and I have certainly appreciated working with Bruce over that very long period of time. Others have made reference to the size of his electorate. One other little statistic that is of interest is that his electorate stretches from the Northern Territory and South Australian borders to within about 100 kilometres of the coast—maybe even less than that. It comes across the Great Dividing Range and adjoins my electorate in the west. He has had the experience of seeing a great deal of our country.

I also acknowledge particularly his role as veterans’ affairs minister. This is a very difficult portfolio and sometimes there are contentious issues. They are important issues and Bruce was able to undertake those responsibilities with goodwill and with the overwhelming support of the veterans’ community. He met and mixed well with them and I am sure those skills will hold him in good stead in the task ahead.

As the Leader of the Opposition said, Bruce and Joan have been a wonderful team. It is great to welcome Joan to the gallery. They are great hosts. They are people who very much understand the issues of the community. Bruce will be a very important, significant and effective representative of the parliament when called upon to act in that regard.

Congratulations to our two deputy speakers. We commit ourselves to work cooperatively with them to achieve their own objectives in those offices.

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