Margaret May (McPherson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

As individuals in this place, we are not able to carry the burden of office without the commitment, help and assistance of our staff. As a former staffer myself, I know just how much we rely on these very important people. They are often the first contact with constituents. They are our eyes and ears. They work long hours and often put the office before their own families. I have been extremely blessed over the years to have the most loyal staff, who have worked hard in the electorate office and here in Canberra. They have supported me above and beyond what I could ever have expected. We have faced many challenges together over the years. We have shared some wonderful highs and lows. We have laughed and even cried on occasions. We have celebrated birthdays and milestones, but above all we have respected each other and supported each other, particularly during the long periods away from home.

To my current staff, Karen Embrey, Krystyna Homik, Sandra Tomlinson and Amanda Belton, who are all in the gallery today, ‘thanks’ does not seem enough or indeed appropriate for the years of service, support and loyalty you have given me. You made the job so much easier and I hope our paths will cross as we embark on our different journeys in the future. To each of you, most sincerely and from the bottom of my heart: thank you. I would also like to mention a couple of other staff members who worked with me when I was shadow minister for ageing. To Amelia Walsh and Damian Marwood, who have now moved on to new lives—Amelia in Chicago and Damian in Sydney—thank you both for your individual contributions over a number of years. To Ann Phillips, our wonderful volunteer who comes in every week and has done so for many years: the girls and I will be forever grateful for your contribution to our office. Thank you. And to a number of my past employees, Carol Johnson, who is in the gallery today, Gwen Olsen, Johllene Elson, Sandra McCulloch and Annette Poppett: you all set the bar very high during your time with me and I thank each of you for your contribution to the office and your continuing friendship. There have been so many wonderful people and such a mixture of personalities and age, from baby boomers to gen Ys. I have learned so much from each of them.

During my time as the federal member, I believe my achievements were many and varied. There were some large projects that made front-page stories and there were some great outcomes for my communities, but just as rewarding was delivering, for constituents, outcomes that went under the radar but which made such an impact on individuals and their lives. As someone who believes very strongly in serving my community and that delivering on projects was my job, I am, however, going to put on the record today one of the great outcomes that came about in the electorate because of people power.

I was the voice in Canberra, but my voice was heard because of the voices of many—the people of Tugun. We needed a road—a bypass in fact—that would alleviate the noise, the long traffic delays, the pollution and the thundering of trucks day and night through the streets of Tugun. The fight for this bypass had gone on for many years. The project involved two local government authorities, two state governments and, of course, the federal government. The planning had to be designed around an international airport, people’s homes and the environment. We had a fight on our hands about the route. The Queensland state government wanted the eastern route, which was going to mean the resumption of people’s homes. It was a very sad day when this route was announced, but the people of Adina Avenue and Tugun were not going to have a bar of it. The fight was on, not just a fight for the funding to build the bypass but a fight to save people’s homes and move the route west of the airport.

We had rally after rally—good old-fashioned politicking—at the local community hall and out in the streets. We picketed the state government member’s office in Tweed, complete with megaphone. I think Larry Anthony and I were nearly hoarse, but I loved it. I got to know those people in Adina Avenue so well. They loved their homes. They loved living next to the airport. We could have made our own movie. The Castle had nothing on us. We had real people—people with hopes and dreams that were being dashed by a government and a government bureaucracy who thought they knew better. Well, they did not and the people won. The route was moved and the homes were saved. The Tugun bypass was built—a magnificent stretch of road just 7.5 kms long—and it has made such a difference to the local Tugun community. But I guess the moral of the story is that people can have a say and make a difference. As the local member, I became the people’s voice in Canberra. Even in the dark days when we did not think we would win the fight, no-one gave up. This shows, I believe, the power of people who are living in a democracy to turn the tide, to make the bureaucrats listen and to make governments listen to people’s needs.

As I said before, most of the work we do as members of parliament falls under the radar, but I think some of the most rewarding work we do is helping an individual or a group of people in our electorates to find a positive outcome to a difficult issue. Sometimes we are challenged as individuals to stand up and speak out on a principle or for a belief that is yet to be adopted by one’s party as policy. Unwittingly, I did just that on Friday, 16 May 2008 when I endeavoured to launch a petition in support of the age pensioners of Australia. It was the end of budget week. The pensioners did not get a pension rise. They were hurting. Rising living costs meant that older Australians were finding it difficult to make ends meet. I was angry—angry that we were turning our backs on the most vulnerable in our community. I did the worst radio interview of my political life and I had no shortage of shadow ministers and advisers who let me know just that, but the issue made news and it continued to make news. Our pensioners started to mobilise. They took their clothes off on a street in Melbourne—not a pretty sight, Mr Speaker, but a very powerful message. I collected thousands of signatures on a petition. Seniors groups around the country kept up the pressure. My own party introduced legislation in the Senate in September 2008 for an increase in the pension but the bill was defeated in the House of Representatives. However, the debate over a pension increase continued through to budget 2009 and the pensioners finally received their increase in the 2009 budget. I like to think that my press release, my terrible radio interview and my continued outspokenness made an impact and kept the issue alive for nearly 12 months. Life for me was not easy during this time, but I survived and my pensioners were the winners.

Some of the most valuable work we do in this House is through our committee system. In my view, it is often undervalued. It is not given the recognition it deserves but there would not be a person in this place who has not benefited from the committee system. During my time in this House, I have been a member of a number of committees, which has enabled me to make a difference through policy and, indeed, in the administration of the House. In my first term, I was appointed chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration. During this period, I remember visiting the Kosovar people to whom we had given safe haven while civil war raged in their own country. That was a wonderful humanitarian program that we can be proud of.

At a later date, I was appointed chairman of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Procedure—a challenging position but one that brought about some real changes to this place. We changed the sitting hours. I remember when I first came to this place that parliament sat till 11 pm and it often sat through the night—horrendous hours that made a huge impact on people’s lives and their health. The change of sitting hours was made without sacrificing any time for debate. The latest we finish now is 10 pm and we do not often sit through the night. What a relief that is to all of us.

We rewrote the standing orders—the rules that govern this place. It was a mammoth task. Our brief was to modernise and recategorise the standing orders to make them user-friendly. Each and every standing order was assessed, debated and, in many cases, rewritten. This job took the best part of 12 months but finally we finished the rewrite and our work was adopted by the 2004 parliament. Those standing orders are relevant today. The committee also recommended a petitions committee be introduced into this place to allow Australians a voice and a more accountable pathway to bring to the House’s attention the issues of the day through their local member. I am delighted that the current government adopted that recommendation after the last election and a good friend, the member for Fowler, is the first chairman of that committee. We had a recommendation adopted to protect members’ time for three-minute speeches in the Main Committee if a division were called. These are small changes but they have made an impact and improved the workings of this place.

My committee tabled 20 reports over the six years I was chairman, including a history of the committee to celebrate the committee’s 20th anniversary. The reports, recommendations and subsequent changes to the practices in this place would not have happened during my period as chairman without the support of my two deputies—the member for Chifley, Mr Roger Price, who I am delighted is in the House today and who is now Chief Government Whip; and the member for Banks, Mr Daryl Melham. who is also in this place. To you both I say thankyou for your support and friendship during my period as chairman. We can be proud of what we achieved on a bipartisan level through that committee for the benefit of all in this place. I would also like to say a special thankyou to Judy Middlebrook, Bernard Wright, David Elder, Robyn McClelland, Joanne Towner and Ian Harris for all their valuable advice to the committee. Without their knowledge and support, our work on the committee would not have progressed to where it is today. Of course, there is more to be done. My own disappointment is that we do not really debate in this House. We do have an intervention rule in the Main Committee but it is not used very often. The public see the very rowdy question time each day and more televised committee hearings but, sadly, I do not think we give the public the opportunity to see real debate. Maybe that will come at a later date.

Another committee that I really enjoyed was the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing, of which I was a member while I was shadow minister for ageing. One inquiry and subsequent report that made some very important recommendations was on obesity. We all know in this House how much obesity is impacting on our society. There is the desperate need for education and even the teaching of the basic life skill of cooking. As a devotee of MasterChef and someone who loves to cook, I am very supportive of the kitchen garden idea that Stephanie Alexander developed and implemented first in a Melbourne primary school—a school that we visited and where we shared a meal that was grown, cooked and served by the kids. It was a wonderful experience for the committee and a powerful initiative that I would personally like to see adopted right around the country. I believe practical ideas like this one will go a long way to ensuring a new generation of great cooks but also a new generation of Australians who will understand the benefits of eating properly. I think we in this House could also set a better example to all Australians about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Our former Prime Minister certainly had us all hooked on walking. But we do need to do more in this place, even down to the meals that are served, particularly at lunchtime. There is nothing wrong with a great sandwich or a salad instead of half a beast on a plate, swimming in sauce and nothing green in sight!

I joined the Liberal Party 20 years ago, a move I have never regretted as I strongly believe in the values and beliefs of the modern Liberal Party that Sir Robert Menzies formed in 1944. I have always believed very strongly in the individual. I have always believed in reward for effort. And I firmly believe that education and the pursuit of one’s goals and dreams will unlock a wonderful world of adventure, success and fulfilment.

However, there are those in the world who do not have access to education and who just struggle to survive—and without access to education they are trapped in a world of poverty. The key to unlocking that world of poverty is education. I would like to encourage all my colleagues on both sides of the House to support the Millennium Development Goals, to ensure that successive governments in this country continue to increase our foreign aid budget so that men, women and children across the globe have access to the basic necessities of life—food, shelter and clean water—and access to education.

In concluding my remarks today I want to express my love and thanks to the special people in my life, the people who have supported me with unconditional love during my years here in the parliament. To my sisters, Heather and Anne: you are simply the best. I couldn’t want two more wonderful people as sisters who have shared my life’s journey. Both are in the gallery today, along with my brother-in-law, John Stephens. To each of you: thank you for being there during the highs and lows, with wise words of advice to boost my confidence when I was facing challenges. I love you all so much.

To my children and their partners: my daughter Dimity and her husband, Raymond; my son, Dayne, and his wife, Nadine; and my youngest daughter, Kristin, who is also in the gallery today, and her partner, Pete. I love you all and am so proud of what each of you have achieved in your chosen careers, the wonderful individuals you have become and the joy and happiness you bring to my life. And, of course, the beautiful grandchildren you have given your father and me: Jaiden, Emily, Angus, Abby and Sam, and No. 6—another boy—due in August to Dimity and Raymond. These little people just light up my life.

To my mum, Rae Kerr. Mum was there for my first campaign and she has continued to support and encourage me during my parliamentary career. Her wisdom, her belief in me, her advice and her unconditional love certainly gave me the strength and confidence to follow my dream and sit in this place. Simply, Mum, I say thank you for being my mum.

And, lastly, to my husband, David—the person who has been at home with the welcome mat after long days on the road, weeks in Canberra and commitments in my electorate. David has never faltered in his support for me. He is my best friend and the love of my life. Thank you for just being there and keeping me sane, the family together and our marriage strong and happy with lots of love and laughter.

Mr Speaker, I do feel a tinge of sadness in leaving this place, leaving friends from both sides of the political divide. I have given the job 100 per cent. I leave with my integrity intact, my beliefs in the Liberal Party still strong, and I look forward to a new life with my family and long-suffering friends at home on the Gold Coast. Thank you.

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