Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I second the motion of the member for Banks in nominating the member for Fisher for the position of Deputy Speaker. Peter Slipper joined this House originally in 1984 and was here for but a short time, on that occasion as a member of the National Party. He rejoined the House in 1993 and has served diligently on that side of the House with his Liberal colleagues ever since. He has been a member of the Speaker’s panel since 2008 and served on parliamentary committees, particularly the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the House of Representatives Legal and Constitutional Affairs and Family and Community Affairs committees.

Before coming to this place, Peter had a practice as a barrister and solicitor in various jurisdictions and also made a career as a farmer and a business person. Since I came to this place in a by-election in 2005, Peter Slipper has befriended me and assisted me in what I still regard as the very steep learning curve that members go through here. It is not just members on one side of the House that contribute to that learning experience—all colleagues play a role in that. I thank the member for Fisher for his assistance in my journey. As I say, I have pleasure in seconding the nomination of the member for Banks.

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