Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

Order! Without wishing to overly delay the House, I join with others in congratulating the members for Fisher and Maranoa. I congratulate the member for Fisher on his election to the position of Deputy Speaker.

Today my mother, Wendy, witnessed the revelation of a private conversation between myself and the member for Fisher. Comments made from time to time about the family tradition of my family say that my mother was very much a guiding light in the way in which my development within the Australian Labor Party occurred. She was a member of the Victorian central executive in 1970, which was dismissed by federal intervention, that enabled the rebuilding federally of the Australian Labor Party that led to the election of the Whitlam government. So the fact that she would use the advantage she had sitting behind the member for Fisher to ensure that he was dobbed in is not surprising. I look forward to working with him in the opportunities that are presented to us in this new parliament.

To the member for Maranoa, congratulations on your re-election. It was a pleasure in the last parliament to work with you. As others have said, you have applied your mind to the issues of parliamentary reform and I think that you look forward to the opportunities that do exist.

I join with the member from Maranoa in making comments about the member for Chisholm. I could not have had a more loyal and hardworking deputy in the 42nd parliament. It is a regret that the circumstances we find ourselves in means that there are decisions made that are, from time to time, not in the interests of the individual. I know that the member for Chisholm will continue to make a very great contribution to this House throughout the 43rd parliament, and I wish her all the best and thank her sincerely for her support.

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