Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

Firstly, can I take the opportunity to wish you and all the parliamentary team a wonderful Christmas, a restful Christmas and a very happy New Year. Can I also express my deep appreciation to my colleagues for all that they have done this year. I know it is hard and in many ways I have been there before.

A government member: You were right up here!

In fact I was right up there. That is where I started in '96, when Peter Costello delivered that budget. But I want to say to you: thank you so much for your support. I deeply appreciate it, and what I appreciate most is that you share with me and the rest of the government the desire to make Australia a better place, and that is a deep desire.

I do want to take the opportunity to wish the member for McMahon a very good Christmas and a happy New Year. He, like me, has young children. He has a very tolerant wife—I am sure Bec is very tolerant—and I certainly wish Grace and Max all the best from Santa Claus. It is a discrete moment that I will never share, but each year I do dress up as Santa Claus for my children.

An honourable member interjecting—

That is right. And I do not know that I can get down the chimney, but I give it a reasonable shot. Can I also take the opportunity to thank my staff, who have done an outstanding job during the year, led by Grant Lovett, who has done a great job. We have chaired the G20 this year with the same number of staff and are trying to have the year of reform and deliver what we have had to deliver this year, and at the same time lead the world in the economic debate. It has been incredibly challenging. It has been a blessing in a sense that most of the G7—all of the G7—are in the Northern Hemisphere. That means that we make calls and do our work for the G20 in the middle of the night, and during the day we do the work that Australians expect domestically.

Finally, I want to take the opportunity to thank my wife and children for what they have been through this year.

A government member: Hear, hear! He has married well.

I did. I am the patron of the 'men who punch above their weight club', which is saying something in my case! They have put up with a hell of a lot in so many different areas. I suspect other treasurers have been in the very same place, but it has been very difficult for them, and I am so grateful for their forbearance.

To the people of Australia, the most important reason why we are all here: I do not doubt the goodwill of the Labor Party, the Independents, the Greens or anyone else. I know deep in our hearts we have a desire to see Australia a better place, to see our nation more prosperous and we are all going to work in that direction. I really hope that in 2015 Australia is an even better nation than the best dreams of the best Australians. I have absolute confidence that Australia's future is better right now than at any time during my lifetime, and that everyone will continue to work as hard as they possibly can to make sure that dream comes through. Thank you very much.

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