Matt Keogh (Burt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

On Monday I was proud to host, alongside my Western Australian colleague the member for O'Connor, our first showcase WA event, celebrating the diversity of Western Australia's contribution to our nation, and boy was it a success. Parliamentary colleagues had to band together to brace against the crowd as they surged towards our world-famous beer, wine and spirits. Getting part of the luscious Exmouth prawn pyramid was reminiscent of the recent leadership spill: it was every man for himself!

Political opponents cast down their weapons for one evening and, instead, shared anecdotes about WA's gorgeous coastline, superb fresh produce and amazing tourism. The opposition leader even conceded defeat in the AFL Grand Final—begrudgingly!—and congratulated the West Coast Eagles. And what a great win that was.

The food and produce spearheaded by the enchanting Anna Gare was delicious, the beer from Little Creatures was superb, and the gin and whisky from Old Young's and Limeburners was relatively dangerous. The support we had from Perth Airport was fantastic, with Woodside Petroleum, CME and Rio Tinto showcasing their wares and proving that this country's resources sector continues to thrive in WA and is leading the world in research and innovation.

Thank you everyone involved for ensuring that this event will become a staple of the parliamentary calendar for years to come. And it will be made all the easier now that the government has come onboard to ensure a fair share of GST for WA.

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