Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

As we draw to the end of this parliamentary year, we all look to those who continue to suffer hardship, including those affected by bushfire, drought and indeed floods across this sunburnt country.

Not that long ago when the Prime Minister was speaking, we had 14 members of the Tullamore Central School visiting Parliament House. I put to them: what would you like Santa Claus to bring you for Christmas? Each and every one of them said rain. Think of that—kids hopeful of a present under the Christmas tree, and you ask them: 'What do you want for Christmas?' Each and every one of them, straight back at me, said: 'Rain.' That's significant. That's powerful.

We are with them, as we are with everybody who is suffering from drought, who is suffering from bushfires, who is suffering generally. The government, and indeed the opposition and the parliament, are with those people whether they're homeless, whether they've lost their home through a fire or whether they've lost everything through no fault of their own—we're with them. We know that drought conditions may well worsen through the summer, especially in the west of New South Wales and through the Darling Downs in Queensland.

As bushfires also continue to rage throughout your country, spare a thought for the first responders, the volunteers—today being of course volunteer day. Many of them will give up their Christmas and do it free of charge. They won't ask for any recompense. They'll do it. They'll be there to save their neighbours. Sometimes they do it when their own house is in a fire-affected area. No words can truly convey our gratitude.

I say again: if you are in the path of fire, if you are at risk of ember attack, please listen to the authorities, follow their advice, respect their directions. We can always replace buildings. We can always replace belongings and homes. We cannot restore life, and we want everybody to be safe as this fire season continues.

A special thank you—I know the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader have also paid tribute—to our serving Australian Defence Force personnel here and abroad, and also, of course, our veterans. Speaking of the ADF, as the member for Grayndler has said, the service is about to be joined by popular press gallery photographer Kym Smith. We wish her well. We thank her for her 16 years. I'm not sure I thank her for the picture on the front page of The Australian yesterday—but, anyway, thank you for a job well done. Excellent work.

An honourable member: She was doing her job.

She was doing her job. I know, as a journalist, that's what you want—you want those images to capture the moment, and she has certainly always done that. The parliament's loss and the press gallery's loss is the ADF's gain. Thank you, Kym.

Christmas is a time for giving, and there can be no greater gift than supporting regional Australians, who can do little but wait for drought conditions to ease. I urge and encourage all Australians to back them in by supporting farmers through buying Australian food and fibre—put it on your Christmas luncheon menu on your table—and by supporting small businesses by visiting regional areas over the holidays. Consider a visit to Quilpie dinosaur museum or consider going to the member for Calare's electorate. They're in drought, and there are some great places in regional Australia to visit. Whilst they're doing it tough, many of those tourist destinations are open for business and they want to see your support. And buy regional. I encourage everyone to buy at least one Christmas gift from a regional business this year. The investment and the encouragement means a great deal. You just cannot imagine the great deal it means to the community you will be supporting. Consider the many initiatives to support regional businesses, such as Go Country for Christmas, established by colleague Hollie Hughes, which provides a directory of regional businesses and gift ideas. Go on the website; it's a great concept.

If you're near beaches or waterways cooling off in the great Aussie summer, make sure you slip, slop and slap, obviously, but don't drink and swim. Stay between the flags and watch out for others. Whether you're cooling off in the ocean or whether it's a dam, lake, lagoon, pool, river, creek or whatever the case might be, they can be very dangerous places, particularly in country areas; rivers and creeks change. Always check before you dive in. I say it every time we have a citizenship ceremony and we have new Australians; I always implore them in Wagga Wagga to check the conditions of the Murrumbidgee River. It's like any other river—it mightn't be as large as some of the other rivers in this great nation, but those underwater logs and submersible objects can and do claim lives. Please take care and caution.

As many of us set out on the road this holiday, I implore everyone behind the wheel to drive safely. If the driver's not driving safely and you're a passenger, tell them, 'Please, don't speed.' Drive to conditions and don't touch your mobile—it's just madness. Make alternative arrangements if you're drinking alcohol, and wear your seatbelt. They're pretty simple things, but they can save a life. Our emergency services personnel have already seen enough trauma this year. Don't be a danger to yourself or others on the road. Think about your family gathered around the Christmas table without you there, if you need a reminder of what's at stake.

This year, we established the Office of Road Safety. It's working to improve leadership and coordination across governments to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the nation's roads. I know this is a bipartisan thing. There's more work to do in this space next year, but we are, as a parliament, making good progress. Beyond important safety reminders, please take care over the Christmas season. Stay safe, relax and recharge, and enjoy the company of your family and friends. They mean the most to you.

On a quick indulgence, I want to thank the outstanding public service across the department, including the new secretary, Simon Atkinson, and Dr Stephen Kennedy, the outgoing secretary—the infrastructure department's loss is Treasury's gain—for their dedication, advice and support to my office and me, and their fine service to the Australian community. I wish them every success as we roll out our infrastructure blueprint for this nation.

I also want to thank my diligent staff in my ministerial office and my electorate offices in Wagga Wagga and Parkes, who always put people first, as they should. A special shout-out to my conscientious chief of staff, Damian Callachor, and my very organised diary manager, Amy Ladner. Amy needs to be organised. It's a big, big country and I get around all of it, and she organises and arranges my trips very well.

Thank you to my family: my wife of 33 years, Catherine, and my children, Georgina, Alexander and Nicholas and their partners, for their support and guidance this year.

I want to thank and pay special tribute to the leadership Scott Morrison has shown to this country, and to his wife, Jenny, and children, Abbey and Lily. I want to say well done. You have been a great example this year and a true friend and certainly somebody who's going to be one of the great modern-day prime ministers. I want to also thank my deputy leader, Bridget McKenzie, for the job that she's doing as Australia's first female agriculture minister. I thank all my Liberal and Nationals colleagues for their support. I want to pay tribute to the opposition as well, and to the crossbench. To the opposition, to Anthony Albanese and to his deputy, Richard Marles: enjoy a happy Christmas. And I wish Anthony Albanese a long, long time as opposition leader!

An opposition member interjecting—

Even Joel Fitzgibbon—I wish he was here! He's a good bloke. We get on very well. I wish a happy Christmas to everybody in this chamber and in the other place, and to all who work to assist us in our parliamentary duties: our staff, our staff in the parliament: the catering teams, special constables, parliamentary clerks, cleaners—particularly Ana Jancevska and Luzia Borges, who clean my office. They're great ladies, always there with a smile, they never ever fail to say hello and they're always upbeat—no matter what state the offices might be left in! Thank you to both of them. I know the cleaners do a fantastic job, as do the many others who help keep this place running smoothly and efficiently.

I would also like to particularly thank our constituents for their support and trust and wish them a happy and holy Christmas. Remember the reason for the season. And let's look forward to an even better, brighter, and wetter 2020.

As a final note, I know the Labor Party are going to party tonight. As I understand it—if I have read The Australian correctly and it's true; that great column by the wonderful Alice Workman—they've got somebody from GANGgajang singing. Of course, that band has a special place in the National Party, too, because the song 'Sounds Of Then (This is Australia)' was written on the back porch—the patio—of none other than the late, great Paul Neville in Bundaberg. So it's got a special place in the heart of the National Party. It's going to have a special place in the heart of the Labor Party tonight, and I know all the Libs love GANGgajang as well. It truly is a great song, and truly has some great messages: 'This is Australia.'

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