Ted O'Brien (Fairfax, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to talk about love. Love: it's not a topic we frequently talk about in this place—and I'm not thinking about the deep affection that those opposite feel towards me and my colleagues, but rather the love that has been tested through COVID-19. What's inspired me to talk about love today is knowing that, next Thursday, there's a fellow from the Sunny Coast who'll be catching up with a lady from Germany face-to-face for the first time after 15 months apart.

COVID-19 has tested everybody and I think we need to acknowledge: as much as those stories of reunions might inspire us, there are people who have not been with loved ones, and there are people who have lost loved ones, because they have not been able to be with them due to COVID-19. There are people who still, today, are apart, and they are the ones who continue to make a sacrifice, on our behalf as a country. Love, of course, conquers all, and, on COVID-19, as much as we've dealt with some serious issues of business and government, can we also pay tribute to those whose love has been tested and for whom this has been a very trying time.

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