Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

on indulgence—Can I join the Leader of the Opposition and members of the House in congratulating the member for Parramatta for her dedicated service to this place and her dedicated service to her community. She is a hard campaigner—we know that on this side of the House. When she was going through the tireless work that she has done in her community and campaigning on the ground, we've noticed that, and that, I think, is a true expression of her passion for being here and the things that she passionately believes in.

We know that she is an accomplished musician and she studied at the conservatorium as a pianist, much like the musical accomplishment of the member for Moncrieff. We're privileged to have them both in our ranks, and many others, I'm sure. I just do the ukulele. I know the member for Watson has a go at the guitar, but I don't think he goes anywhere near the skills possessed by the member for Parramatta.

We listen to a lot of people in this place, and we get counsel from them as we seek to live our lives through this place. Those of us who came into the parliament in 2007—the member for Maribyrnong will remember; the member for Corio, many members here and the member for Fadden—I remember it was the member for Parramatta who was asked by the Speaker to come and speak to us as new members and give us a few tips about how you can live life here and try and make your contribution most effectively. And I'll never forget what the member for Parramatta said. She said: 'Stay close to the people you knew outside of this place. Invest in your relationships. Make sure you keep calling them and stay connected, because they're the people who will be there long after you go, they were there long before you came, and you must make a conscious effort to maintain that balance in your life.' I want to thank the member for Parramatta for that. It certainly had a big impression on me, and it's certainly been something I've sought to follow. It was wise counsel. She's been a formidable opponent, but, most importantly, she's been a diligent servant of the community and of this House, and I wish her all the very best for her future.

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