Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Greens, I extend my congratulations to you on your election to this critical role and join in thanking the former Speakers for their service.

It's customary for Speakers, when they enter the chamber and take their role, to nod to the right and nod to the left. But perhaps in this parliament, more than any other so far, there's also going to be a case for looking down the middle. We've just come from an election where, roughly speaking, a third of the country voted for the government, a third voted for the opposition and a third voted for other voices. You see that represented, in part, here on the crossbench. In part, that was a reflection of a desire of people, probably across the political spectrum, not only for a higher standard of debate in this place but also for the capacity and the ability to debate issues that previously hadn't been put on the agenda. I trust that they're also matters that are important to the whole parliament as we go forward.

On behalf of the Greens, again, congratulations. We wish you well. You have our support in this role.

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