Zoe McKenzie (Flinders, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It has been a remarkable first year as the member for Flinders. It was, without a doubt, the privilege of a lifetime to be elected to this place by the people of Flinders, and I want to thank them for placing their trust in me once more. I'm excited to work with my community for the betterment of our electorate and, after Canberra, COP and COVID in the last three weeks, I cannot wait to get home and get some sand between my toes.

I would like to thank my predecessor, the honourable Greg Hunt, for his unwavering support, advice and remarkable example to all of us in this place. I thank and recognise former state members in my area: former member for Mornington, David Morris; former member for Hastings, Neale Burgess; and, indeed, outgoing state member for Nepean, Chris Brayne. I understand Chris's long-serving staff member, Josh Sinclair, has this morning been announced as the CEO of the Committee for Mornington Peninsula, a committee on whose board I served until a year ago. I congratulate Josh and look forward to working with him in his new capacity. I thank the Victorian Liberal candidates for Mornington, Hastings and Nepean, Chris Crewther, Briony Hutton and Sam Groth. There are no better friends on what has been a long campaign trail of a year's duration. I thank former mayor and deputy of the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, Anthony Marsh and Lisa Dixon, and congratulate heartily the incoming mayor and deputy, Steve Holland and Debra Mar. My thanks to CEO John Baker. He has a big job, and never more so than in a double-whammy federal and state election year.

To our outstanding volunteers in our sports clubs, landcare groups, community houses and many other community organisations: thank you for your tireless work, which beats the drum to the heartbeat of our community. My special thanks to Jeremy Maxwell and Ben Smith for the guidance they have provided to me this year.

To our remarkable first responders, police, fire, SES and ambulance, who work every day and night to keep us safe: it has been a big year for you and may well be again over this summer.

To our nurses and aged-care staff, who've worked and continue to work tirelessly through the pandemic and beyond: we owe you a debt of gratitude, and I hope this year you get some rest.

I want to acknowledge our first responders, aged-care workers, nurses and hospital staff who continue to work through our Christmas period, often the busiest period of the year, for forgoing their precious family time.

To my new parliamentary colleagues: it has been a pleasure to get to know you and work with you in this place. In particular, I thank my friends the members for Menzies and Casey in Victoria. You chaps keep me sane. I am so grateful you are here. I thank my awesome private office team, Matthew Head, Melissa Ritter, Julia Doyle, Marshall Grande, Katie Wilkie and, until last Friday, Mathew Langdon.

I thank my dear family, Rodrigo, Estela, Rafael and Gabriel, for loving me and supporting me despite the grand adventure I have set us all on this year.

Finally, to my constituents, the good folk of Flinders: thank you for sharing your experiences, needs, wants, fears and vision for our community, like local schoolchildren Taj, Ava and Lucy, whose speeches I read earlier this week. You fill me each day with pride and passion for this job.

I wish you all the best for a new year and look forward to working with you next year. Have a merry Christmas and a safe new year.

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