Mark Coulton (Parkes, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

Today I announced to my party room that I would not be contesting the next election. I have been in this place since 2007. I was elected in the Rudd slide of 2007, and by the time the next election comes around, I will have served for 17 years. It has been a great privilege, and I have a great respect for this parliament. I have seen this parliament at its best. I've seen this parliament at its worst. I am here for another 12 months, so this is not a valedictory, but, clearly, I think it's important that I notify the parliament of my intentions.

I also want to mention the fact that my journey through here has been one of a partnership with my wife. She gave up a very solid career as a much-respected school teacher and she has travelled with me every step of the way. In an electorate the size of Parkes, apart from being in parliament, you spend about 150 nights a year away from home in motels across half of New South Wales.

It has been a great privilege to represent the second-highest percentage of Indigenous people, a community made up of farmers, miners and all the other occupations that go with serving a rural community. It has been an absolute honour and a pleasure, and I look forward to the next 12 months to finish this job.

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