Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have the honour to inform the House that the Nationals have elected me as their leader and Senator the Hon. Nigel Scullion as deputy leader. The honourable member for Riverina has been reappointed as the Nationals Chief Whip, and the member for Hinkler is the Nationals Whip.

I just take a moment to acknowledge at this time the retirement of the National Party whips’ clerk, Gerrie Van Dam, who has held the position for more than 30 years. Her position has not been included in the new list. I have written to the Prime Minister, asking that we be able to appoint somebody else as a whip’s clerk. We all know that our whips play an important role in managing the business of the parliament. Gerrie has been a friendly smile around this place for over 30 years and has, I think, been known to most people. Her term of service to the parliament concluded at the election.