Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to thank my colleague, the member for Flinders, for allowing me to stand up. The year 2008 has been an historic year for our nation. This year we have seen starkly what we have created with our increasingly interconnected world. The global financial crisis started in the United States but had an immediate impact on markets around the world. I have spoken twice on this matter in parliament this year and still maintain that we need to act in genuine bipartisanship. Beijing’s successful hosting of the Olympic Games in August symbolised the rise in the prominence of the Asian giant. The world order is changing.

This year has been significant for me as my first year in parliament. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members on my side of the House for the support that they have given me during the year and also the members on the other side who have put forward their hand in friendship, helped me, spoken to me and encouraged me along the way. My staff in the East Victoria Park electorate office have worked exceptionally hard. I would like to also thank my head office manager, Karen McGrath, for the excellent work that she has done for me during the year. My constituents have been particularly affected by the housing affordability crisis this year, and we have often used Centrelink and people from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship to help them as well, so I thank the people in those two areas.

During my maiden speech, I spoke about how important family is, and I would also like to mention my son Jarrad, who lives with me. I am a single father, and he has understood the time we have spent apart during this year and the reason I have to travel. I would like to thank him for his patience and say that I do miss him while I am away. I would also like to mention that my niece Rosie Massey is in the House today. She has been up here for work experience for the week and has been of tremendous assistance to me. It is great to have a family member here. I did not spend time with her when she was growing up, but it is great to see she has turned into a lovely young lady and she has been of assistance this week, so I hope to see more of her in the future.

I would also like to thank the Liberal Party—Chris Ellison particularly, who retired this week. During the campaign he was of much assistance to me, guiding me in certain ways that helped me win the seat, and I congratulate him and wish him all the best in the future.

Brett Raguse (Forde, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is the end of my first year in parliament and it is a very important week for all of us in the class of 2007—and I know that my colleague the member for Swan is one of the class of 2007. There were 42 new members elected to the House in 2007 and, if you consider those elected to the Senate as well, it was quite a large intake. It has been a huge honour for me to represent the people of Forde. Looking back on what has been a very fast moving year, the achievements we have made as a government and the work that we have collectively done as new and existing members on both sides of the House, it has been a good year for the parliament on both sides of the House.

I would like to thank the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and the Speaker’s panel for all their work and support and the mentoring we have had in learning about the processes of parliament. I thank the clerks and the clerk assistants for their work as well. I have been learning about and trying to understand the internal machinations of parliament and how this place works, with the support of everyone involved.

The Prime Minister recently visited my electorate. He is one of a number of ministers we have recently had through the electorate. I would like to thank him for his support for members of parliament generally and for visiting my electorate and Beenleigh High School. It was a commitment he made early in the year and he has certainly taken that on board. It was great to see him in my electorate.

Our Treasurer, Wayne Swan, has spent time in my electorate and continues to have a commitment to the region I represent. Minister Albanese, Minister Burke, Minister Plibersek, Minister Ferguson, Minister Elliot and Attorney-General McClelland have all visited the electorate of Forde. I put up a challenge early in the year that they should come and have a look at the beautiful region of Forde. One of the clerks here today would know that I talk a lot about Duck Creek Road. It is good for people to come and experience the enjoyment of the electorate of Forde and get to understand the complexities of the electorate I represent. I thank Parliamentary Secretaries Kelly and Shorten, who have also visited the electorate, and there are five other ministers who have made a commitment to come and have a look and learn a bit about the electorate of Forde. I look forward to continuing that involvement and I look forward to their support.

I would like to thank the members of my staff. Members of parliament rely very heavily on their staff. They put in a huge number of hours and they are just as excited as members are about getting the work done. I have immensely appreciated the involvement of my staff over the last 12 months. I would like to mention the people involved: Maarten Sherrington, who leads the team in my office; Stuart Fenech; Annette Curry; Jason Whitlock; and Colin Foot and Jim Dennis, regular helpers who come and help out in my office. I appreciate the work that everyone collectively has done.

I would like to mention the committee work that we have all been involved in and those who have been on some of the international tours we do as part of our parliamentary duty. I would like to thank the Parliamentary Education Office and, in particular, Roberta Molson, who was a delegation secretary just recently on a trip which Deputy Speaker Kelvin Thomson was also involved in. The work that these people do to support us as members of parliament is very important.

I would like to pay special tribute to my friends and family. We do not do this alone, and our staff are certainly a big part of it. I would like to thank my four children—Aaron, Matthew, Hannah and Emma. They have been a great support, certainly during the election campaign, when all families get involved. My sons are in their 20s and my daughters are teenagers. It has been quite a time for them, but they have worked well to keep us all together as a family. I would like to make particular mention of Marlene, my partner, for her love and support. It is an amazing feat for our partners to be there for us and weather the storm during the time we are away, and I greatly appreciate it.