Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

After safari suits and ACDC, my statement is going to be relatively subdued, but it is no less sincere in its sentiments. Everyone in this place knows the importance of having a good team, and everyone in this place knows the importance of great of teamwork. Without the people who work with us, we would not be able to serve our communities, we would not be able to serve the parliament and we would not be able to engage in public policy debates.

I am fortunate to be surrounded by a great team—a team that works hard, that works passionately and that works overtime. They are an extraordinary group of women and men. Thank you to my paid staff—Madeleine Firth, John Hannoush, Alicia Turner, Jill Peterson, Claire Wheaton and Victoria Robertson—for the work they have done this year. I thank the interns and work experience students: Andrew Beveridge, Duc Dao, Dan Hanrahan and Ika Fitriyana. And I want to thank my volunteers and those who have helped me hold mobile offices and community forums and been doorknocking with me throughout the year: Stephy and Karen, Aimee Kable, Hugh McGrath, Tom Lindenmayer, Margaret Watts, Helen De Landre, Llois Cutts, Emily McIntosh, Mitchell Jones, Eric Topp, Karl Maftoum, Julian Anczewski, Jen Newman, Chris Steel, Mark Kulasingham, Shane Carter, Lucky Prasad, Amelia Tyler-Skinner, Susan Marshall, Manuel Redondo, Karan Puri, Sandipan Mitra and Brianna Heseltine.