Andrew Southcott (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Twenty years ago yesterday I, along with 50 other members, was elected as part of the class of '96. On this side of the House there was a bumper crop of 39 Liberal and National Party MPs, some returning but most of them new. Last night was an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the Howard government—eliminating debt, introducing gun control laws, supporting East Timor as an independent nation and introducing a new tax system. It was a time when tax cuts were a regular part of budget night. I am proud to have played a supporting role in what was a very good Australian government by any measure.

For me, it was also a time to reflect on the changes that have happened over the last two decades both in politics generally and in my local electorate. Campaigns 20 years ago were quite different—no Twitter, no Facebook, no websites and no emails. The fax machines in the campaign office would whir away with updates from campaign headquarters. In my electorate there was no aquatic centre or cancer centre. The Flinders campus at Tonsley was instead the Mitsubishi car plant, with 5½ thousand workers. My current constituents in Aberfoyle Park were represented by Alexander Downer.

I would like to thank the voters of Boothby, my campaign teams, the Liberal Party FEC and my family, without whose support I could never have represented my local community in federal parliament for the last 20 years.