Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are in now the adjournment debate. It is always a pleasure to follow the honourable member for Blair. The House, along with the member for Blair, would be happy to know that today in this place we have had none other than the South-East Queensland Council of Mayors. They have been here in the nation's capital all day. There are seven of them. I would like to formally welcome each and every one of them to Canberra.

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk from the Brisbane City Council does an exceptional job of chairing the group. The Deputy Mayor of the City of Gold Coast, Donna Gates, is representing Tom Tate, the mayor. Tom is no stranger to Canberra, and neither is Donna. They are both welcome here whenever they arrive. Luke Smith was down only a couple of weeks ago and is here again in his capacity as Mayor of the Logan City Council. Welcome, Luke. I know you are doing an exceptional job for your community, Logan City. Greg Christensen, Mayor of the Scenic Rim Regional Council, is also here. Greg and I recently made some announcements of federal government funding in my electorate, and he is doing an exceptional job representing the diverse views of the good people of the Scenic Rim. Mayor Paul Antonio, of the Toowoomba Regional Council, is probably one of the longest-serving mayors in the group. Paul, congratulations to you for the way that you represent the good people of Toowoomba, and welcome to our nation's capital. The Deputy Mayor of Ipswich City Council, Paul Tully, is here representing Paul Pisasale. Councillor Tully has an innate ability to forecast elections. Before you look at TAB or Sportsbet to work out who is going to win the next election, if you know Councillor Tully, get on the phone or follow his website. He will put some good money on where the next election is going to go.

Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You'd better worry, Scotty!

Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I hear the boisterous member for Blair interjecting on the other side. For the sake of Hansard, he is saying complimentary things of Councillor Tully, which is quite rare because the good member for Blair very rarely says anything complimentary of anyone! From the Moreton Bay Regional Council, there is Mayor Allan Sutherland. Welcome, Allan. It is always wonderful to see you down here. I also welcome the Mayor of the Redland City Council, Karen Williams. Karen, you are looking more gorgeous every time I see you!

An opposition member interjecting—

Actually, I was offered some compliments today, out of the room. There is also Jamo from the Sunshine Coast—Mayor of the Sunshine Coast Council, Mark Jamieson. Welcome, Mark. Mark and I had business relationships many years ago; I think it would have been in the late 1990s. It is good to see the way that you are conducting local government business on the North Coast.

Unfortunately, my local mayor from the Lockyer Valley, Tanya Milligan, was unable to make the trip, but she is no stranger to Canberra. She is a regular attendee here as part of the Lockyer Valley junior council chamber. She brings a group of young, energised and enthusiastic members of the Lockyer Valley community here and introduces them to democracy and how the parliament works. She is doing an exceptional job in advocating and developing tomorrow's leaders in that community.

We had the opportunity to catch up with them briefly today. They have left in Canberra a document about a smart, sustainable and safe South-East Queensland collaborative future. It is their 2017 federal advocacy document. To the constituents represented by these mayors: if you are listening to this broadcast or if you read this Hansard at some stage in the future, know that, irrespective of your political leanings or persuasion, this collaborative group of mayors representing South-East Queensland do an exceptional job in building relationships. They build relationships not only with their local communities but with their state members. As local governments, they know how much money comes out of the federal government into their coffers and how competitive that tendering process is. I offer my heartfelt congratulations for the way that this group goes about tactfully, democratically and effectively advocating for their regions. Queensland is a better place for the existence of the South-East Queensland Council of Mayors. (Time expired)