Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the honourable member for Oxley do take the chair of this House as Speaker.

I arrived in this place at the same time as the member for Oxley, in 2016. Our friendship was not hindered by the fact that we come from different states, we come from different parts of the Labor Party and we represent very different constituencies. In fact, our differences have helped. My respect and affection for the member for Oxley is based on what I have come to know of him in those six years. He is a generous soul—an attribute that's very welcome in this place and that will stand him in good stead in that chair. He is thoughtful and reasonable and he listens carefully—all essential Speaker skills. He speaks with care, with warmth and with authority.

What many in this place may not know is his prodigious memory for numbers, particularly political numbers. In fact, he knows percentages in my seat better than I do. Admittedly, they were at times very small numbers to recall. But that will also stand him in good stead if he is elected Speaker of this place.

One thing we have in common is a commitment to educating school students about our democracy—a commitment shared by a previous Speaker, the former member for Casey. What better place to do that from than the Speaker's chair. I know the member for Oxley will bring to the role of Speaker an ability to make the parliament a more welcome and diverse place to visit and experience.

From the start of his time here he has shown a deep interest in the rules of this place. I recall the odd misstep in his early years that saw him ejected from this place, but he learnt from those experiences and has worked tirelessly to improve the tone of this place. Not only has he been a member of the Speaker's panel but, as deputy chair of the Procedure Committee for six years, he, alongside the member for Bonner, has helped to rewrite and recommend changes to the standing orders. Similarly, the member for Oxley has been a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters for all of that time, continuing a deep commitment to maintaining the integrity of democratic institutions, including domestic democratic institutions, which he pursued long before arriving in Canberra.

While he has been well able to engage in vigorous debate in this chamber, I know from my discussions the deep commitment he has to improving the tone, temperament and tenor of this place. I hope that all of us in this House will be willing to join him on the journey he will lead us on as the Speaker of the 33rd Parliament—actually, I think I'm getting my numbers wrong there, Milton—as the 33rd Speaker of the parliament. You can see why I need him for the numbers.

Respect is never just given. It's earned, and I already see the respect with which the member for Oxley's contributions from the floor have been received. I have no doubt that he will earn this House's respect in his role as Speaker. So it is with great honour that I've nominated the member for Oxley, Milton Dick, to be the Speaker of the parliament.

The Clerk: Is the motion seconded?

Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is my privilege to second the nomination of my good friend the member for Oxley for the role of Speaker. I have known the member for Oxley for almost 25 years. Yes, we were members of Young Labor. Back then I was loud, ranting and protesting, as the Left usually does, and the member for Oxley was calm, considered and focused. Some may ask, 'What's changed?' The member for Oxley is still calm, considered and focused on solutions.

The member for Oxley has the skills and the attributes required for the role of Speaker. He is committed to listening to different colleagues for the best possible outcome—no doubt something that he learnt from his late parents: his father, Allan, who served in the Navy in World War II and then owned a small business, and his mum, Joan, a caring nurse and midwife who taught their three children service for others. Members of his family are gathered here today in the gallery: five strong women—sister and cousins; cousins who are more like sisters—and I am told that he is the glue that keeps everyone connected. Everyone in this place who knows the member for Oxley knows this to be true. If you've worked with him on a committee or a delegation you would know that he's inclusive and reaches out across the party spectrum to find common ground, or to just catch up for a cup of coffee.

The member for Oxley has the experience for the role of Speaker. Before his time in this place, he was a Brisbane City Councillor—do not hold that against him—for eight years before becoming the member for Oxley, which he has proudly served for six. He has served on the Speaker's panel and various committees with distinction and with a work ethic that he will bring to the role of Speaker. The member for Oxley embodies what it means to be a member of the House of Representatives. He is a grassroots, hardworking local MP. He is a trade unionist. When he is in his electorate, you will find him at a mobile office, a workplace or at a local community, faith or multicultural event.

The Oxley electorate is a diverse community, with around 50,000 people born overseas. Anyone who follows his socials knows how important multiculturalism is to him and he is not afraid to don the culturally appropriate clothing for any occasion, if asked. During the Queensland floods and the recovery he was there for his community, assisting on the ground with the recovery effort and clean-up. It is hard to find a Facebook post of the member for Oxley where he is not covered from head to toe in mud.

The member for Oxley is an organiser, appointed to the very important role of secretary of the 'Wazza' Thursday night dinner. Colleagues, I can assure you his ability to coordinate, accommodate and manage the many who attended that dinner puts the member for Oxley in good stead for this role. He was not afraid to sit anyone down who spoke for too long at these dinners or eject anyone who was being unparliamentary. He will be a great Speaker in the traditions of this place. The member for Oxley will serve the parliament in a manner that we and the Australian people will all be proud of. I proudly second the motion.

Bob Katter (Kennedy, Katter's Australian Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Speaking out in favour of Milton Dick: obviously, I came out of Queensland politics, where we ruled happily for 30 or 40 years until we were knocked off, and he was one of the people responsible for it. So it is a bit of a turnaround that I'm supporting him here today. Bill Hayden said, and the previous speakers made comment about this, 'If you want a future in politics, look forward to 10,000 fates worse than death.' He ran the ALP in Queensland—a lot of people would disagree with that, and probably Milton would disagree with that—and, I think, played a major part in them holding on to office for most of the time since we had an enlightened government in 1990, after the government fell in 1990. The only bigger part played in that, of course, was the incompetence of the LNP, but I don't want to bring up politics.

But I would like to mention that, like all of the old families in Queensland, of which my family is one, all the people that go way back will come from Gympie or mostly from Charters Towers, because we are a gold rush country. Our population came here during the gold rushes, and they were the two great gold rush cities, outside of Ballarat and Bendigo, of course. But I would like to comment upon this, if the House would give me permission, because it is a story that so many other families here would share. His great-great-grandmother, a widow, arrived in Charters Towers around 1880. That's a bit of one-upmanship—I think he's being a bit sneaky, there—because my mob arrived in 1881 from Scotland, looking for gold, with five children and my great-grandfather Joseph Allen, who married Miss Georgina Gough. My best mate is a Gough from Charters Towers. In those towns, it always remains the same. The Allens attended Richmond Hill State School. My great-grandmother's family, the Goughs, built the Excelsior Hotel and the theatre in Charters Towers, and they're still standing there today.

The businesspeople in Charters Towers, namely the Goughs—my family—they backed and threw all of their weight behind the fledgling labour movement. Cynics would say, 'Well, the more money in the worker's pocket, the more money in my shop,' but I don't think that's a fair comment. I pay tribute to the history of his family as a great Australian family, who not only contributed to business but also did what needed to be done when over 100 people died in two mining accidents in the electorate I represent. Seventy-two died at Mount Mulligan and 23 in Charters Towers. For businesspeople to stand up for those people was a wonderful thing, and Milton has carried on that tradition.

I end on this note: it was announced that Mount Isa was going to close the fertiliser plant, and this nation would lose about $6 billion a year in income. It was an official announcement. It was closing. The two people responsible for it not closing—and I am not going to go into the details of it—were Milton Dick and Tony McGrady. McGrady is a great enemy of mine, and I'm a great enemy of his. I approached those two people and they did the job, and that $6 billion a year was rescued for our nation, and 2,000 jobs in Townsville and 2,000 jobs in Mount Isa were rescued as well. I pay him a very fine tribute, and I want to put that on public record. Very few people in this place will ever achieve what those two gentlemen achieved in that historic battle. The price of copper has gone up 300 per cent; we're out of trouble now.

I take very great pleasure in supporting Milton for this position.

The Clerk: Does the member for Oxley accept the nomination?

Milton Dick (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I accept the nomination.

The Clerk: Is there any further proposal?

Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the honourable member for Fisher do take the chair of this house as speaker.

It is an absolute privilege to speak in favour of my fellow Queenslander and friend the member for Fisher. The member for Fisher was originally from Victoria. He was born in Melbourne, but like many, he made the right decision to move to Queensland, where he and Leonie have raised their daughters. He worked tirelessly with the community to make sure that they were very well supported. Having visited his electorate many times, I've seen firsthand how very well regarded he is by a broad cross-section of the community. I've been delighted to be able to work with him to secure additional funding from the proceeds of crime for the Daniel Morcombe Foundation on the Sunshine Coast. He's been a big supporter and an advocate for Bruce and Denise Morcombe. They continue to work diligently to ensure children in Australia are safer.

The member for Fisher is an incredible example of a broadly experienced parliamentarian. He was a carpenter and a joiner-builder before becoming a barrister, and, of course, he is a husband and a father. He did all of that prior to becoming the elected representative for Fisher. He is exactly the sort of person who makes our parliament richer with the experience he brings to it. In his maiden speech, the member for Fisher made reference to the kind of society that he believes in, and which I'm sure members of all political persuasions would relate to and agree with, when he stated:

It is testament to our Australian egalitarian way of life that a once-carpenter and the son of a motor mechanic and fabric importer can come to serve the community in this place. In Australia, there are no class structures; there are no hereditary entitlements to sit in this place; there are business people, farmers, bankers, tradesmen, unionists and labourers, among many others, who are privileged to take their seats in this chamber.

I would urge the new members of parliament, particularly those new Independent members on the crossbench, to consider his experience as a previous Speaker of the House. This is, in a sense, the very first test of your independence. You don't have to vote for the government; you can make your own decision. You can consider the candidates on their merits. Having done the job admirably, the member for Fisher is clearly—clearly—the best-qualified candidate. Having done the job, he's very well placed to deliver the kind of impartial guidance that the House needs going forward. Consider, also, his years of service across multiple parliamentary committees, including as Chair of the House Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities; Chair of the House Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs; Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services; and Chair of the Defence Subcommittee of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.

Finally, in nominating the member for Fisher in November last year, my colleague the member for Berowra made a number of observations, including that the member for Fisher is very much his own person and that he is a deep thinker and a true parliamentarian. I agree. He is a thoroughly decent individual and exactly the sort of person who epitomises the qualities of a true, respectful and observant Speaker in the traditional mould. He served the last parliament with grace and fairness. If we are to make this 47th Parliament more productive and collegiate, surely we should be electing the best person for the job in this vital role.

It is with great pleasure that I nominate the member for Fisher to take the chair of this House as Speaker.

The Clerk : Is the motion seconded?

Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm honoured and delighted today to second the nomination for the speakership for the member for Fisher, to continue to serve in this House in the role of Speaker. Following the retirement from the Speaker's chair by the member for Casey in November last year, the member for Fisher served as the Speaker for the remainder of the 46th Parliament with dignity and respect.

The working relationship between the parliamentary office holders and the Speaker is quite unique in this place. As Chief Government Whip throughout the 46th Parliament, I had the privilege of working closely with the member for Fisher during his time as Speaker. In order to ensure the smooth running of any given sitting day, communication and working with the Speaker's office are paramount, and we always enjoyed a very close working relationship. I know the work that the member for Fisher put into the role was second to none, and I can attest to his incredible knowledge and passion for our nation's parliamentary processes. This was demonstrated time and again during his decision-making process while in the chair, and I've always found his decisions to be clear, concise and rational.

When he took on the role of Speaker, the member for Fisher was conscious of the need for the chair to be an independent and fair voice within the chamber. I believe that he went above and beyond the expectations placed on him and that the member for Fisher should be very proud of the job that he did in the 46th Parliament. The member executed his responsibilities fairly and constructively, acting with tremendous reverence for the traditions and processes of our parliamentary system. Through thinking through the problems rationally and calmly as they arose, the member for Fisher was fastidious in his approach to the role, utilising his extensive knowledge gained through two years of service on the Speaker's panel prior to his election as Speaker. His time on the panel allowed the member for Fisher to develop a comprehensive knowledge of the standing orders, which he demonstrated time and again as Speaker. A person of the highest calibre, the member for Fisher conducted himself in a manner befitting the office through a continued period of disruption brought on by the pandemic. And taking up this mantle from the member for Casey was no easy task, as we all readily acknowledge.

The ability of our parliament to operate irrespective of the conditions faced by the nation was continually challenged, with our presiding officers responsible for implementing the measures which would allow this to happen in an appropriate manner. The member for Fisher was up to the challenge and performed admirably, serving the parliament with distinction. With the presiding officers once again being called upon to manage the operation of parliament through a period of strain and uncertainty, I can think of no better person to entrust in this pivotal role for our democracy than the member for Fisher.

For many people who know the member for Fisher, these attributes will come as no surprise. Prior to taking on the role of Speaker, the member gained the necessary experience and qualifications by successfully undertaking roles in various committees right across this parliament. As a fellow Queenslander, I can firsthand attest to the manner in which the member for Fisher takes care of his electorate and advocates for his local communities in this place. The people of Fisher have a tremendous advocate in their local member, and I hope this place can continue to benefit from his judgement as chair.

The 47th Parliament will come together during a pivotal time for our country. The challenges are many, both foreign and domestic. It is imperative that the Speaker who oversees the business of the House during this time takes on the role with impartiality, embodying the rich tradition of the office and this place. I know the member will continue to serve the parliament and people of Australia well and judiciously and conscientiously, as he did throughout the 46th term. He's a man of great conviction, and I am proud to call him a friend and colleague. As the member for Moncrieff so eloquently put it in endorsing the member for Fisher's initial nomination during the last parliament, he is simply a great bloke. It's with immense pleasure that I second this nomination of the member for Fisher to the office of chair.

The Clerk: Does the honourable member for Fisher accept the nomination?

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do.

The Clerk: Is there any further proposal? There being no further proposal, the time for proposals has expired. The bells will be rung, and, in accordance with standing order 11, a ballot taken.

The bells having been rung and a ballot having been taken—

The Clerk: The result of the ballot is: Mr Dick, 92 votes; Mr Wallace, 56 votes. Mr Dick is declared elected as Speaker.

Milton Dick (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to express my grateful thanks for the high honour the House has been pleased to confer upon me.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, congratulations. The fact that you have received such an overwhelming majority is a credit to your standing in this place. It's a credit to your standing professionally. But it's also a credit to who you are, your integrity as a human being.

I was very pleased when I heard that you were interested in running for the position of Speaker, because I believe that this House needs to be treated with respect. This is a debating chamber by definition, and it's one in which we should have open, free and frank discussion but do it in a courteous way wherever possible. It's one in which ideas are exchanged in the interests of the people who send us here, and we should always remember that. You are someone who has always conducted yourself with extraordinary propriety and conducted yourself in a way in which you engage with people across the chamber, across our caucus, across benches. I note the very fine words by the member for Kennedy in support of your nomination. It shows, I think, with the result of the ballot as well, that you've been able to already show even some new members that you will be someone who brings great dignity to the office.

To the former Speaker: I thank you for your speakership. It was very difficult following on from the former member for Casey, who's in the chamber here today, who I believe was an absolutely outstanding Speaker and conducted himself with incredible dignity in what was often a very difficult time, particularly during the pandemic as well, where the rules in terms of the way that this parliament conducts itself were set aside on a bipartisan basis just so that we could continue to function as a liberal democracy, which is so important.

To you, Mr Speaker: I'm absolutely convinced that you will be outstanding as well. There's no doubt that you're someone who's honest. You're someone who has been a friend of mine for some period of time now, and you're someone, as well, who has been a wise counsel to me as Leader of the Opposition in my former position. I thank you for the support that you gave me to hold that high office and have that great honour of leading the Australian Labor Party and, throughout what was a difficult last term, provide counsel as part of the group of people who would engage across the caucus and be a bit of a sounding board for people.

One of the things I've noticed about you is that people will come to you for assistance and guidance, and that's something that a Speaker needs to do. The office needs to be open for any member of parliament. I forget how many new members there are here—thirty—

Milton Dick (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Five.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thirty-five new members here. Thank you, Mr Speaker—already showing your capacity! For me, 76 was the only number I was focused on, and we got 77, and I thank the member for Gilmore for that.

But, going forward, new members in particular—I encourage them. When I got here, being a dork of parliamentary and political processes, I actually read the standing orders before I got here and read House of Representatives Practice. The rule book does matter in terms of getting things done. It's not just a matter of being pedantic. I know that from time to time there have even been criticisms passed in this place that people are too concerned about parliamentary processes. That's how rules are made. That's how—

An honourable member: A minority opinion.

Indeed. That is how laws are made in this country, and it is important that this parliament operate in a way that brings pride to people.

In many countries of the world, people stand in front of tanks to try to get the right to vote. In Ukraine at the moment the people of Ukraine are standing up against an autocratic regime which is engaged in a brutal and illegal invasion. They are standing up for democracy in Ukraine. We in this parliament should be very proud that we had an election on 21 May, we had the swearing in of a new government at 9 am on the Monday morning and I was able to represent Australia at the Quad leaders meeting, with the foreign minister. It brings credit to our system as a whole that you can have a seamless, orderly transition of power in a democratic country. That's important. It's important, though, that we respect the fact that we didn't elect just one party; we elected a range of people to this House and to the Senate. Those views need to be able to be heard in a way which produces better outcomes, and your role, Mr Speaker, is to ensure that that happens in an orderly way.

I congratulate you very much, Mr Speaker. I look forward to working with you and I look forward to your rulings and deliberations being absolutely fair and correct, as I'm sure they will be. It's a great honour to be Speaker of the House of Representatives. Well done.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on behalf of the opposition I extend to you very sincere congratulations. Of course, it wasn't difficult—you are a fellow Broncos supporter and, as a Queenslander, it is great to see you in the chair. I want to pay tribute to the member for Fisher for his time in the chair. He was following in the footsteps of a giant in this place, the member for Casey, who I acknowledge in the chamber here today. The member for Fisher was able to conduct himself in an equally honourable manner. Like the Prime Minister and many others, he is a person who holds the traditions of this chamber close to their heart, and he was able to exercise his rulings and his practice in this chamber on that basis.

Mr Speaker, there are many people who know you well, and I am very pleased to have seen you in action in your own electorate in the recent Queensland floods, where I visited as the then Minister for Defence with some of the troops who were helping on the ground. It was obvious from the empathy that you demonstrated towards your constituents, the respect with which they responded to you and the engagement when we went into the community centre that, on the ground, you had a great deal of kudos. That is a great credit to you, and I know that you will bring those qualities into this job also.

It is an incredibly important role that you take up as the 32nd Speaker this 47th Parliament. I pay tribute to your predecessors but, as I say, the standard now has been set by the member for Casey, and we expect big things of you. The first Labor Speaker, Charles McDonald, was chosen in this House of Representatives. Bob, you weren't here then. I know you interject like you were. It was touch-and-go but in 1910 you were not here! Speaker McDonald said:

I intend to act with absolute fairness to all parties, and trust that I shall perform the duties appertaining to my office, and recognise the responsibilities attached to it, in a way which will do credit to the Chamber, to the Parliament, and to Australia.

I know that you will follow in that spirit as you take this high office. On behalf of the coalition I extend to you congratulations and every success in this role.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, congratulations. I've known you since we met in Young Labor in our early 20s in the early 1990s, and it's a great honour for you to now be in this role.

I want to thank the member for Fisher. People often don't know that, in the lead-up to parliament sitting before we've elected a Speaker, the previous Speaker continues to hold the office. A lot of arrangements and a lot of work has gone into today being organised. As the presiding officer, the member for Fisher has been responsible for that, and on behalf of the government I want to express thanks for the way that that was done.

I also want to thank the former member for Casey, who put you on the Speaker's panel. It was possibly a difficult thing to put you on the Speaker's panel, and I should confess to the parliament that that was my fault. There are photographs circulating on social media of you turning up to the chamber with toy Muppet dolls. You were thrown out of parliament for that, and it was entirely my idea that you do that. You were chosen on the basis that, at that point, you were the only member of the caucus who had not yet been thrown out. So, while it was disorder, it was disorder on the basis that you, to that point, for an opposition member, had been too respectful of the system.

I want to wish you well. You've done a great job on the Speaker's panel, but, importantly, this job doesn't end when the parliament adjourns. A lot will be required to be done—particularly with respect to the Set the standard report from Kate Jenkins—in terms of here as a workplace, where the role of the presiding officers is going to be critical. One of your great skills, which has caused you to be supported by so many members here today, is that you are someone who brings people together. You are someone who reaches out to people. When people have had their toughest days, it's often a phone call from you that comes. I think that augurs well for the role—not simply in presiding over the debate but in managing this building as a workplace. I wish you well.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Congratulations, Mr Speaker. I join with the Prime Minister, the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition in extending congratulations to you. On behalf of the opposition—the Liberal and National parties—we warmly congratulate you. We acknowledge your experience and your aptitude for the role. You've been in the parliament since 2016, you've served on the Speaker's panel, and I know from my discussions with you that you have a clear understanding of the importance of the role and the significance of the responsibilities that you now hold.

As other speakers have done, I want to acknowledge former Speakers Smith and Wallace, who set a very high bar. While we're acknowledging people, I'd also like to acknowledge the member for McEwen, who served the last parliament as Second Deputy Speaker.

Mr Speaker, this is a very important position that you've been elected to, and I know you are very cognisant of the need to deal with all members of this chamber with fairness and impartiality, following the high standards set by previous Speakers. The opposition looks to you confidently to uphold these values and the responsibility that comes with the position to engage with all members—government, opposition and crossbench—and work with them constructively and professionally. Our commitment to you is that we will work with you professionally and respectfully. Of course, we'll always put our position clearly and make our case strongly, but we will always respect the fundamental importance of the role of the Speaker. Your role is vital to this institution, this embodiment of our democracy: the Parliament of Australia. Ultimately, as the Prime Minister and others have mentioned, community confidence in our system of government depends very heavily on what happens in this place and very much on the way that the Speaker operates.

The opposition warmly congratulate you and wish you the very best as you discharge your heavy responsibilities. We pledge to work with you in that objective—as with others in this House—of maintaining community confidence in our system of government.

Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Greens, I extend my congratulations to you on your election to this critical role and join in thanking the former Speakers for their service.

It's customary for Speakers, when they enter the chamber and take their role, to nod to the right and nod to the left. But perhaps in this parliament, more than any other so far, there's also going to be a case for looking down the middle. We've just come from an election where, roughly speaking, a third of the country voted for the government, a third voted for the opposition and a third voted for other voices. You see that represented, in part, here on the crossbench. In part, that was a reflection of a desire of people, probably across the political spectrum, not only for a higher standard of debate in this place but also for the capacity and the ability to debate issues that previously hadn't been put on the agenda. I trust that they're also matters that are important to the whole parliament as we go forward.

On behalf of the Greens, again, congratulations. We wish you well. You have our support in this role.

Milton Dick (Oxley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Greens. I seek the indulgence of the House to respond to the gracious remarks made by the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and other members of the House.

I start by thanking the House for the enormous privilege in taking this office. Today I become the 32nd Speaker of the House, following my friend the member for Fisher and also former Speaker Tony Smith, who is in the building today. It is a day that they know I'll never forget.

Speakers are supposed to be dragged to the chair due to fear. It's a tradition I understand—I'm feeling quite a bit of fear right now—but when you are dragged to the chair by people of the calibre of the members for Macquarie and Bendigo, two of the strongest women I have met in my life, fear is the last thing I think of when I think of them. The member for Macquarie is a woman of warmth, strength, resilience and integrity, and particularly today she has shown strength in nominating me. The member for Bendigo is a warrior—fiercely loyal, always protesting and always standing up for what she believes in. I don't just thank them for nominating me today with their words; I thank them for their friendship, kindness and belief in me.

I have many friends in this place, literally all over the chamber. Some might say too many on the Left; some might say too many on the Right. I want to recognise people like the member for Bonner, who is an old family friend, and the members for Capricornia and Wright. Alongside my old mates the Treasurer, the Minister for Aged Care and the member for Blair, with the Leader of the Opposition, it's a Queensland unity ticket—well, at least for three nights of the year when the Origin is on. Sorry, PM!

To the Prime Minister: thank you for your friendship and support. The Prime Minister has never wavered in his belief in this house and its power to make the lives of ordinary Australians better. These are the values that I know every member of the House will strive to uphold. This morning I learned something that we share in common: our late mums both believed in good manners.

To the Leader of the Opposition and to the Manager of Opposition Business: I congratulate you on your new roles. You have my respect and I know you will give it your best. I wish you well.

To the Deputy Prime Minister: through good and bad you've stood there, always encouraging me. I value your counsel and friendship.

And to the Leader of the House: I met you around 30 years ago—that's correct. I always knew you would be a leader in this place, though I never thought I'd be sitting in this place, let alone in this high office. Your encouragement and belief in me to enter this House in 2016 is something I will cherish and never forget, but don't expect an easy ride.

To the member for Kennedy: I appreciate your very kind words and your acknowledgement of our hometown connection. I look forward—I think!—to your robust contributions to this House.

But, at a time like today, it is a time for reflection. In reflecting on my own life and my own family, I reflect on my great-grandparents. They came with nothing but their faith and their belief in their children succeeding if they got a fair go. They came out from Scotland in the 1860s. Some of the descendants of my great-grandfather Joseph Park Allen are in the chamber today. They are my sister and some of my cousins—all strong, fearless women. In his memoir, JP Allen talks about leaving Scotland to come to Australia. He says, 'Needless to say, we were all very excited having at last made a start for this wonderful country we had heard so much about.' When he arrived in Queensland he reflected on his experience, saying, 'I've often wondered since how we withstood such a severe test—two lads, just 10 and 12, just fresh from a cold climate, dumped into the hottest part of a North Queensland summer, travelling through the mountain ranges and dense scrub from Port Douglas to Charters Towers.' They often say they breed them tough in Queensland, and that's my background.

Unfortunately, my brother cannot be here today as his obligations are with another house—more specifically the Queensland budget estimates process, which he is loving at the moment! I am enormously proud of him but even prouder of my sister, Susan, in the gallery—a teacher for over 34 years and someone who passionately believes in the transformational nature of education. That's my story, and we all have a story about why we're here and what we want to achieve.

But this chamber should be a place of ideas and energy, and I want to allow debate to flow and the very best ideas to be exchanged in a respectful manner. It's probably fair to say every Speaker has said these words in some way or another over the years, but the difference is the people of Australia have sent a very clear message on how they expect politics to be conducted. They want something different. I am keen to work with every member to see that change, but I need every member to commit to that change to make it work.

I also want to improve on civics education and awareness in this country. Every school across the country should be able to participate in a schools and parliament program, and I want to help make sure that this parliament is more inclusive and open to Australians of all walks of life.

Of course, one of the most pressing matters before this parliament is making sure that this place and building is a safe workplace and every person who works here feels safe and is safe. In the last parliament we saw the Jenkins review highlight the ways that this building has failed to keep its occupants safe. However, it also presented a road map to ensure that we protect the people that we are responsible for. I take my responsibilities as a Presiding Officer in implementing the recommendations of this report very seriously. I look forward to working with the Senate President, the incoming Deputy Speaker and all members to address this and other matters.

I want to welcome the 35 new members of this House. As you know, you are one of only about 1,200 people ever to have been elected. One bit of advice: cherish every moment; make every day count. To the crossbench: I am looking forward to working with you. No member of this House is simply red, blue, green or a mixture of blue and green. Some of you belong to parties; some of you are Independent. But to me, as Speaker, you are all members of the House of Representatives, elected by your constituents to represent their interests. My message to every member in this place is simple: my door is open. I have indicated I will be stepping away and not attending ALP caucus meetings, an important step that befits my role and the importance of impartiality in this chair.

In conclusion, I briefly thank the many people who assisted me to become Speaker. To the utterly professional staff in the department, including clerks and table officers: I thank you and look forward to working with you. To my many friends and family who can't be here and to my wonderful electorate staff, who have been such a support for me for many years: I thank you for your service to me and to the people of Oxley. To my dearest and oldest friends, the ministers for communication and social services: you've literally been by my side my whole life, and I can't wait to give you a hard time!

Honourable members, we are privileged to be elected to this chamber. I resolve to do everything I can to fairly uphold the standing orders. I want to make sure your voice is heard loudly, clearly and, at all times, fairly—with respect being shown through you to the people who have elected you without fear or favour. I thank the House.