Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I take this opportunity to thank my local community for returning me to the parliament as the member for Lalor—a very personal thankyou to the electorate of Lalor, who, with me, celebrate that I don't just return for the fourth time in this House but I return on this side of the House and that they were involved in delivering a Labor government. I know what a Labor government means to the people of my electorate. If I needed another reminder, an election campaign certainly reminded me. My community worked tirelessly to send me back to Canberra. They worked tirelessly to deliver a Labor government.

I want to thank Henry Barlow, a long-time servant of the Labor Party on a volunteer basis, who worked tirelessly on my campaign. He led a team that reflected our multicultural community. Leaders across our multicultural, multifaith community assisted in my campaign because they know how important a Labor government is for a community like ours, a community that is in a growth corridor, a community where needs are new every day, where the growth means that, as soon as one thing is delivered, another need arises. They know that a Labor government and I would be here to deliver for them.

I also want to thank my partner, John, and my sons, Michael, Anthony and James, for their support in what has been a trying time. They were fabulous, and I love them dearly.