Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've received the return to the writ which I issued on 11 March 2024 for the election of a member to serve for the electoral division of Cook, in the state of New South Wales, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of the Hon. Scott John Morrison. By the endorsement of the writ, it is certified that Simon Peter Kennedy has been elected.

Mr Simon Peter Kennedy made and subscribed the oath of allegiance.

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

I rise to congratulate Simon Kennedy, the member for Cook. It is a great privilege to serve in the House of Representatives. The list of those who want to and have sought to serve in the House of Representatives is very much longer than of those who have the privilege that we share.

The electorate of Cook is a beautiful part of Sydney and now enjoys, with its rather strange boundary decision by the Electoral Commission, two great rivers as well as some extraordinary beaches and a very vibrant and dynamic local community. I congratulate you. I wish you well in serving the people of Cook and I look forward to your contributions in this House.

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

I thank the Prime Minister for his very kind and gracious words to the member for Cook, and I congratulate the member for Cook for his success. It was a hard-fought preselection, as is often the case. I was down there during the course of the by-election. He is a vibrant and passionate member on behalf of a local constituency that has a number of needs, particularly around housing and support for small business. Simon has done an exceptional job in bringing together the local community, and I congratulate him on his success.

Starting out in humble beginnings, he went on to complete a law and commerce degree and worked at McKinsey. He has worked on a number of major projects and been a major contributor to our country, and that work will now continue in this House.

Prime Minister, I did say to my colleagues earlier that if they wanted to feel good about being a Liberal they should go down to Cronulla during the by-election. There was a lot of love at the booth there. There were six people in blue Liberal shirts. There was one Greens lady in a green shirt. She wanted a selfie with me; she said I was doing a good job. I want to thank her very much as well! Fortunately for all of us, no Labor people were in sight—

Honourable Member:

An honourable member interjecting—

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

And I'm sorry for that kiss of death—if you could pass on my apologies.

I wish the member for Cook many productive years in this place. He will spend a lot of time away from his young family, which is a sacrifice that many in this place make, but I wish him every success in his chosen career.