Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I will keep my comments brief, but I didn't want to let this opportunity pass without acknowledging Linda and the role that she's played in me being here today. Linda, you'll recall that you were the campaign chair when I ran for the seat of Burt, and I learnt a tremendous amount from you in that campaign. But, prior to that, you'll recall, Linda, I didn't win that preselection initially, and I remember getting the phone call from you straight after it. You were, I think, one of the first people that I heard from, and you encouraged me to turn up to the next thing and stick with it. You saw something in me. At the time, I was disappointed, and you were there for me. That preselection was turned over, and I ended up being selected to run for the seat of Burt. I didn't win at the election, but I learnt so much from you through that campaign and have been able to pay what I learnt from you forward to many campaigns that I've been able to be involved in since. I'm very grateful for that.

Everyone tonight has spoken of the courage and the incredible tenacity that you have shown over these past few years, and it's something that we're all grateful for having seen. We wish it wasn't the case that you had to go through that, but we have admired you tremendously over these last few years. I'm thinking about, now, the effort that you're putting into campaigns even now. You could be forgiven, having had a very successful career here, for wanting to, maybe, put your feet up, but you are an absolute champion. The way that you are getting behind all of our candidates across Western Australia in this election campaign is phenomenal, and everyone respects you tremendously for that. The way that you are getting behind all of us is just wonderful.

Linda, I wish you the very best in what comes next. As others have remarked, I really do hope that you see yourself as playing and will play a key role within the party going forward. You talk about the reform I think you will continue and, I hope, will continue to play a really pivotal role for our party, particularly in Western Australia. I also hope that you—and I've got no doubt that you will—play a significant role in service to our nation. I've got no doubt that you'll play a role, possibly even internationally, of service to our nation and, indeed, the world, particularly in the area of modern slavery. I've got this sneaking suspicion that what you've been able to establish here with the Modern Slavery Act won't be the end of the contribution that you've made in that space on this important issue that I got to witness firsthand. I don't know if you recall that I was working at Minderoo at the time that you were developing that; there was some support and assistance provided by the Minderoo Foundation at that time. Your dedication to that, I've got no doubt, will continue.

Linda, thank you. Congratulations on a very successful career, and I look forward to seeing what comes next.