Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Acting Deputy President Fawcett, I acknowledge that you were at the same event I was at last Friday night, when the members of the South Australian Liberal Party state council selected the four candidates that will be represented on our ticket at the next federal election. The two women and two men on our ticket, in addition to their respective careers spanning agriculture, small business, resources, communications, law, economics, military and health, just to name a few, understand what's important to everyday South Australians. They are a diverse team that was greatly advanced by the selection of my very good friend Indigenous woman Kerrynne Liddle—

Senator Farrell interjecting—

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Farrell, you will not interject.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

who is here, and is third on the party ticket; as well as Dr Rachel Swift, a Rhodes scholar who has worked in West Africa with the UN to combat the deadly Ebola disease. Alongside sitting senators Simon Birmingham, our very leader in this place, and Andrew McLachlan, who's in the chamber tonight—a graduate of the South Australian parliament, where he was president of the legislative council for a number of years, before he graduated to become a member of this august body, the Senate—Kerrynne and Rachel give us an amazing diversity, youth and experience, balanced against what must be the most extraordinary depth of life experience that they all are able to bring to this place.

Kerrynne, as a proud Arrernte woman, has seen firsthand the disadvantage in our remote communities and is comfortable with calling out paternalism and the hypocrisy that promotes low expectations. She still has the red dirt from country Australia underneath her fingernails and has a track record of delivering outcomes. She can break a brumby, she can mules a sheep, she can scrub up to present the evening news on Channel 7 or the ABC and she can negotiate multimillion dollar deals behind land agreements.

The Liberal Party is a party of equal opportunity, and our Senate candidates harness the diverse experiences and business backgrounds that make that possible. We believe in the encouragement of the facilitation of wealth so that all may enjoy the highest possible standards of living, health, education and social justice. Each and every one of our candidates wants the next generation to be better placed to succeed in their lives than in their own. Our party is comprised of Australians from all walks and at all stages of life. Fighting for South Australia requires individuals who are prepared to stand up to our bigger state cousins and prepared to stand up for the investment our state needs, sometimes against a national trend.

A diversity of experience, an insight into both the public and the private sectors and a backgrounded knowledge and business acumen are critical to the role of senators.

Senator Farrell interjecting—

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, standing order 197—don't interject.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With real-world experience, the South Australia Senate ticket is a strong team who will advance South Australia's interests at the next federal election. They share a vision for South Australia, one where we can attract more investment to ensure that the jobs stay in our state, both in Adelaide and across all of our regions, to help keep our children working and living in South Australia.

It is absolutely critical we put the right team in place to ensure strong representation for South Australia in Canberra and to campaign effectively for the re-election of a Morrison-McCormack government, which is so essential to ensure the stability of Australia's economy, going forward. I look forward to working with Simon Birmingham, with Andrew McLachlan, with Kerrynne, with Rachael Swift, with David Fawcett and with Alex Antic to make sure that we do re-elect a Morrison-McCormack government because we know that Australia relies on us to deliver the right government to make sure that our society and our economy go forward in leaps and bounds, and we will work tirelessly to make sure that we secure the greatest number of Liberals to represent our state.

In closing, I'd also like to acknowledge two outstanding young women who were preselected on the weekend to take up, hopefully, their seats in the state parliament at the next election in South Australia. Ashton Hurn, who was preselected in the seat of Schubert and who has worked for me, I am very proud to say, is the most outstanding a young woman and will make an incredible contribution to South Australia.

Senator Farrell interjecting—

She is an extraordinary young lady. Senator Farrell opposite, with his interjections, would do well to watch her progress because, I can assure you, you will see Ashton Hurn become a great, great South Australian politician. She will make sure she supports the continuation of a Liberal government in South Australia to make sure your team don't get their hands on the treasury benches and cause the kind of devastation they did last time they had control. The other person preselected on the weekend was Amy Williams, for the seat of Mawson. Amy comes from the country, she has a great dairy-farming background and she is no stranger to agri-politics.

Between those two wonderful young women and the great team that Steven Marshall has already formed around him, and others who will hopefully be preselected over the coming weeks to fill the team vacancies in South Australia, we will be able to deliver the great diversity that Australia and South Australia need to make sure that we continue to govern this country for the best outcomes for all of the citizens of Australia and South Australia. I'm very proud to be here tonight to tell you about the amazing people that the South Australian Liberal Party is putting in our parliaments both here in Canberra and in South Australia—

Senator Farrell interjecting—

to make sure that we have the kind of diversity that the other side continually lack.

David Fawcett (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ruston, I just remind you to address senators in this place by their correct title. And, Senator Farrell, I do remind you have been breaching standing order 203 by consistently and wilfully not complying with standard order 197.

Senate adjourned at 22:28