Hollie Hughes (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This might be my last opportunity to address this chamber. I'm an optimist, generally, so I had hoped to make my valedictory speech after the election, perhaps even from the seat I sat in when I came to this place—on the other side of the chamber. But, just in case I run out of time, I want to take the opportunity tonight to recognise some people who've played such an amazing role over the past six years.

I will start with my staff. Abbey Neeham and Callum Gurney have been with me from day one. We will have spent the whole term together. Abbey, the kindest person in the world, has the most incredible way of dealing with constituents and anyone who needs assistance, across a raft of issues, especially the NDIS and immigration. 'Sorry, Abbey' is folklore in our office, and I hope you keep your cross-stitch forever. When Callum came to me, he, as someone with autism, started with some of the most basic of tasks. He has grown in his role, now managing the mail-out process, amongst other tasks, and I'm so proud that my office has supported, encouraged and nurtured Callum—has walked the walk about hiring people with a disability and growing their skills and future opportunities. Callum is also our karaoke aficionado, and I'm sure he will now have much more time to take those private karaoke bookings.

To Kate Johansen, who is the person who keeps me in order, asks more questions than anyone I know and is just an all-round organisation queen—she's the only person I'm scared of, so there's a little secret for you all; I will never go outside the lines while I have Kate—thank you for everything you have done.

Jonathan Maran, otherwise known as 'my Jonno' due to the high volume of Jonnos in this place, what a rock star you have been. Plucked from Sky, he has done the most incredible job assisting me with policy and is an estimates legend. He will laugh and maybe physically assault me if I actually read this speech, given he writes me speeches on many occasions which I then prefer to freelance on.

Coming to me straight after school, Kira Dickie has become our socials and video go-to girl over the past 18 months. It's been my absolute pleasure to see her blossom from a schoolgirl to someone with a really bright future who we have loved having as part of our team, encouraging her to try new foods, with all of us learning that hard Solo is the drink of this generation. I note her mother, Senator Davey, is sitting behind me. I could go on, but I'll have plenty more to say to them privately as there are a lot of in-house jokes in my office.

I've had some other staff over the years, part time and full time, and a lot of them have gone on to much bigger and better opportunities. To Aerin Gordon, Amy Lehmann, Candice Steffensen, Tom Byrnes, Jock Bell, Harriet Heffernan, Jack Morrish, BJ Yde, Jen Havilah, Karen Howard and Lachlan Deveridge, who have all played such a positive role in my office and who have continued to attend our legendary boat cruise Christmas parties and come back for regular visits or casual jobs: thank you, thank you, thank you. Nothing could have been achieved without all of your hard work and support.

I also want to acknowledge the people who've always been on the end of the phone whenever required. I know this list is not complete, because, if it were to be, I would be here until well after the election was over. But to Bill Heffernan; my former flatmate, Alex Hawke; Nicole Rogerson; Julie Singleton; Marie Simone; Tim Smith; Brian Marlow; Dean Shachar; Milton Dick; and my refresh group, Michael Tiyce, Lee Furlong, Adla Coure and Annie Elias: over the past six years, your love, support and advice has been irreplaceable and highly appreciated.

I do want to cover off a few of the issues that have taken up a huge amount of time and focus in this place for me, but I need to thank my family. It's been a busy six years—a divorce and a wedding, and I have lost both of my parents. The last six years have been filled with challenges and change, but the one constant is my amazing children, my favourite people in the world: Millie, Fred and Rupert. I've often felt that I've watched you grow up from afar over this period, and you have been amazing in your resilience and understanding that mummy's job wasn't like the other mummies' jobs. You are my inspiration each and every day, and that will not change, ever.

To my daughter, who will be 18 before I leave this place: you are a beautiful, smart woman, and I couldn't be more proud of the young woman you're becoming. I know your future will be filled with adventures and success beyond what you can possibly imagine. To my Freddo, you are just the best. In every challenge and every adversity, you give it your all. You will get there, my baby—or my man, as you tell me now. You inspire me to work so hard for you and also for every person with profound autism, whose autism places real hurdles in front of them every day. To my littlest baby, who's almost 15, and much taller than me: this growth spurt, Rupert, I fear has ruled out a career in the front row, but a bright future in the second row beckons. I play politics like you play rugby. You are the kindest soul to have ever lived, who cleans out the rucks and does the work that will see you go wherever you want to go. You all make me laugh and make me proud every day, and I couldn't love you all more. I cannot wait to be with you all so much more post 30 June. I also want to acknowledge their dad, Stewart. Without his love for all of our children, we could never have made this career work.

To my husband, Richard: you came into my life just over three years ago, even though I've known your family for in excess of 35 years. We got married in September 2023, and it was the best decision I've ever made. A fun future with lots of adventures awaits us, and I can't wait. You were a conscript to this life. You've seen the good and the bad. I do love your interpretation of politics, the Liberal Party and so many other things—again, something we will share more privately. When I took on the shadow assistant minister roles of climate change and energy, you were an invaluable source of information. Since I have moved into the NDIS, mental health and suicide prevention, you've been my rock. I love you, honey, and I cannot wait for us to start our new life and to see you in just a couple of days.

For those of you that were here for my maiden speech, you'll have noticed that I actually did manage to have everything still with me, and I didn't have to get Raff to go and send his staff to help me. I'm not even sure most people understand that story, but when I lost most of my maiden speech and noticed it was missing, it was the gorgeous Senator Ciccone, my Raffie, who went to his office and said: 'Her staff are going to be absolutely freaking out. Get yourselves up there to help out.' The only thing I said to Raff that I was cranky about was: 'You should have brought the speech into me yourself, because that would have broken the chamber!' I haven't mentioned any colleagues in this place tonight—I mentioned Milton Dick and Alex Hawke—and there are many others who have been wonderful supports, and many of you are sitting here right now. As I said to Patto today, when we were sitting in question time, a lot of those thankyous will come a little bit later with a lot of wine, so I look forward to seeing you all to do those thankyous properly.

The one thing that I have treasured in this place, in the Senate, and that I hope the people that come after us and that are here understand is the importance of the collegiality we share in this place, the committees we serve on together and the amount of work we do together. That isn't partisan—or it can be; sometimes it is, but sometimes there's an awful lot of work that gets done in the background to make sure policies are implemented without unintended consequences. Without naming names—and I haven't talked about any of the issues I wanted to talk about, so I will have to come back for that valedictory—to all my colleagues across the chamber who I have enjoyed working with on so many committees, thank you so much. If I don't get the chance later, I wish you all the best in the future.