Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—Mr Deputy Speaker Scott, congratulations on your election to your high office. My experience is that most members of this honourable place are elected for the right reasons, not the wrong reasons. While I might not agree with the philosophy of this government, my belief is that members of the parties of the government and the opposition are usually elected because they seek to make Australia a better place and they want to ensure that, as a nation, we are able to achieve our full potential.

Those of us who are candidates are ultimately elected or not elected and we represent our constituencies, but I think we are often remiss in giving thanks to those people who are our support base—those people who vote for us, those people who work for us and those people who toil for us in our parliamentary offices, often suffering abuse and putting up with a lot of nonsense from people in the community. I would certainly like to thank my wife, Inge; she has been a tremendous support to me. I would also like to thank my electorate staff—Michelle Ellis, Richard Bruinsma, Tim Knapp, Alaina Megson and Bill Van Motman—for the way in which they are able to field inquiries from constituents in the electorate of Fisher and for the manner in which they make representations to government departments and ministers and how they are able to achieve so many positive outcomes.

In our society, we tend to criticise and find fault with people but rarely do we give credit where credit is due, and this is undoubtedly one of the aspects of being Australian which is not necessarily one of the nicest parts of our national psyche. We find fault but do not give praise when warranted, and I just want to take this opportunity in the Australian parliament today to give thanks to my electorate staff, because they on so many occasions have been able to make a difference to the lives of many people I am privileged to represent on the Sunshine Coast.

Many honourable members right around the chamber would also have really good electorate staff and they on occasion might pay tribute to them as well. I am singularly fortunate to represent the very best part of Australia, the Sunshine Coast, in the Australian parliament and I am particularly privileged to have very good electorate staff. My party organisation is effective and is behind me and my community has been incredibly supportive in the period that I have been privileged to be the member for Fisher. We have a lot to be thankful for as Australians and our democratic system, which enables members of parliament and their staff to assist members of the community, is a really positive way of helping people who contribute to making our country the wonderful place that it is.