Eric Hutchinson (Lyons, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to wish everybody in this place, all members and senators, including the member for Grayndler, a very happy Christmas. I hope 2015 is a wonderful year for you as well, sir. On behalf myself and my team, I wish a happy Christmas to the hundred thousand people who live within the beautifully diverse electorate of Lyons in my home state of Tasmania. I have had the privilege of being the member now for almost 15 months. Indeed, I have enjoyed every minute of it. I know it is a privilege. I know it is an honour that is bestowed on very few people. Even this morning as I walked into work—I still pinch myself when I see the flag flying above this amazing building. It is, indeed, a privilege.

I have travelled extensively throughout my electorate. It is a large electorate of 33,000 square kilometres. I have held 29 listening posts from Dodges Ferry and Taranna in the south-east, from Bicheno and Swansea on the east coast, from Wilmot and the little town of Lorinna in the north-west and from Magra and Westerway in the south-west. It has been a privilege. One of the highlights I have had is the schools that I have visited, be they the Tasman District School, the Port Sorell Primary School, our Lady of Mercy School from Deloraine, Bothwell District High school or the Meander Primary School.

I am delighted to have hosted many visits to my electorate from senior members of the government. They have included the Prime Minister, the Hon. Tony Abbott; the Minister for Small Business, the Hon. Bruce Billson; the Minister for Human Services, Senator the Hon. Marise Payne; the Minister for the Environment, the Hon. Greg Hunt; the Assistant Minister for Education, the Hon. Sussan Ley; the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, the Hon. Jamie Briggs; and the Assistant Minister for employment, the Hon. Luke Hartsuyker. These visits highlight that the coalition is serious about the importance of the Lyons electorate. I thank each and every minister for their time. It is truly appreciated. I have made countless representations to ministers on behalf of constituents—some with success, some with less so.

Further, I am delighted to have delivered on key coalition election commitments and a number of funding commitments I worked hard on to secure for the electorate of Lyons. These include $60,000 of the Anzac Centenary Local Grants Program that has been delivered and $750,000 to Community Transport Services Tasmania. Recently in aged care, Corumbene in New Norfolk received 11 residential care packages and $1.1 million worth of capital; Tandara Lodge at Sheffield received four residential packages and nearly $1 million of capital; and Toosey at Longford received eight home care packages valued at $130,000. It has been a privilege.

I would like to thank my staff, including Caroline, Alison, Sharna, Bonnie, Lorraine, Monique and Kirsty for all the wonderful work they do. In particular, I thank my family, my beautiful wife Amanda and my two fantastic boys David and John. They will be fine young men when they grow up. Without them, I could not be here and I could not be doing the job I am doing. It is a privilege.