Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I give the call to the member for Parkes, I remind the House that this is the honourable member's first speech. I ask the House to extend to him all of the usual courtesies.

Jamie Chaffey (Parkes, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Agriculture) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I stand here today as the member for Parkes, ready to serve. I am here to serve the people of this vast electorate across regional New South Wales, whether they live in the silver city of Broken Hill, under the searching eye of the skies of Coonabarabran or in amongst the black opals of Lightning Ridge. I am here to serve them whether they are young families or people who have lived for decades in the remote part of New South Wales and worked the land all their life.

I learnt, while I was still very young, the great difference that service with courage, patience and loyalty can make to a life. My parents divorced when my two sisters and I were very young. After some time, my mother began a new relationship with my now stepfather. Taking on the responsibility of providing for an instant family is something most people would walk from. But he didn't. It is hard to say here, in this very public place, but I need to do so to show just how important my stepfather was and is in our lives.

For reasons I'll never truly understand, my mother was struggling with gambling addictions and poor mental health that would often escalate into events of extreme rage and physical violence. This was never towards us as children but always towards my stepfather. Watching this man deal patiently and lovingly with these most difficult of issues remains a deep source of inspiration to me. The scourge of mental illness, gambling addiction and domestic violence is something many of us face quietly. I have never and will never condone domestic violence, and I know that every situation is different.

As we changed and grew, there were good days and there were bad. My stepfather continued to work on the land to provide for his family and live the truest example of what it means to serve with courage in everyday life. He stepped up without question. He never gave up on us. As I speak today, my stepfather is my mother's full-time carer. She has advanced dementia, and he continues to be by her side, as he has for more than 50 years. This is the type of service that has guided me as a husband, as a father and in leadership. It is a philosophy that aligns with my Christian faith that through grace of God, in advance, he has prepared me to serve.

In my late teens, I left home and moved to a nearby town to start my first real job. I began a management traineeship with a supermarket chain. To do this, I had to borrow money from one of my sisters to buy new clothes and get set up in the local caravan park. It was the best decision of my life. This led me to meet my wife, Judy, a young nurse. We began our life's journey together.

Several years on, as we started our family, I also joined my wife's family business, manufacturing agricultural equipment for grain and cotton industries, as an apprentice boilermaker. My other true mentor was Jude's dad, Harold, who I worked under during my apprenticeship. Jude's parents, Harold and Joan, not only supported us, as family does, but they also had the faith in us to bring us into the family business. They celebrated the highest of highs with us, when times were good, and they also cried with us in those lowest of lows, when we struggled to find the money to pay pages on payday.

Over time, Judy and I became the second generation businessowners of that business. I have now stepped down from the family business after 28 years, and I'm very proud to say that our children have taken over the reins. It is now a very proud third-generation Australian-owned family business.

Working in small business and volunteering alongside the great people of some of my community service organisations, including the Gunnedah Rotary club and the Carroll Rural Fire Service, I became even more focused on helping my community and successfully ran for Gunnedah Shire Council in 2016, where I served for eight years as mayor.

My time as mayor taught me the greatest respect for all who serve as elected members in their communities. This role also gave me the opportunity to take on senior leadership roles, such as the chairman of the New South Wales Country Mayors Association and a place on the board of Local Government New South Wales. This has left me with a greater insight into how the three tiers of government can, and should, work together to achieve better results for all Australians. I would like to acknowledge those in my local-government family that have supported my journey to parliament, some of whom are in the gallery here today; thank you.

But these experiences have also made me aware of the minefield of challenges that come ahead, such as navigating different levels of government and the differing opinions and priorities in my quest to deliver for Parkes. I am committed to working very closely with all 20 councils and the Unincorporated Far West Area of the Parkes electorate. Regional New South Wales is the best place to live and to do business. But every state and federal win is a fight. Our people just get on with the job, facing bigger health, education and business challenges than most people living in metropolitan areas.

I would like to tell a story of a young couple in their first years of marriage, who took the significant step of buying their first home. It was a big financial commitment, but one that they took on with their whole hearts knowing this was the beginning of their homeownership journey and their family journey. Unfortunately, the market was at its peak. The young couple were unaware that the government changes were about to gut the local timber industry. The local abattoir would soon be on its knees, as well as the local mining industry, causing a huge reduction in the town's population. Government decisions had squarely and severely impacted the economy of that town. It took ten years for the value of that first home to return to its original purchase price. That town was Gunnedah, and that young couple was my wife, Judy, and me.

We have unforgettable lived experience of the personal hardship that follows disastrous decision-making by government. This experience was a driving force in my motivation to join the local chamber of commerce and to then turn my focus to local government for solutions. I was determined to do whatever I could to prevent other people from suffering the setbacks that we did at the hands of government who failed to realise the consequence of their decisions. The Parkes electorate needs young families. We need skilled and talented workers, and professionals, to make the confident choice to live in this incredible region. Economic policymaking needs to reflect the holistic approach that makes it easier for people to get a foothold and to establish their family. Location is a huge part of this. I want to make sure that the cities, the towns and the villages within the Parkes electorate are the places young Australians choose to put down their roots. Decision-makers must understand the implications of their choices. We must do all we can to prevent shocks to our communities that have the power to destabilise families, and, in some cases, lead to heartache and destruction. Many of the communities in the Parkes electorate have been faced with the challenge of population decline over the past decade. For that very reason, my wife and I struggled financially in our early married life.

Growing the population throughout the electorate will be my biggest challenge during the time that I serve. My role now is to serve the people of the Parkes electorate—a huge electorate that covers half of the state of New South Wales, including vast tracks of the Queensland and South Australian borders. It's no small task. When I'm not in parliament, I'll be clocking up the miles transversing over 400,000 square kilometres. The electorate stretches from Boomi in the north to Barmedman in the south; to Cameron Corner where the New South Wales, Queensland and South Australian borders meet; and everywhere in between. That is an area bigger than Great Britain. It's bigger than Germany and bigger than Japan.

In the recent election campaign, I travelled more than 36,000 kilometres. I know the tyranny of distance will be an ongoing challenge, and I'm committed to turning up to the largest and the smallest of the electorate's communities to the best of my ability. That is what is needed to serve and represent this important part of our nation.

The challenges and issues this electorate faces are as varied as the shires that make them up, and I'll be there to listen and to act persistently and consistently. Businesses and industries across the Parkes electorate are shouldering more than their fair share of our country's economic heavy lifting without their fair share of funding. Our communities face endless battles, sometimes just to maintain the basic levels of services. Our small businesses are at the heart of our nation's economy. We must reward small-business owners for their commitment to the communities they serve and acknowledge the risk they take every single day. Decisions made far from the bush must include critical needs for investment in regional infrastructure.

This is where Australia's food, fibre and minerals are produced and processed and where value is added. Transporting our homegrown products for domestic consumption and international trade must be both reliable and affordable. Infrastructure projects such as the nation building Inland Rail project are vital to ensure that we keep goods moving productively from capital ports, from Brisbane to Melbourne and west to Perth, with the ability to stimulate economic opportunities for regional communities in between.

The Nationals first developed this plan, and it was the Nationals who aggressively commenced construction. In recent years, the handbrake has been applied. Construction on the northern corridor is now at snail's pace, and I do not intend to drop the ball on this project. I will be applying as much pressure as possible to see trains moving goods to market through Parkes and Narromine, Gilgandra, Baradine, Narrabri, Moree and North Star and on to Queensland as quickly as possible.

The views on water policy held by Australia's two main political parties could not be further apart. There has been a lack of investment in water security and water storage in the Parkes electorate. In fact, over recent years there has been a concerted effort to take water away from our communities through water policy changes that now allow buybacks in the Murray-Darling Basin. How can we seriously back our farmers and regional communities unless we protect their access to water?

In the state seat of Tamworth there is a great example of foresight, Chaffey Dam. It is a critical piece of infrastructure named after father-and-son visionaries Frank and Bill Chaffey, who were dedicated to deliver on water security for generations. These visionaries, both of whom at different times were members for the state seat of Tamworth and ministers for agriculture, knew the importance of planning for the future. We must continue this today. Investment from all levels of government in our regional communities on legacy infrastructure not only brings benefits of immediate economic growth but also generates confidence and has a flow-on effect moving beyond the Great Dividing Range.

The Last Post Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial ahead of this first sitting of parliament was a stark reminder of how many Australians throughout history have lost their lives in the defence of this country. As a member of the 48th Parliament it is my duty to forever honour those lives and their sacrifice and to protect the lives of all Australians into the future. I acknowledge that there is no greater responsibility than to keep Australians safe.

We must ensure that we have the right tools, the right people, the right equipment and the right policies and investment to ensure the sovereignty of our nation. We need a non-conditional approach towards the defence of our country. We can never be confident that conflict will not arise again. We simply must be prepared.

Weighing heavily on my mind is the enormous cost that regional Australia faces at the hands of the sudden and unguided escalation of wind, solar and battery installations. Cities, towns and villages within the Central-West Renewable Energy Zone and right across Australia are facing scenarios of developers against farmers, neighbours against neighbours and family against family. The enormous scale of these installations will be a generational disaster—one that will cost our children and their children deeply.

As I stand in parliament today, I'm conscious of the legacy of the giants of the National Party and the members who have represented the area that makes up the current Parkes electorate, and I pay tribute to the Hon. Mark Coulton, who held his role for more than 17 years with such dedication and motivation. I deeply appreciate the support of both Mark and Robyn, and I'm so glad that they're here today in the gallery to share this moment.

In reading over past members' first speeches, I've seen similar themes, starting with the Hon. John Anderson, who first entered parliament back in 1989. Concerns about the impact of poor environmental policies on our agricultural sector, the need for targeted immigration and the critical importance of transport across large geographical areas have been front of mind for this area's federal representatives for many, many years, so too has the need for financial restructure that supports our people, attracts newcomers and gives them the desire and ability to stay within our regions. We are still talking about these same issues today.

We're all facing a devastating increase in suicide in regional communities, an increase in mental health issues in our youth, incidents of youth crime in both boys and girls, and an increase in family breakdown—all very strong indicators that, unless more is done in regional communities, we won't turn the corner. As you've heard earlier in my speech, addressing domestic violence remains a matter close to my heart.

Bold decisions must be made. We need to see help for regional Australians in areas such as tax reform, greater economic incentives for people who choose regional towns, better infrastructure and investment in our roads and local facilities, and equitable access to the basics such as quality education, child care, aged care and health care. These are all critical areas in which I want to see change for the Parkes communities. I want to see other people, other families, thrive on the sheer potential of our region.

I began my working life as a supermarket training manager, before taking on a boilermaker apprenticeship. I entered into local government with the goal of building a strong future for my community. I see so many good people in our regions who are putting their heads down and working hard to enable their families, their employees and their communities to thrive. I want to use this role to encourage and support and to serve regional Australians.

There are so many who have supported my long journey, and I want to thank my colleagues in the National Party and the leadership team, who saw fit to appoint me to the position of shadow assistant minister for agriculture and resources. I also want to thank the army of people who assisted me in the campaign trail, including all the volunteers across 116 polling booths. It's impossible to thank everyone. Many of you are here today and I want you to know just how much I appreciated your hard work and support. I want to extend my gratitude to the people of the Parkes electorate who have placed such great faith in me to represent them in this parliament.

I come to this role with a deep sense of respect for the work of parliament in guarding and improving the lives and livelihoods of every Australian. I believe in the difference that can be made by implementing good policy. I want to see that reflected in the lives of people in our electorate and right across Australia. I will use my life experience to serve the people who choose to live in these communities throughout the Parkes electorate, and I will serve them with the same dedication and commitment that was taught to me by my step-father many years ago.

To my church family and our wider circle of friends and family, who have loved us, prayed with us and supported us in many different ways on this journey so far, I say thank you. To our Parkes team here in the gallery today, to Miranda, Jodie, Debbie, Emma, Amy and Marie, and to Kate and Sophie, who unfortunately couldn't be here with us today: I thank you for your patience and encouragement. Your hard work and knowledge is deeply appreciated.

With my final words, I thank my family—my darling wife of 32 years, Judy; our children, Jack and his partner, Madison, Molly and her husband, James, Lucy and her husband, Elliot, and Tom and his wife, Georgia; and also our grandchildren, Noah, Josie, Camilla and the two babies we await with excitement. You are at the heart of everything I do. Thank you.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I call the honourable member for Hinkler, I remind the House that this is the honourable member's first speech and I ask the House to extend to him the usual courtesies. I give the call to the honourable member for Hinkler.

David Batt (Hinkler, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I congratulate you on being re-elected with bipartisan support to your esteemed office for a second term.

I stand here humble and proud to have been elected by the people of Hinkler as the 1,248th member of the House of Representatives and fifth member for Hinkler. No matter where my house has been, Hinkler has always been my home. I am Bundaberg born and bred. I have volunteered in my community for over 25 years on sport, not-for-profit, school and church boards. I've had the unique privilege of serving my community at all three levels of government: local, state and now federal. This is an honour that only five per cent of those who have been elected to the Australian parliament since Federation have come to realise. I thank the people of Hinkler for putting their faith in me to represent them in the 48th Parliament of Australia.

As I received my lapel pin and electorate medallion from the Serjeant-at-Arms a few weeks ago, I declared, 'They're going straight to the pool room,' a quote from the iconic character Darryl Kerrigan in the 1997 classic Australian movie The Castle. The Kerrigan family are the epitome of Aussie battlers that you can find in every electorate across our great country, people who we all represent. The Castle and its famous one-liners have provided plenty of joy and laughter to my two daughters over many years.

My girls are my proudest achievement. My wife, Sharyn, and I have raised Taleigha and Maddy in our castle, a sixth generation of Batts in Bundaberg. While we have never had the fortune of living on the edge of an airport runway, Sharyn and I started our journey together at a Bundy high school social in 1988 and have been married for more than 32 years. Without the love and support of Sharyn, Taleigha and Maddy I wouldn't be standing here today.

Both sides of my family first settled in the Bundaberg region in the late 1800s. My parents, Rod and Lyn, are my heroes; they are salt of the earth. I had the honour of writing my very first congratulatory speech and message as the member for Hinkler back on 12 June to my mum and dad to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary.

Mum suffers from macular and is legally blind, and dad is her carer. Although she can see shapes and outlines, it's difficult for her to see faces in detail. A few months ago the family welcomed mum and dad's first great-grandchild, Olivia Grace Batt. My nephew Anthony and his wife Naomi's first child. They live in Brisbane. Mum struggled to see the photos of Olivia even blown up on the iPad, so we brought her around to my place to see if she could see them on my big screen TV. We knew the answer when mum's face lit up and tears welled in her eyes as she touched the TV screen where Olivia's face was. We all looked at each other with lumps in our throats, including dad. Within a week, Dad had decided his 60th anniversary present to Mum was a 98-inch smart TV of their own so Mum can enjoy all the photos she wants. Interestingly enough, it was also seen to get a good workout on the weekends, when Dad has Fox Sports on it as well. The tyranny of age, illness and distance has prevented Mum and Dad from being here today, but I know they'll be watching on that 98-inch TV, as long as one of the family has dropped in to show Dad how to log in online. Mum and Dad, I hope you can see the pride on my face and hear the love in my voice for both of you today and always.

Some of my earliest memories are of them both working around the clock for my two brothers and me. Mum and Dad had a convenience shop and petrol station on Mount Perry Road in north Bundaberg. They instilled in me the importance of community service and working hard. Later we had a newspaper run, and it wasn't uncommon to be woken in the early hours when the wrapping machine broke down or the delivery boys called in sick. Bleary eyed, it was out of bed and straight into it—all hands on deck to get papers delivered on time.

Dad was knocked off his motor scooter one day, badly dislocating his hip. It put him out action for months. It was hard for our family, but out of the pain and disappointment Mum and Dad bought 200 acres to run cattle as an income stream for the family. For Dad, born on the land not far out of Bundy, this was a natural fit for him to get back to a place he loved, and there was nothing I'd rather have been doing than working alongside him. We would clear the paddock of basalt boulders by hand to plant pasture, buy and sell cattle, and learn how to drive in a little two-person blue Suzuki ute.

We also spent a lot of time at the Kendall Flat junior cricket grounds at east Bundaberg, where Dad was instrumental in transforming an old dump site into an eight-field cricket facility. Our weekends were spent maintaining the grounds. Dad was awarded life membership of the Bundaberg Junior Cricket Association, and field 8 is named in his honour—Rod Batt Oval. Dad is the toughest bloke I know. On school holidays I was given the job to mow the fields on a tractor and slasher, which took eight hours. Mum would bring me lunch and a drink halfway through while I gave the slasher a rest.

Mum made our three-bedroom weatherboard house a home. We lived close to Walkervale State School, and she had to contend with her three energetic sons and our mates after school. There was never any doubt how much Mum loved us boys. Nothing was ever too much to ask. My older brothers—I made sure I got that in—Paul and Peter, and I are very fortunate. Ours was a happy childhood.

The weekends were busy for the Batts. As well as taking us to our loved sports of cricket, rugby league and soccer on Saturdays, on most Sunday mornings Mum would take us boys to church at St Mary's. This formed the cornerstone in my faith journey.

Mum and Dad's love for the family was passed down through the ages. It's clear how the apple hadn't fallen far from the tree. Mum was an only child. Born and raised at 54 Victoria Street, which Pard had built after returning from New Guinea in World War II. Pard, or Roy, was a plumber for Bundaberg council and rode his pushbike around town with a tool pouch hanging over the handle bars until he was upgraded to a work vehicle with four wheels. Nan, or Beth, kept the house with precision and pride. My earliest recollection of going over to their house, which continued into my adulthood, was the tranquillity. It was just so quiet—unless Pard was playing the piano, which he learnt by ear. I can still hear his signature tune, which he composed himself. I can also taste that corn relish on country cheddar biscuits, more often than not served up for morning tea. Nan and Pard lived together in that home for more than 65 years, until the day I sat with Pard as he took his last breath in 2007. I scored my first car from Nan and Pard—a 1982 Mazda 929. It even had electric windows—very fancy for a 17-year-old.

Dad was from a much larger family. He is one of seven children. As children, in between the paper runs and running the farm, we went to Nanna Batt's every Sunday and met up with our cousins, uncles and aunts. We would settle in at Nanna Batt's at 3 Belvue Street for dinner. I clearly recall the roar of the crowd as the local rugby league played at Salter Oval just one street away. It was a fitting and real-life soundtrack while watching the Brisbane league on the ABC. Then it was time to settle in for the news and, of course, Countdown. The contrast of these two favourite places of mine was not lost on me. From the quiet and peace at Nan and Pard's to the hustle and bustle of Nanna Batt's it was a beautiful balance and both were equally important to my childhood.

My brothers, Paul and Peter, have both dedicated more than 35 years to teaching and the Queensland Ambulance Service. Every time someone asks me if I'm related to either of them I know there is a positive story to come.

Like my brothers, and even Dad and Nan, I attended Bundaberg State Hight School. I still live by the school's motto, per ardua ad astra, which means: through hard work, the stars. As soon as I turned 15 and was old enough to get a job I started working part-time at Woolies. The deli was my specialty. I intended to become a PE teacher when I finished high school, but it wasn't to be. A chance meeting steered my life on a different path. After speaking with Sergeant Bubb at a careers night in year 12, I applied to join the Queensland Police Force. Each year there were hundreds of applicants but only 100 cadet positions, so I didn't think I stood much of a chance. I was wrong. I didn't want to be a financial burden on my parents, so I deferred my human movements degree and in 1989, straight out of school, I decided to give the police force a go. I left home and moved to the Oxley Academy in Brisbane.

I became a detective and for more than 11 years I solved crimes like the Childers Palace Backpackers Hostel fire, which was recently commemorated, after 25 years, and the tragic murder of British backpacker Caroline Stuttle. I was a police officer and detective for almost 20 years before entering my political life. Through policing I witnessed the best and worst of society, and it took a toll on me and my colleagues defending the thin blue line. That is the reason I stepped up and volunteered as a police union rep and then as a peer support officer for almost 15 years of my policing career.

I met the now state member for Burnett, my good mate Stephen Bennett, through Rotary Club breakfast meetings held at the Police Citizens Youth Club, or PCYC, where I was the manager. In 2007, with Stephen's support and encouragement, I joined other young professionals on a Rotary group study exchange to Nottingham in England. I was not prepared for how much this life-changing four weeks would open my eyes to the things we could do better in my home town of Bundaberg and across Australia. I thought I'd be a copper until I retired, but out of the study tour I developed a strong desire to see my community thrive. I stepped out of my comfort zone and nominated for the 2008 local government elections. To my surprise, I won the five-horse race for division 8. That's where political life for me began. I served three terms as a councillor and deputy mayor for the Bundaberg Regional Council between 2008 and 2017.

So, this place I grew up in, the electorate of Hinkler, is my home. It has and always will have my heart, from where the humpback whales play in waters off Hervey Bay, the world's very first Whale Heritage site, to the historic township of Howard and the beautiful Burrum Heads. There are the friendly townships of Torbanlea, Riverheads and Buxton and the popular coastal locations of Woodgate and Bargara. Childers sits on the Bruce Highway, surrounded by the beautiful red soils that feed our nation—more than 30 different fruit and vegetable crops. Then on the horizon you see the steam from the sugar mill as you weave your way through the cane paddocks and macadamia orchards to Bundaberg, where we know how to make a famous tipple, including our cane champagne. Then it's off to the shores of Mon Repos, where the turtles continue to return and lay their eggs. I love this place. How's the serenity?

I know I could have been a better son, brother, husband, father and friend to those I love. Life is about learning from your mistakes, owning them, seeking forgiveness and working towards being a better version of yourself each day. About 10 years ago I returned to regular Sunday mass at Bundaberg's Holy Rosary. It gave me the opportunity to understand my life much better and to listen, learn and love. I try each day to follow in the footsteps of Jesus: to give of yourself, to love unconditionally and serve your community, to be a voice for the voiceless, to help those who are helpless and to give comfort to those who are struggling in their lives. It is about taking time to appreciate the simple things, to look up at the full moon and stars, to take in the sunsets and not get caught up in life itself—find gratitude in the little moments each and every day, one step at a time. As Matthew wrote:

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

When Taleigha and Maddy were born, Sharyn and I made it our ambition to ensure that we could get them through school and university and set them up for their lives ahead. We couldn't have done it without the love, care and support of Sharyn's mum and dad, Barb and Doug, and brother Brad and my mum and dad and the Batt clan. The girls' uncles, aunties and cousins have been part of their journey, and we are so blessed we are all such a close family group. Although it was sad to see both girls leave home, only in the last two years, Sharyn and I are so proud that they are set up for whatever path they choose. Both have loving partners and wonderful careers and have purchased their first homes. To walk my youngest, Maddy, down the aisle, or the road, a few weeks ago at her fairytale wedding to our new son-in-law, Zane, was such a proud dad moment.

I understand the pressures of elected office. As a former councillor, deputy mayor and state MP, every action of mine has been on display for public scrutiny, no more than in January of 2013 with the record breaking Bundaberg floods. People of my community were rescued from the roofs of their homes. Devastation was everywhere you looked. As the Burnett River roared and broke its banks due to the deluge associated with ex-tropical-cyclone Oswald, there was destruction to over 2,000 homes and 600 businesses, and there were major issues with community infrastructure. North Bundaberg had the largest mandatory evacuation in peacetime Australia; some 7,500 residents were evacuated. More than 20 military and civilian helicopters winched hundreds of people to safety from their rooftops and not a single life was lost.

While the disaster response and recovery were not without issues, Bundaberg's response is still used as a case study in disaster management circles right across Australia. It is something everyone who was involved should be very proud of. Coordinating the disaster recovery, as the then deputy mayor of Bundaberg, was the single most challenging task in my professional career. I worked around the clock to assist people who were traumatised and enduring the hardest time of their lives. I was honoured to receive Rotary's Paul Harris Fellow for my leadership and humbled that the late federal member for Hinkler Paul Neville attributed some of Bundaberg's positive recovery and response to my efforts.

While I'd always enjoyed positive working efforts with local MPs as the recovery coordinator, I also established good rapport with various ministers, including our newly elected Queensland Premier, David Crisafulli, who was at that time the Minister for Local Government, Community Recovery and Resilience. David's no-nonsense attitude during the recovery was a breath of fresh air and changed my mind about what state government is capable of. I for one will never forget the commitment he showed to rebuilding Bundaberg well after the floodwaters had subsided and the television news crews had lost interest.

That is the reason I took a leap into state parliament. Reflecting on my term in state politics from 2017 to 2020, representing the people of Bundaberg was a special time. I was only the second member of a conservative political party to have held the state seat since it was created in 1888. In 2017, I was the first to call and fight for a new hospital, and it's on its way. I called for an inquiry into the problems facing Paradise Dam, and now it's being rebuilt to secure water for our farmers. The state stint lasted only the one term. My bid for re-election came down to the finest of margins—after the recount, just nine votes. The year was 2020, and the loss in this state election absolutely gutted me, both personally and for my staff. We had committed so much to building a better community. The lesson learnt? Every vote really does count.

The silver lining through all of this was the chance to reset and recharge. The break following the Queensland election did so much good for me mentally and spiritually. I took six months off work to reflect, reconnect and re-order my priorities. It gave me more time for my family, friends and to volunteer in my church life. I'm still rostered on once a month to clean and vacuum Holy Rosary Church. The pain of an election loss eased as I realised God had another plan for me.

I'm a giver. I always have been. But from that moment it wasn't going to be with my colleagues in state parliament, those who I'm proud to call my friends, including my first-term colleagues of 2017: the now Queensland Police Minister Dan Purdie; Jim McDonald, the member for Lockyer; the member for Nicklin, Marty Hunt; transport minister, Brent Mickelburg; my old committee buddy and now Speaker of the House, Pat Weir; and, of course, Queensland Premier, David Crisafulli. My term in Queensland parliament gave me fuel and a desire to keep making a difference in my community.

I've spoken about the three levels of government and the honour it has been to have now served in each. A neighbour and friend, the member for Flynn, Colin Boyce, has also achieved the trifecta. I had the honour of sitting next to Colin in the Queensland parliament and it's an absolute pleasure to be with him here, this time in the 48th Parliament of Australia.

In the period between my time in state politics and earlier this year, winning pre-selection for the LNP in Hinkler, I had the role of community resilience and disaster management officer at Bundaberg Regional Council, a role that drew on my experiences from 2013. Earlier this year, as I made the decision to nominate for the seat of Hinkler, I was still working full time in preparing my community for the impact of Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Alfred did strike my community and the most telling impact locally was the inundation of 1,600 homes and businesses in Hervey Bay. Record-breaking flash flooding surprised everyone and led to a recovery that is still ongoing today—a recovery in Hervey Bay I will support to the end.

Today, I stand here and reflect on those who have laid the platform and left a legacy in the seat of Hinkler. While the electoral boundaries have changed throughout time, Hinkler was created in 1984. It was named in honour of pioneering aviator Bert Hinkler. Born in Bundaberg in 1892, the son of a millworker, Bert was the first to fly solo from England to Australia, a feat achieved in 1928. He built his first glider in Bundaberg. While bin chickens get a bad rap today, it was the humble ibis that inspired his creation. At the time, Bert was considered by many as the most daring man in the world. He epitomised the strength of those I represent. It might be almost 100 years since Bert's historic flight, but his determination, ambition, strength and passion are all traits instilled in the people of Hinkler.

I'd like to acknowledge the former MPs who have held office and represented the seat we call Hinkler. The first was the late Bryan Conquest; followed by Brian Courtice; then the late, great Paul Neville, a stalwart of the National Party; and, prior to the 2025 election, my predecessor, Keith Pitt, who served for almost 12 years. Keith laid a platform for me and my team going forward. This quote from Benjamin E Mays sums up my thoughts on Paul and Keith, who I'm proud to call my friends:

We, today, stand on the shoulders of our predecessors who have gone before us. We, as their successors, must catch the torch of freedom and liberty passed on to us by our ancestors. We cannot lose in this battle.

I'd like to acknowledge and sincerely thank all the Hinkler LNP members, supporters and volunteers who worked tirelessly throughout my campaign, especially my Hinkler campaign team.

My vision is simple. People who live in the greatest country on earth should have the same opportunities whether they live in the city or country. I'm sure everybody in this chamber is here for a similar reason—to make the improvements required and leave behind a better place than the one that we entered. We must set an example in this House and debate policies, not personalities. I will ensure that this Bundy boy will also serve my community of Hervey Bay with passion and commitment. I am pleased to have secured an electorate office in Hervey Bay. It has a population of almost 70,000 and it will be a priority of mine to ensure this important region of Hinkler is not forgotten.

Global trade, defence in a volatile world, energy challenges, the digital transformation and the impacts of artificial intelligence—these are all very real challenges for all of us across this country, including in my community of Hinkler. I know the members sitting across from me, representing their communities, whether in the inner-city areas of Sydney and Melbourne or even in other regional areas, want to improve the lives of their constituents, but this cannot be to the detriment of other areas and regions like Hinkler. Yes, all Aussies deserve a nice home, cheaper living standards and a fantastic family lifestyle, but, please, do not make decisions affecting other electorates that you wouldn't want to implement in your own. I'll always fight for my home of Hinkler to ensure we get our fair share, and that there is support for small and family businesses to employ locals. There must be action to address the cost of living, and we must deliver more health services for regional Australia. We need to find a balanced, affordable energy mix. Our veterans must be treated with respect and always supported, and I'll always back our rich and diverse agricultural industry as it continues to form the region's economic engine. I want to do what's right, not necessarily what's popular. For being granted this immense privilege to be in this, the 48th Parliament of Australia, I accept the great responsibility that comes with it.

Since parliament opened last week, I have been privileged to listen to the first speeches of our class of 2025, kicking off with the member for Dickson and finishing this afternoon with the member for McPherson. What an eclectic lot we are. Yet there are many themes so similar right across this chamber—the love and support of family and friends, a wanting to give back to your community and the vision to make this country a better place. It's not just the class of 2025. I'm sure all in this chamber have had similar stories to tell. We are the leaders of this amazing, free country. Each of our electorates form a unique part of the Australian fabric, woven into our tapestry of life.

We need to lead from the front and be positive role models, like our mums and dads, nannas, nans, pas and our fearless pioneers. Fight like Darryl did in The Castle, not only for your loved ones but for your community. I understand that being here is a privilege and not a right, so I make this commitment: I will serve the people of Hinkler with honesty, integrity and compassion for as long as they will have me represent them in this House.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I call the honourable member for Lyne, I remind the House this is the honourable member's first speech, and I ask the House to extend to her the usual courtesies.

Alison Penfold (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

'She was there for me, there for us. She always had our back; she was never backward in fighting for us. She made a difference much larger than one single voice, one single person, could hope to achieve. She put service before self.'

I know that standing here today, you may find it odd that I speak of myself in the past tense, to speak of legacy as the member for Lyne and as a parliamentarian. But I wish to start my first speech as I wish to end my time in this place. To do so represents my mission and my compact with the people of the Lyne electorate: to work hard, listen, care and deliver for my constituents and the people of Australia. It's a simple motivator, but it's deeply rooted.

It's the legacy of a working-class family, the legacy of my upbringing: grandparents who were in domestic service and parents whose retail small business—Ron's Market Truck—served people at markets across Western Sydney, in Fairfield, Mount Druitt, Penrith, Menangle, and then Taree for many years. They were spruiking off the back of a truck everything from the latest toys to towels, figurines, fireworks and items that most people could not afford to buy elsewhere. 'Knock a bit off, Ronnie,' the crowd would call—and he did. This is where I spent my weekends as a child, and where I saw the raw, hard work of a seven-days-a-week small business operator. This raw, hard work, risk-taking and sacrifice for family must never be forgotten in this place. It's why, in part, I'm here—to honour and protect them and ensure that the only decisions government takes are to ensure small business thrives.

Mr Speaker, I stand before you and this parliament as just an ordinary woman trying to do an extraordinary job with an extraordinary privilege for my community and for our nation. It's a job that stands on the shoulders of those members of parliament who too have served as members for Lyne—Gillespie, Oakeshott, Vaile, Cowan, Lucock and Eggins. Each of them made significant contributions to this place and to the electorate of Lyne. I am fortunate to have known four of the previous members and to have worked for two of them.

Mark Vaile was a deputy prime minister, delivering our free trade agreement with the United States—one that must endure—and the Pacific Highway duplication for the electorate. Dr David Gillespie was a minister, delivering over $1 billion in regional health initiatives, and the father and chairman of our future civil nuclear program and the father of the Taree Universities Campus, amongst many electorate achievements. I hope to serve as they did, with great honour, distinction and grace. I thank them for their friendship, guidance and trust over the many years I have known each of them.

It's wonderful to have David and Charlotte here today. They, too, have seen the devastation on our communities that nature can bring. They know that Lyne is very much an electorate cemented in the courage and tenacity of Australians and of regional people. It's an area on the Mid North Coast and Hunter regions of New South Wales and the ancestral home to the Biripi, Worimi and Wonnarua peoples. We now share in the stewardship of a land long lived. It's an electorate stretching from the Hastings to the Hunter, covering coast and country. The electorate covers some of the earliest areas of regional settlement, places like Paterson, where my own Penfold ancestors migrated to as farm labourers in the 1830s. That settlement continues today as tree changers and sea changers exit the big smoke to find their dreams of a beach oasis or farm life.

Farming, dairy, beef, oyster and timber industries remain valued economic drivers with the many family-run small businesses. This is a place that has hosted heavy industry and manufacturing businesses migrating from the cities. It's a region that still has much physical and human capital to offer. Rivers have long been the lifeblood of this area. They have brought fertile soils, trade, settlement, families and livelihoods. We know the power of them, and this has helped forge the courage and tenacity to make homes and build businesses that could withstand flood and also fire.

But no-one could have anticipated the flood of this May, a one-in-500-year catastrophic event. Off the back of months of rain, the ground was saturated. It was just four years from our last major flood. I cannot do justice to it or its full impact. To be honest, I find what occurred very difficult to talk about, to relive the days during the flood and after the waters receded—stuck at home in safety but unable to physically reach people desperate for help. There were the images on our screens and the screams for aid by phone, email and private message.

The first chance to provide help was in Coopernook. My car engine was smoking through the floodwaters, but I was desperate to bring milk, bread and other staples to the local hall, where 60-plus people were bunkered down, isolated, many evacuated from their nearby farms. It was there that I heard of the first death in the floodwaters, only the morning after. The loss of a loved local was felt painfully but quietly through the town. As the first roads opened after the waters receded, what presented was metres of mud through everything and the house-high piles of timber, round bales and other debris that littered and still linger on the landscape. There were the stories of survival, of having to leave people, pets and possessions behind. There was the bravery of modest souls who went into the floodwaters to save others. There was the look of despair, of fragility and of losing everything in people's eyes. There was the anger and the fear when the government support did not come. The fight goes on for fairness, recognition and hope.

Like many others, I tried to help, with my hands and my heart the only tools to turn back the tide of destruction in those early days. But my resolve was strengthened. I was where I was needed and needed to be.

The physical scars are there for all to see: river banks changed forever, Wingham Brush gone, roads and bridges destroyed, towns and communities divided, acres of paddocks washed away, paddocks with a mirage of green, winter feed flattened, paddocks emptied of cattle or turf, empty shops that will likely never be home to a small business again, and homes now emptied of the lives they once loved.

Less visitable are the mental scars. Most people have tried to pick up the pieces of their lives. They've got on with the clean-up, got on with the rebuild, got on with filling out the vast reams of paperwork for a few quid, got on with finding somewhere to live, got on with going back to work and got on with life. But underneath is the loss, the shock, the grief, the uncertainty, the despair, the fear, the emotional triggers of hearing cows bellowing in the night, the mere threat of rain and the question, 'Can I ever go home?' These emotional scars are the scars that scare me the most. I'm scared of how people are coping and for the many that are not—if and when they'll ever seek support from a professional, a mate, a family member or from me.

When the Prime Minister, the Premier and other ministers came to Taree in the aftermath of the floods, I said to them that our area needed two things from government: information and presence. It needed presence in the form of boots, not suits. It needed a long-term presence in the form of generous and easy-to-access support and it needed the presence of mind to break the cycle of red tape that haunts the traumatised seeking help after disaster. Our area needed information from government about the process for making decisions about assistance. It needed information about when and how funding amounts and eligibility would be determined. And it needed government to listen to what the community needed, to hear our information so that government could make good decisions. I was deliberate in this ask, knowing that the mental toll could be moderated if people knew that support was coming; if they knew that governments were working to provide them with the assistance that was needed without red tape attached; and if they knew that governments cared.

My greatest frustration is that this call has largely gone unheeded. The anger that has been felt amongst the community has come from the silence, the slowness and the mountain of bureaucracy. It's come from the weeks of silence waiting for cat. D funding for primary producers and now the additional weeks waiting on additional funding for small business, funding for the rebuilding and funding for the betterment of community infrastructure like the Bight and Tiri bridges. It's come from the weeks of not having somewhere to live, for themselves or their farm workers. And it's come because of the bureaucracy. Too many people and businesses have been denied support. They've not had enough paperwork, they've not been enough of a primary producer, or they're living in an area bureaucrats say isn't affected enough, places like Barrington. Some have not been the right type of not-for-profit, like Taree Universities Campus and the Taree Aquatic Club, both unable to receive any support yet smashed by the floodwaters. Then there are the farmers desperate to stabilise river and creek banks but wading through multiple state government agencies for approval with no start or end point.

It is unsurprising that so many local people feel it is easier to get government assistance if you're a foreigner than it is if you're an Australian. On the weekend, I spoke with a small-business operator from Taree. Her premises in Pulteney Street were completely inundated. She is now in a battle with her insurer, months later and still waiting. She can't apply for any of the government assistance until she gets a decision from the insurer, and the government's application timeframe is coming to an end soon. This is a strong woman who has been almost broken by a process that is meant to support her. The waiting, the silence and the bureaucracy have only compounded the mental toll, compounded the feeling of being forgotten, compounded the anger and frustration in government, and compounded the fear about the future.

We needed governments and bureaucracies at their best. We're still waiting and we're still hoping, but we're still fighting. We needed media at its best, too. I thank our local journalists and the many others from around the country, who respected us, helped the nation see the destruction and called it to action with donations. Please don't forget about us. We have a long, long way to go.

I wish to dedicate this speech to all those impacted by the floods and to all the amazing volunteers who, after the waters receded, went from stranger to family in an instant by just turning up and saying, 'Mate, how can I help?' These were not just our well-trained legends in familiar uniforms—the SES, Fire and Rescue, police, Rural Fire Service or the many familiar local organisations, like church groups, service and community organisations Rotary and Lions or sporting clubs, like the Forster Tuncurry Hawks junior rugby league team, who I worked with to help clean out the mud-logged Sailo's, or members of the Wingham Tigers footy team, who I met cleaning out a shed in Primrose Street in Wingham—but also the incredibly generous, spontaneous and selfless locals and people from afar. These were everyday citizens doing the extraordinary for others.

I acknowledge people like Josh Hack, Tim Bale and Anthony and Matt Stone for their fierce advocacy for farmers. The Stone brothers, oysters farmers on the Manning River, battled the floodwaters to save many people from their homes, yet have had to battle bureaucracy for Cat D assistance despite losing almost all their oyster stock, and their retail business being inundated and shut down for months.

I also acknowledge Matthew Fawcett, who is here today, President of the Taree Chamber of Commerce, for his leadership for local small businesses and the many others that have joined him in the cause. Not only do we need Cat D funding for small business but also need a Taree CBD revitalisation package, including commercial building buybacks in the worst affected area of Pulteney Street.

The flood recovery and rebuild will be a key focus of my time and energy, but I know my voice and that of this parliament and government is needed on so many other local issues: on roads and bridges and telecommunications, housing and health, community infrastructure, aged and disability care, and industry and jobs to name a few.

We are not a wealthy electorate. We are older and poorer than most. Our major employers were lost to bean counters chasing cheap labour offshore. Bureaucracy and the digital world is too often a maze for so many locals that forever needs unscrambling. Our councils are battered by ageing infrastructure and the unfairness of the financial assistance grants formula.

When we as Nationals call for more funding, more programs and more support from government for our electorates, it's because our communities need it to survive, to thrive, to get a fair go. So my job in this parliament will be to work constructively with the government so that together we can solve problems like ensuring the Dungog Shire Community Centre is properly funded by Services Australia to continue to its important Centrelink service delivery and provide the resources, other services and infrastructure my communities need to improve living standards, to live with dignity, to grow, to be rich in spirit and diverse in activities.

Today I wish to start with one request, one that aligns with the government's own priorities. Taree desperately needs an urgent care clinic. This was a commitment I made at the election—one left unmatched by Labor, despite the many clinics it committed to other in seats. It is an initiative the government has heralded, an initiative that does not exist between Coffs Harbour and Newcastle. It is a gaping hole in the network. In good faith, under the umbrella of the Prime Minister's commitment to govern for all, I ask for the government's goodwill to work with me to deliver one in Taree and help improve the health outcomes of the people of Manning Valley. This is my first ask but far from my last.

I'm immensely honoured to be put to work for them by the people of the Lyne electorate, to represent a part of Australia where I grew up, the beautiful Harrington and Hannam Vale, where I went to school at St Clare's High School in Taree and call home the timbertown of Wauchope, and all the towns and villages that live proud in this part of the Mid North Coast and Hunter. I thank the people of Lyne from the bottom of my heart for this tremendous honour, and, through my election by them, to be put to work by the people of Australia to contribute to the building our nation.

While our democracy is robust our nation is not. Our productivity is weak, the cost of living is crippling families, pensioners and businesses; immigration and government spending is out of control; our military capabilities mismatch to the threats to our shore; our foreign policy too often sounds like it was written in the uni bar; and our country is divided—one confused with three flags, not proudly one.

We are pursuing a European energy policy at great cost to our nation, economically, environmentally and socially, with no return on addressing climate change. This policy is only making us weaker and poorer—weaker because we're building a fragile energy grid, not a resilient and powerful one, and poorer because we've lost our comparative advantage in energy. The more that renewables have come on the market, the higher energy prices have become for all Australians, hurting our poorest and most vulnerable the most.

I'm no climate change denier. Like many Australians, I'm just a climate change realist. For millennia, we as humans have faced the impact of the complex natural system of our climate. Our understanding of our impact on it has matured and, with that, so has the issue matured in our social and political psyche. It is for Australia to be part of the global response, but, as a realist, I accept that we humans cannot fully control carbon and its impact on our climate, nor can Australia disproportionately bear the cost of the net zero global response. It is regional Australia that is bearing the full cost—bearing all of the risks of the transition and none of the benefits. This government is asking renewables to do the heavy lifting they simply weren't designed to do, and we are asking Australians to pay the price for it. Just ask the people of Hawks Nest in my electorate, staring down at an offshore industrial wind farm in the pristine waters off Port Stephens. Government has a huge responsibility to get this policy right, a policy that should try to mitigate what we can, sensibly, reasonably and proportionately, and adapt to what we can't. But, critically, it must be a policy that puts Australians first and that gives current and future generations the same economic liberties to increase their standard of living.

What I see and fear now is an Australia where the pluckiness and pragmatism of our forefathers has vanished, replaced with a state sanctioned retreat from the pursuit of real national wealth and prosperity, retreat from our history, retreat from our Christian values, retreat from common sense. We are going small and losing big. We are told disruption, now often the code for progressivism, is good for us. It's got a social licence, we're told—'Sign on; Australia will be better for it.' But are we? Beyond our structural, economic and strategic decline, it's clear our family and social structures are faltering. Our kids are spending on average nine hours a day in front of a computer or TV screen. Literacy and numeracy rates are falling. Our kids are learning to criticise rather than think critically. The narcissism permitted and projected through social media is ruining lives and destroying families. Domestic violence rates are rising. We are trying to deny human nature, teaching our kids that you can choose your gender any day of the week or be a furry in the classroom.

I've heard stories of young men and women choosing not to bring children into this world because of the fear of the world we're becoming. At a time of such regional and global geopolitical instability, Australia can ill afford to lose its way. We must change course; we must step up. This place must lead. Where can we start? We must return to the values that have made Australia strong—those Christian values that so many of us have been raised on. If you don't believe in something, you'll fall for anything. We must reinvest in family and the family unit by pursuing policies that give families real choice in raising their children and help increase our natural birth rate. Income splitting is sensible, as is the concerted efforts of all tiers of government to genuinely address the housing crisis. Young Australians are locked into housing servitude and we should not be surprised that they are angry at us for it. This is not the great Australian dream they deserve.

We must address the social discord and the impact of identity politics, in particular on children. The reinstating of the biological definition of male and female into the Sex Discrimination Act is needed. Gender is simply not fluid, even if sexual orientation is. We must break the cycle of multigenerational welfare dependency so every child has an adult role model in their life that values a day's work. We must get back to the basics on economic policy, efficient government and restraint from intergenerational economic theft, backing small business as the engine room of the economy and supporting policies that address Australia's falling manufacturing complexity and subsequent growth prospects.

We must stop regulatory creep and overregulation, the thinking that government knows how to do business better, which is insidious and pervasive on small business and industry. I'm sick and tired of all tiers of government making laws and policies based on the emotion driven by activists that ban industries. It adds costs to business, stymies innovation and makes our exporters uncompetitive. In this frame, agriculture and farmers are too often the whipping boy for this government and the Left.

We must return to an immigration policy founded on 'team Australia' not 'hotel Australia', one where our shared values matter—the basis of our multicultural success story. We must build an energy system that can support the energy needs of industry and an AI/data-hungry world. That requires lots and lots of energy density—base-load power, power that is on all the time, not just some of the time.

If this government was to truly consider our energy policy on a net benefit basis, they too would support zero emissions nuclear power, along with coal and gas, using existing technology to reduce emissions. Labor's version of net zero and its pursuit of it is not the right pathway for Australia to a cleaner, greener and more prosperous future.

We must use military precision in our defence procurement to rebuild our defence capability. This is a dangerous time of greater power competition. The threats are real, and they are unconventional, but we are no longer equipped to fight the enemy at our door. Our defence personnel and our veterans deserve the equipment that matches their skill, discipline and dedication, whatever the price for the sacrifice they make and the security Australians deserve. The defence of our nation should be a subject of great pride to every Australian. Yet during the campaign, when I raised it at meet-the-candidate forums, those in the room supporting Labor, Greens and teal candidates sneered and scoffed. It was and is an outrageous response to the importance of the defence of our nation and the genuine security risk we face. It's why government leadership matters.

I'm very proud to be here as a representative of the Nationals, a party I first came to support as a polling-booth volunteer in my teenage years. We are not a party of ideologues but of pragmatists who believe strongly in the values our nation was founded on. We believe in the wisdom of the bush—that new ways shouldn't always usurp the old and that the regions should keep more of the nation's wealth it generates. In this place we have always leveraged more than our numbers suggest, a record of achievement that is not done with yet.

That said, I am here as only the second woman from the New South Wales Nationals to be elected to the House of Representatives in the history of this parliament—a statement that should horrify and shock. I follow in the footsteps of the great Kay Hull, former member for Riverina, who stood in this place from 1998 to 2010, a warrior for the regions then and now. Kay always spoke her mind and spoke up for her people. She has been a wonderful role model and mentor to me, and I thank her for her genuine support.

I do not intend to use my time here as an evangelical warrior on female representation in politics. We as women should seek favour through a system that shines a light on the best talent in the room, but making sure women are in the room is still the great challenge. It is a challenge that requires genuine investment by our party membership and leadership, myself included.

I would like to thank the party members and supporters from across the Lyne electorate for putting their faith in me after the long career of their much-respected and loved former member Dr David Gillespie. Transitioning a seat is never an easy task or one with a certain outcome. There are so many to thank—too much to do justice to in this speech—but several certainly stand out: David Gillespie, Junerose Richardson, Rob Connell, Rosemary Chick, Vicki Hansen, Carolyn Fowler, Sally Halliday, and Kate and Steve Mansur—and Bill Jones, who lost part of his finger helping my dad make A-frames.

I would also like to thank the federal Nationals and New South Wales Nationals leadership: Kay Hull; federal director Lincoln Folo; current chairman of the New South Wales Nationals, the Hon. Rick Colless; former chairman Andrew Fraser; state director Tory Menschelyi—my bestie—and the team at head office. Tory is a relentless campaigner, generous with her time and support and a smart head and steady hand. Your dad would be so immensely proud of you. All of the team were of tremendous assistance and support, and I extend my sincere gratitude to them. I have spent more than half of my professional life in this building, from my work experience with Mark Vaile in 1994 to my various roles as receptionist, whips clerk and adviser to chief of staff with the late Hon. Peter Reith, the Hon. Mark Vaile, the Hon. Warren Truss, the Hon. David Littleproud MP, the Hon. Kevin Hogan MP and the Hon. Dr David Gillespie.

I've had the great honour of working in government and opposition. I've seen government at its best and at its worst. I've seen the political cycles of the coalition and Labor come and go. I've learned so much from all of you, and thank you for the trust and opportunity you have given me.

I would also like to acknowledge Wendy Vaile, Lyn Truss, Charlotte Gillespie and Karen Hogan—all amazing women, patient and forgiving. I thank you for your friendship, support and understanding when my job interrupted your lives. I thank my many former work colleagues who, in some shape or form, have been part of this 30-plus-year apprenticeship.

Too often, this place speaks cruelly of the staff of MPs and ministers. The work of politics attracts magnificent minds who make huge sacrifices to work quietly, patiently, empathetically and diligently to do good for this nation. There is no Public Service Medal for political and policy staff. The job is to walk in the shadows of the room—not to be nameless, just not to be named. To all of you who I've worked with over the years: I thank you for your camaraderie, your guidance and your common sense. I particularly want to pay tribute to some of them: Cheryl Cartwright and Kate Barwick—not only great friends but great campaigners too. I owe you both a huge debt of gratitude, and also to Andrew Hall, Candice Stower, Robert Nardella, Gerrie Van Dam, Jen Southwell, Bronwyn Morris, Lachie McComish and Philip Eliason.

Outside of parliament, I've shared in the privilege of working for business big and small. There's been no greater challenge in my professional career than to take on the task of CEO of the live export industry just six months after the 2011 ban. I pay tribute to the two chairmen I worked under, Peter Kane and the late Hon. Simon Crean, and to Sam Brown, my CEO colleague at LiveCorp—all men of immense wisdom. I thank them for their courage and willingness to support me as I led the industry through significant change, including the development of a social-licence strategy for the live export industry, the first of its kind of any agricultural industry sector at the time.

The fact that Labor has chosen to cruel the livelihoods of thousands of sheep producers rather than properly regulate just three live export companies is a travesty of justice, made harsher by the ongoing refusal to compensate live-cattle producers as the court has demanded.

I do not come from a big family. I am an only child and grew up, essentially, as an only grandchild. I will never have the privilege of being an aunt. I'm unmarried and childless by circumstance, not choice, so family has always been more than just blood relations. It's about those people in your life that are always there, in good times and bad. To Tony and Vicki Hansen: you mean more to me than words can ever express. Thank you for your unwavering support, your love and generosity, and the beautiful gift of godmotherhood. To Andrew—here tonight—and Kate, and Ashlea and Tim; and their children, Lennox, Huxley, Buddy and my youngest goddaughter, Scout: I'm so proud of all of you and so grateful to call you family. Scout, I can't wait to see your journey in life. Art, sport—whatever you decide—the world is yours.

During the campaign, I lost my beloved aunt Valerie, who died suddenly in her home on her 85th birthday. She was due to fly down to be part of the last week of the campaign. It is still hard to process this loss. My aunt was a larger-than-life individual, never truly bound by societal expectations. She was a traveller, artist, gourmet home chef, linguist, raconteur and armchair political commentator. I can only hope to be as bold and brave as her. I know she's with her beloved husband—oh, wise one, Uncle Barry—willing me on in this challenge to question the status quo and never—never—take no for an answer.

My beautiful mum, Aileen, we lost to pancreatic cancer almost 12 years ago. You never get over the loss of a parent, and it's hard to reconcile the passage of time with the memories that are so near. My mother was a woman ahead of her time. She had incredible strength and determination and a deep belief in fairness and justice. In another age, she would have been a member of parliament and a fierce one at that. I intend to bring her fierceness to this place to honour her memory.

Finally, to my dad, Ron, my man of resolve: you are my hero and my north star. You made huge sacrifices in your life so I didn't have to make them in mine. I'm so proud of you. From poor beginnings, you have made such a rich life—customs officer, tug master, entrepreneur, farmer, motor home manufacturer and, above all, a man of honour, a man everyone should have as a mate and a best friend. I'm so pleased that you have found Maree and are trying to live your best life despite the fragility that hard work and age brings. Thank you for all you do and for your patience with me.

As I wind up my commentary here today, I say this to the people of the Lyne electorate and to all Australians. I intend to honour your faith, courage and determination to live your best lives by putting service to you before self. I can't promise you the world you deserve, but I will guarantee I'll have a go at delivering it. With that, let's get cracking.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I call the honourable member for McPherson, I remind the House that this is the honourable member's first speech. I ask the House to extend to him the usual courtesies.

Leon Rebello (McPherson, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is with deep humility and immense pride that I rise to deliver my first speech in this House as the newly elected member for McPherson. Not long ago I sat in this chamber not as a participant in debate but as a parliamentary attendant, a silent observer to the great conversations that shape our nation. I listened, I learned and I grew in my resolve to one day add my voice to the legacy of our national story. Today, that day has come, and I rise with gratitude to my community, with reverence for this institution and our great democracy and with a commitment to serve with integrity, energy and purpose.

My presence here today is a testament to our national character—that someone who once sorted mail in the basement of this very building can ascend from humble beginnings to define the future of our nation as a member of parliament. I am proud to be the first to make this journey, but I sincerely hope I'm not the last. Ours is a country where opportunities can be seized, through hard work, perseverance and belief in the value of public service, and where every voice, regardless of where it begins, can contribute to the great tapestry of our shared Australian journey. I will always come to this place as a place of service—to the people of McPherson, to my state of Queensland and to my country.

I feel blessed that I had a remarkable childhood. I benefited from a world-class education, a multicultural family that embraced a global perspective, the freedom to practise my faith freely, and the love and support of a strong family unit. My father is a tradie, an electrician and refrigeration mechanic. My mother is a dedicated public servant, still working in the service of her country to this day. To get ahead they worked second jobs, took risks to invest in property and small business and never questioned their obligation to stand on their own two feet. Weekends weren't for rest. They were for renovating houses for extra money and printing tickets for milk bottle deliveries as part of our family business. We were optimistic, not because we had wealth but because we believed in effort. And when our hard work paid off we felt pride in having earned the rewards. Together we supported one other as much as we relied upon one another. We were a family.

My upbringing was a traditional middle-class Australian story. It was grounded in values of personal responsibility, self-determination and respect for the institutions on which Australia was built. As migrants, my parents never let a day pass without reminding me to hold a deep and profound gratitude for all that Australia made possible. I stand in this place because of their quiet patriotism and because they raised me to believe in Australia and in her promise, and that service in her name is a tremendous calling. It is no wonder these values took me to the Liberal Party here in the ACT and the Liberal National Party in the great state of Queensland.

I joined the Liberal Party because I was taught to believe in personal responsibility—that if you drop something you pick it up, and if you want something you work for it. And yes, I may not be a stereotypical Liberal, but I am a Liberal—proudly, unapologetically. I'm a Liberal because I trust Australians to make decisions for themselves and I believe that the role of government is to lift people up, not lock them in. I'm a Liberal because I believe in limited government, not out of a desire for less but because I believe Australians are capable of far more. And I'm a Liberal because I believe in giving Australians a stake in the economy through free enterprise and home ownership and that this is more important than giving them a stake in the government.

We are a party that has stood for what's decent, what's compassionate and, more often than not, what's grounded in common sense. My start in life was available to me as the beneficiary of an Australia that my parents came here for—an Australia where one's fortune was the result of their determination and contribution, an Australia that understood that aspiration, not entitlement, was the foundation for progress. But that Australia is becoming harder to recognise. Across this country, among men and women, young and old, there's a growing sense of disempowerment. Too many Australians feel discouraged to dream, strive and achieve. I stand here today for them, and because I fear we are losing our way. We have drifted from celebrating self-reliance to being conditioned to expect government to step in, not just in times of crisis but in place of personal initiative.

Our national psyche has evolved, whereby the instinct to prepare for a rainy day is dulled by an expectation of government intervention. This mindset has not just taken hold in our community; it has infected government itself, where short-term spending too often replaces long-term discipline. And we have fallen in love with regulation that is punitive to the many, instead of making an example of the few who set out to do the wrong thing.

In our desire to shield Australians from hardship, we are wrapping the population in cotton and, in doing so, we are stifling our national spirit. We risk being slowly pulled into the quicksand of bureaucracy, overreach and ideologically driven agendas that forget that it is the individual that is at the heart of our democracy. The result in my electorate is a housing crisis, where young Australians are now unable to afford a home, and, even worse, everyday working people are less able to afford rent and essentials.

I come to this place to reignite the traditional role of government as an enabler instead of a provider, and I seek to reinforce the role of the Australian parliament as future focused, placing Australia and her people foremost in every decision we make. In my time in this place, it is my duty and privilege to represent the people of McPherson, to share with this place their thoughts and their values and to work hard to ensure that they get the attention of government when they need it. Equally important, I'm committed to crafting a future Australia that they can take pride in. I'll contribute to the domestic and international agendas that will define our nation's path forward, ensuring our future is a positive evolution built upon the foundation of our past. I'll seek to address new-world challenges without weakening our old-world values.

The greatest reforms we will achieve in this place will not be coupled with great expense. They'll not be marked by grand monuments; nor will they burden the public with costs of creation and upkeep. The greatest reforms will be those that redefine how we conduct ourselves as Australians, both as individuals and as a nation. We are navigating a national identity crisis, and it's imperative that we restore a deep sense of purpose. We must reignite our national spirit, set the bounds for our shared identity and rediscover our values and basic common sense.

In his farewell address, President Reagan put the question to Americans: 'Are we doing a good enough job of teaching our children what America is and what she represents in the long history of the world?' I ask the same of us here in Australia. We must reignite an unambivalent appreciation of Australia and the Western values that form the foundation of our nation. This will give us the resolve and the capacity to confront the pressing challenges that demand urgent attention.

We face a population surge fuelled by a reckless immigration profile, one that no longer reflects the careful planning or national interest that critically underpinned our migration success story. In allowing this, we risk diminishing both the privilege of coming to Australia and the cohesion that has long made our multicultural society a strength, not a strain. The desire to come to Australia, while admirable, should not be the sole qualification. It is the willingness to contribute to Australia that must be the true test. Having studied in Europe, I've witnessed the social and economic pressures that arise when migration is poorly managed: rising social tensions, buckling infrastructure, divided communities. These are no longer abstract policy debates; they are lived realities overseas. We would do well to heed these warnings.

At the same time, our education standards are falling, with too many young Australians leaving school not only lacking the skills to succeed but also uncertain of who we are as a nation. There is a growing detachment from our history, our democratic institutions and our values. A generation is emerging that is less proud of Australia and has little understanding of how fragile yet precious our democracy truly is—that it must be understood, defended and never taken for granted. This is not just an academic concern; it's a national one. Civic education has been neglected for too long, and it must be installed at the heart of our national curriculum, to teach young Australians why pride in Australia is justified.

Our welfare system, once a vital safety net for those in genuine need, has ballooned into something broader and, in many cases, far less targeted. Too often support is now distributed based on identity rather than circumstance. Compassion should not be measured by how much we spend but by how effectively we lift people out of hardship. A welfare system that is sustainable, fair and focused on need will always do more to empower Australians than one built on division or ideology.

Governments don't create wealth; businesses do. When my father lost his job shortly after arriving in Australia, he sought to rebuild by starting an electrical business much like the one he had successfully run overseas. Yet, when he approached a government department for advice, he was told that assistance would only be available if he first went on welfare. That experience speaks volumes about a system that too often disincentivises initiative. If we are serious about national prosperity, we must do more to encourage enterprise, not hinder it. It is the resilience of small business that underpins our economic strength and employment opportunities. But Australia is now losing too many of them to countries with more favourable economic conditions. This quiet exodus of ambition and ability cannot continue. If we are to grow our economy and secure our future, we must foster a climate that rewards effort, investment and innovation. That means undertaking a serious internal review of our tax system and industrial relations policies, ensuring they're competitive and encourage productivity.

As the youngest member of the federal coalition, I am acutely aware that I am viewed as a representative of my generation. And, as a millennial, I cannot in good conscience avoid the issue of our national debt. When I look at the way government has treated the national accounts, it leaves me with deep concerns about the message we are sending and the culture we're creating. We have created a culture of expedience—one that justifies present comfort at the expense of future Australians—and we act as though we bear no responsibility for the weight of this burden on generations to come. This approach cannot be sustained. It underpins the ongoing degradation of personal responsibility and retires the obligation to leave things better than we found them. We can spend our time assigning blame and pointing fingers at different governments or we can acknowledge that this is a fresh parliament and, with it, a fresh opportunity—an opportunity to restore strong fiscal management where government practises the same self-control that we expect of the people we govern.

We must ensure Australia remains an attractive and competitive destination for investment, because investment means jobs, innovation and national prosperity. To achieve this, we must commit to reducing the burden of unnecessary regulation and red tape that too often stifles opportunity before it begins. As a foreign investment lawyer, I have seen firsthand how Australia is fast becoming a less attractive investment destination. Investors are deterred not by our values or by our people but by a system weighed down by complexity, delay and uncertainty. If we are to secure long-term economic growth, we must restore confidence by creating an environment that rewards enterprise and welcomes investment that is in the national interest.

As an island nation, our geography has long served us as a strategic advantage, but in the decades ahead, our location at the heart of an increasingly volatile Indo-Pacific region will present complex and testing challenges. It is already clear that these challenges are emerging not only in a military context but also through persistent and covert attempts to weaken our values and fracture our unity. Meeting them will require foresight, resolve and deliberate strategic planning.

The men and women of the Australian Defence Force represent the height of our national character, but admiration alone is not enough. We must be honest about the resourcing constraints they face and respond accordingly. Australia must invest in building a strong, sovereign defence capability—one that's equipped, modern and ready to defend our national interest. But national interest begins not just with hardware but with heart. This is why it's so important that young Australians grow up with a sense of pride in their country, because a generation that understands what is worth defending will be prepared to stand for it.

In a time of growing uncertainty in the international order, we should seize the strategic and diplomatic advantages of our trusted allies and, importantly, our membership of the Commonwealth. The defence of our nation is not limited to military defence; it's also defence of our interests. I am a firm believer in diversifying our import and export markets so we don't rely on any one country and expose ourselves to being held ransom by adversaries. Australia must support the expansion of our domestic manufacturing sector in line with our strategic and comparative advantage.

Housing must not be understood simply as a challenge of the moment but as a generational issue that demands a generational solution. Yes, we must urgently increase supply and deregulate the building industry, but we cannot stop there. We need to pursue a bold, long-term vision for Australia's future—one that thinks beyond the next election cycle and asks what this country should look like in 2100. My city of the Gold Coast remains the only new sizeable built city that was built since the Second World War in Australia. That fact alone should prompt serious national reflection. We must be prepared to plan and build new cities, invest in infrastructure that improves national connectivity and create the conditions for growth, including tax settings that attract long-term capital and drive investment. This is not just about housing affordability; it's about ambition. Too many Australians feel they must leave our cities or our shores to realise their potential. Our task is to make sure they don't have to.

I'm very aware of the distinguished political lineage of my seat. In his maiden speech, the first member for McPherson and former Australian prime minister Sir Arthur Fadden remarked:

We should be cautious in our decisions, because upon them the final outcome may depend—the making or unmaking of Australia as a nation.

So I say to my parliamentary colleagues, particularly those in my party at a time of national rebuild, let's be bold; let's be visionary. Let's bring forth our very own era of national renewal, anchored in the issues that matter to those we represent. We walk in the footsteps of the generation that saved the world—men and women who fought, served and sacrificed for the freedoms we now inherit. As Sir Paul Hasluck reminded us, we must 'make the most of the chance of politics'. That chance is now ours, and we must meet it with conviction, clarity and courage.

My journey to this chamber would not have been possible without the unwavering support of my campaign family, many of whom are in the gallery tonight and watching from around the world. I am profoundly grateful and forever indebted. We truly were a grassroots movement on the Gold Coast, and I thank every volunteer and supporter for their tireless dedication to our cause and to me personally. It is a truly humbling experience to see the support that each person gave me. I thank the Liberal National Party of Queensland and its members for electing me as their candidate for the seat of McPherson, my campaign committee and my parliamentary colleagues, particularly those who visited me during the campaign.

I thank those who contributed to my journey, many of whom join us here today. To my former colleagues, from my early days as a parliamentary attendant and from my time at King & Wood Mallesons and those that I had the privilege of working with in this building, including under the guidance of my now colleague the member for Fisher and former foreign minister the Hon. Julie Bishop: thank you all for your mentorship and friendship. I thank my teachers and lecturers, whose influence has stayed with me beyond the classroom, and my broader family and friends for their love and support. I thank my staff. I hope this role will inspire us to perform at our very best, always keeping in mind that our foremost duty is to serve our community and our country in all that we do.

As the great president Bartlet asked in The West Wing: Do you have a friend? Are they your best friend? Are they smarter than you? And would you trust them with your life? Because that's your chief counsel. I'm fortunate to have a few chief counsel—Trent Belling, Troy Maloney and Jarrod Lomas—all here today. Trent, for your sharp political mind, sense of humour and for backing me every step of the way; Troy, for your warm friendship and your loyalty; and Jarrod, for being a sounding board that keeps me grounded whether or not I like it: thank you. I wish to make a special acknowledgement of my mentor, the Hon. Dr Brett Mason.

As a distinguished former prime minister once said, 'You win the lottery of life when you're born in Australia.' I'm grateful for having won two lotteries in life: being born to this great nation and being born to my parents. To my mum and to my dad, who are here today: thank you for everything.

My story is the Gold Coast story, and the Gold Coast story is the Australian story—people who have made something from nothing. McPherson is a microcosm of what we need to see more of—people who are willing to take risks, back their ingenuity, contribute to their local community and create a life limited only by their own imagination. It's a uniquely entrepreneurial city that was built on small business and innovation. Tradies, professionals, small-business owners and digital nomads who can work anywhere in the world choose McPherson as a base because it offers them a unique lifestyle and an unmatched natural environment to live, work and raise a family. Their belief in themselves and their willingness to stand on their own two feet are the modern representation of the Australian spirit we need to capture.

So it is only right that my final thanks go to the people of McPherson, without whom nothing here would be possible and everything here would be pointless. For placing their trust and their hopes in me, I will never take the southern Gold Coast for granted, and each day I will work with determination to ensure your voice is heard in our national parliament. It is the greatest honour of my life to be elected as the federal member of McPherson. I am the 1,268th person to be elected to this chamber since Federation.

I love this country with every fibre of my being. I love it for what it has given my family, for the values it holds dear and for the promise it still carries in the hearts of the quiet Australians. Australia is not just a place on a map; it's an idea, a spirit and a shared story. Though we face great challenges ahead, I have never been more confident in the capacity of our people. The task before us is not to manage decline but to shape destiny and to invest in a future where effort is rewarded, freedom is protected and opportunity is not the privilege of the few but the inheritance of all. With conviction, gratitude and hope, I stand here ready to do my part.

I thank the House.

Debate adjourned.