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

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

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

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

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

Senator Farrell interjecting—