Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 19 July 1970, Avril Briggs had just turned 17. Her mother and father were heading to the harbour to see a Royal Navy ship called HMS Ulster. Avril decided that she would go with them. Little did she know that this decision would change her life forever. On the ship was this cocky Yorkshire sailor named Colin, who asked Avril out that night. Avril was absolutely horrified at the thought. Avril's nanny had told her that she would probably come home with a sailor, to which she replied: 'I wouldn't have a sailor if he was wrapped up in five-pound notes.' After he asked three times, Avril finally agreed to go out that night in a group. After the night out had come to an end, the full group went back to Avril's house for a late-night supper with her parents. When it was time for Colin and his friends to leave, they promised to write to each other. Colin admits that he was not a great writer but was determined to keep in touch with the special girl he had just met.

Avril and Colin kept up the letters and, in November that year, Avril decided to join the navy. She wanted to join as a nurse but was not old enough, so she decided to be a radar plotter, without any idea of what it meant other than a posting to Portsmouth, where Colin was based. After joining the Women's Royal Naval Service in November and going through the first four-week training and induction program, Avril was finally allowed to go into the nearest town to see Colin, hoping like nothing else that they still liked each other, as it was only the second time they had actually seen each other. They would spend only a short time together, as Avril was only allowed off the base for a few hours in the afternoon. It was then that Colin asked if Avril would come and stay with his parents for New Year's in Halifax. While incredibly nervous, Avril said yes.

Avril met the Greefs, who were incredibly kind to her; Colin's mum even remarked, 'That's the sort of girl I wish you would marry.' Little did she know that by then Colin had already proposed, even though they had only met up the three times. Constantly trying to meet up while they were both in the navy was hard. The men were not allowed into the women's quarters and vice versa. They had to use public transport and didn't get a lot of time. The outcome was that they had to go to a pub every time they wanted to meet. It was very costly, and it was always full of other sailors who knew them both.

Avril and Colin had planned on getting married in 1972, but, when Colin was suddenly told he was being posted, they decided to get married before he left. At short notice, they decided Christmas Eve of 1971 would be their wedding day. Only years later, when Avril was organising a Christmas lunch, did she realise how inconvenient that was for their family and friends. The total bill for the reception came to 41 pounds—not bad for dinner and wine for 43 guests. The entire thing finished by about 5 pm, and, having no money for a honeymoon, they all went to the pub, where Avril had great delight in telling anyone who would listen that she was now Mrs Greef.

One of the first things Colin learned about Avril when they moved in together was her great cooking skills. Though he was very nervous when she first bought a chicken to roast, as he didn't think she knew what she was doing, it turned out she did and he was lucky to find a wife who was such a great cook. I can personally say that Colin's fear was misplaced that day, as my wife and I are lucky enough to have experienced Avril's incredible cooking skills.

The Greefs came to Australia in the 1970s as a young couple with two young children, two wooden crates of personal belongings and only about $500 to their names. Colin and Avril have built an incredible life together. They've had two girls, Kelley and Shan, and four grandchildren. As for most, life has had its fair share of ups and downs, but they've done it together. While at times they might've wanted to throttle each other—especially with the constant tension of Colin being a neat-freak and Avril definitely not—they've worked on their marriage, they've faced challenges together and they are a great example for family and friends around them.

One of the stories that encapsulate the type of people Colin and Avril are is the way they choose to spend their wedding anniversary each year. Unlike most couples, who might get dressed up and head out for a nice dinner together to celebrate the past year, Colin and Avril choose to spend their time giving to others. Colin puts on his Santa suit and Avril dresses as Mrs Claus and together they head out to the houses of family and friends, gifts in hand, and do their absolute best to spread Christmas cheer to children all around Canberra.

To Colin and Avril, there is nothing more important in their world than their family and friends. They've always put the needs of others before their own. Colin spends a considerable amount of time volunteering, helping with defence veterans' groups and at the local police station and bringing music and joy to disadvantaged children. Avril, every single day, does little thankless tasks for her family and friends to make their days just that bit better, including making the most incredible quilts, while continuing her work as a nurse, even after trying to retire on a number of occasions now. They are kind; they are loving; they are selfless. The world needs more people like Colin and Avril.

This Christmas Eve, Colin and Avril will again suit up and head out with their gifts. Their family and friends will enjoy watching their children take photos with Santa. But this year will be different. I share this story, today, of Avril and Colin, because this year it will be Colin and Avril's 50th wedding anniversary—something that deserves special acknowledgement. Congratulations to you both on what is an incredible milestone. You continually bless the lives of those who know you.

On a less happy matter, the ACT Labor-Greens government are now one step closer to passing a bill in the ACT assembly that removes criminal penalties in relation to hard drugs like cocaine, heroin and ice in our city. While it's true that this extreme Labor-Greens government have had some wacky policies in the past, this must take the cake. I simply can't believe that this is the path they want to go down.

These drugs ruin not only the lives of those who take them but also the lives of their families, our frontline workers and many innocent bystanders who find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw recently stated, when asked about these laws:

… being law enforcement officers, we see the carnage that cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine does. It just doesn't make sense that you'd want to legalise that.

He went on to say:

It's going to mean that organised crime will want to target this community in particular because they can move their product quite easily. It just makes it more difficult for us to combat the rise of cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin use. They're not recreational drugs.

With police already overrun because of the Labor-Greens government's refusal to implement anticonsorting laws, making Canberra a hotspot for bikie gangs, this is the last thing that our city needs. While we might stand in this place and feel disconnected from the happenings in the ACT Legislative Assembly, these are the same policies held by the federal Greens. They have no shame in pointing out that, if they form an alliance with the ALP after the next election, they will be pushing their policies. hese are the kinds of dangerous, extreme policies we can expect of a Labor-Greens government. They want to halve defence spending in this country—that's what the Greens want to do—leaving this country vulnerable to outside threats, not to mention cutting thousands of jobs here in the ACT. It is estimated that this one Greens policy would result in the loss of 13,000 jobs here in Canberra in both the public and the private sector for those who work hard to support our troops and our defence efforts.

The Labor-Greens policy in the assembly, which after that committee report seems to be coming closer to fruition, is to decriminalise some of these hard drugs like ice, heroin and cocaine, and to cut defence spending. We're seeing at an ACT level what a Labor-Greens government looks like. Adam Bandt has made it very clear that if they hold the balance of power after the next election, and there is a Labor government, they will be asking a price of the Labor Party to form government with them, and these are some of the extreme policies they have on the table—the decriminalisation of hard drugs like ice and halving our defence budget. That would be devastating at a national level, but here in the ACT, where we're already starting to see those types of policies, we would see the devastating effects of these drugs policies and of those policies that would cut thousands of jobs here in the ACT.