Page 347 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 12 February 2013
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With respect to my deputy, Alistair Coe, I could ask for no better deputy. Everybody recognises his talents. His performance in the electorate of Ginninderra has been truly remarkable. Alistair has captured the imagination of the people of Ginninderra, and represented them like no other. If you are looking for a definition of a good local member in a dictionary, it is Alistair Coe. But his talents go far beyond that. When he was appointed as shadow minister for TAMS, I think Jon Stanhope was licking his lips. By the end of the previous term, Jon Stanhope had left this place, and I think he, with everybody else, understood the talents, the abilities and capabilities of Alistair Coe. I could wish for no better person as my deputy. I note that that was acknowledged in the editorial of the Canberra Times today, which was refreshing.
With respect to the team that I have, Madam Speaker, I wish I did have you on my frontbench. The reality is that it is important that you are not, and we have been through those issues. The work that you did as the shadow minister in looking after care and protection, and the issues that were covered there, and the enormous work that you went through as shadow attorney-general, earned you tremendous respect, and I will miss you on my frontbench.
With respect to Steve Doszpot, a friend of mine and an elder statesman of the party, there is no more empathetic figure than Steve Doszpot. I refer to the work that you did for people with disabilities that went under the radar during the last term. There was no political hoo-hah, there were no press releases or trying to make ground out of it. You did it, and you worked for the people because it was the right thing to do. By doing that you have earned tremendous respect, not just from me and my colleagues but from the people of Canberra and the community. I refer also to the work that you did in education. There were murmurings that you were getting a little close to the Australian Education Union, but it is a reflection of the fact that you represented the public school system and the independent school system without favour and you were a champion of both. That is important, and well done.
Giulia Jones, one of the newer members of the team, is a true Liberal woman. She represents the face of Liberal women—strong and capable. I know how capable, because when you are in the Hare-Clark system and you are running in the same electorate as someone, when you are running against someone who is strong, capable and effective, you get to know that. Over the last four or five years I have developed enormous respect for Giulia Jones. She does what she does while she has a husband serving in the Army, and at various stages over the last few years in Iraq and Afghanistan, and while she has been looking after four children. That is no small thing, Madam Speaker.
Andrew Wall is here not only because he is capable and talented but because of his work ethic. Most people said that getting the third seat in Brindabella could not be done. It was done, and there are a number of reasons for that, not least the fact that Andrew Wall got out there and did what a good local member does—knocked on doors of houses and earned the trust, respect and admiration of the people of Brindabella. Andrew Wall is what the Liberal Party claims to represent. We are the party that represents small business, and Andrew Wall is a small businessman. He comes from that background; he understands what it is to be struggling, to be earning
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