Page 2292 - Week 07 - Thursday, 27 August 2020
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I have been very pleased to advocate on many issues across this term, including fighting for marriage equality because we were forced by the conservatives to fight to get it done—and we did. We advocated for energy providers to accommodate battery storage, including making distributed battery power available through the grid through virtual power plants. We have advocated to the TGA to act on unjustified discrimination against gay men donating blood and it looks finally the RCBDS and the deferral period will be lowered.
We have ensured that P-platers will not be subject to unfair curfews and we have highlighted the issue of disability employment through the inquiry held by the HACS committee. (Time expired.) I table the rest of my statement, Madam Speaker:
Minister Steel—Conclusion of adjournment debate speech.
MR PARTON (Brindabella) (6.50): I cannot believe we have reached the end of the term. To me, it feels like yesterday that I was in the chamber giving my inaugural speech. It has been such a great honour for me to serve the people of Tuggeranong and the people of Canberra. I have lived the last four years of my life based on the assumption that I am not being re-elected because I think it would be wrong to assume otherwise. As such, this may be the last speech that I deliver in this parliament.
It has been a great privilege. Sometimes I have got to pinch myself—is this really my life? I have enjoyed every single minute of it. I do love the chamber stuff, I have got to say. If you are going to speak in this chamber, I figure you should say something worthwhile that people will remember. If you are going to jump into the pool, you may as well make a splash. Say something that is memorable or do not speak at all. I know my Labor colleague Ms Cody follows the same edict, but not so much Ms Orr or Mr Steel. That is not to say that Ms Orr and Mr Steel have not made a swag of scintillating speeches in this chamber; it is just that I cannot remember any of them.
Madam Speaker, you have no idea how much I want to sit on the other side. I have sat through so many debates in this chamber and mused at, dare I say it, the meaninglessness of the theatrics in this one-house parliament with a crossbench that has only voted with us five per cent of the time. It is clear to me that we are no good to anyone sitting on this side and that the only battle that really counts is the battle for those two extra seats.
I say thanks to my wife, Luisa, my family and my mum, Jacqui. My family and the kelpies help to keep me sane and support me in so many ways. My staff have done some hard yards for me, including the amazing Rob Lovett. I recall on the Saturday morning after I was preselected in 2016 I had breakfast with John Barilaro, George Lemon and Rowan Carter in Manuka, where we sat down to try to plot a way forward. I remember George said to me, “Who’s your campaign manager?” I said, “I don’t know.” I did not have one.
Mr Lovett’s name came up as a hardworking party man who would have run Brendan Smyth’s campaign. I think I had only met the bloke once. We caught up the following day and I installed Rob as my campaign manager. After we secured a seat he became
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