Federal Member for Macquarie Susan Templeman has successfully nominated the Speaker for the 47th Parliament of Australia.
The first sitting of the new Parliament took place on Tuesday, July 26, where Members and Senators were greeted with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony before proceedings began in the House.
Ms Templeman became the first MP to make a speech in the House of Representatives for the 47th Parliament when she nominated Member for Oxley, Milton Dick, as the new Speaker of the House.
“I was privileged to nominate Milton, who arrived in Parliament the same year as I did in 2016,” Ms Templeman said outside the chamber.
“He is thoughtful, reasonable and listens carefully. He speaks with care, warmth and authority, and is a generous soul – an attribute sorely needed in that position.”
As is traditional, Ms Templeman and seconder, Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters, “dragged” Mr Dick to the chair after he accepted the nomination and was elected Speaker in a secret ballot.
“Speakers are supposed to be dragged to the chair due to fear. It’s a tradition I understand, and I’m feeling quite a bit of fear right now,’” Mr Dick told the House in his first speech in the new role.
“But when you are dragged to the chair by people the calibre of the Member for Macquarie and the Member for Bendigo, two of the strongest women I’ve met in my life, fear is the last thing that I think of when I think of them.
“The Member for Macquarie is a woman of warmth, strength, resilience and integrity, particularly today, the strength she’s shown for nominating me here today … I don’t just thank them for nominating me here today with their words, I thank them for their friendship, kindness and belief in me.”
Legislation to be introduced in the first fortnight of the new Parliament includes the government’s Climate Change Bill 2022 and the Fair Work Amendment (Paid Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Bill 2022. The legislation enshrines Australia’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030 - and net zero by 2050 - into law, and gives workers access 10 days of paid family and domestic violence leave respectively, Ms Templeman said.
“We’ll be using the first sitting fortnight of the new Parliament to introduce 18 pieces of legislation, including taking important steps towards fixing aged care, tackling climate change, and address the challenges of our economy,” Ms Templeman said.
