Wicks makes maiden speech
Member for Robertson Ms Lucy Wicks made her maiden speech to the House of Representatives in Canberra on Thursday, December 5.
Ms Wicks began her speech with a reflection on the "magnificent responsibility and privilege" she felt when she entered St Christopher's Cathedral in Canberra for the ecumenical service for the opening of the 44th Parliament of Australia.
"In that moment, and for just a moment, partisan politics was subsumed by tradition and the greater call on each of our lives, articulating our purpose, our history and our hopes for Australia," said Ms Wicks.
She said that not only was Canberra the nation's capital, but also her family's capital.
"I remember listening to my relatives debating current affairs and politics in grandma's lounge room, while arguing as to whose turn it was to make the next cup of tea."
She spoke about being the great-great-granddaughter of a political rebel and missionary and how she hoped to "bring the best of both perspectives: concern for fairness and a desire for a principled approach to public policy debate, with perhaps just the odd, occasional verbal fireball thrown in for good measure".
Ms Wicks paid homage to her electorate and said no suburb was without its unique character and environment.
"Its beauty is breathtaking: Killcare Beach, the sunsets at Niagara Park going over the hill, sunrise on Brisbane Water when the first rays hit the Lady Kendall moored at Gosford; Lisarow's rural acreages, the waves and surf at Avoca Beach, the Peninsula's stunning waterways and its wildlife, and Terrigal's welcoming atmosphere.
"People in Robertson live in the best place in the world.
"But the heartbeat of the Central Coast is its people and their concerns, their hopes and their dreams.
"When you visit Ettalong Beach, or pick up a newspaper at the local newsagents in Kincumber, or shop in Erina, or do business in Umina or catch an early morning train from Gosford Station, you will hear and perhaps even join the conversations that happen every day around Robertson that articulate people's aspirations for our community.
"You will hear a passion to see our city grow and thrive.
"You will be inspired by a determination to tackle the current challenges that we face with the rising cost of living, the lack of local employment opportunities-especially with small businesses doing it tough on the Central Coast at the moment-with one in four young people who want to work unable find employment opportunities locally, and with 30,000 to 40,000 commuters who leave early in the morning to Sydney or Newcastle and return home late at night because their job opportunities take them away from their families.
"You will hear in these conversations that these challenges do not have to be permanent markers of life on the Central Coast.
"It is the dreams, the aspirations and the ambitions of people living in Robertson that have become my own.
"My commitment to them is to fight, with every fibre of my being, for a future where more choice and more opportunity abound.
"I look forward to the day when Coasties no longer have to leave for Sydney or Newcastle or anywhere else in the world to find the sort of economic, career, educational or other advancement opportunities they may want, because they will find them here: in Gosford, in Woy Woy, in West Gosford, in Erina and in Somersby," she said.
Ms Wicks said she was proud to join parliament as a representative of the Liberal Party, "a party that has always championed reward for hard work and effort, respect for individual enterprise, concern for families and a belief in a better future for all".
"After all, if a 15-year-old schoolgirl in Narara who aspired to represent her local community as the Member for Robertson one day can achieve her dream, all of us can.
"So now, Madam Speaker, may my dream be to achieve my electorate's dreams."
Ms Wicks went on to thank her campaign manager, deputy campaign manager, the local Liberal Party conference, former Liberal member for Robertson Mr Jim Lloyd, the many volunteers that supported her throughout her campaign, the 150 people in the gallery, the team at Liberal Party CHQ and former Prime Minister Mr John Howard, among others.
Website, 5 Dec 2013
Parliament of Australia