December 6, 2023
This is the maiden speech to the House of Representatives by the new Liberal member for Dunkley, Chris Crewther.
Hansard transcript of maiden speech by Chris Crewther, Liberal member for Dunkley.
The SPEAKER: Before I call the honourable member for Dunkley, I remind the House that this is the honourable member’s first speech and I ask the House to extend to him the usual courtesies.
When the new House of Representatives meets for the first time on August 30, it will have 39 new members, 26% of the chamber’s 150 members.
The ALP will have 23 new members, the Coalition 15 and the Nick Xenophon Team 1. There are 25 males and 14 females.
The ALP will have 23 new faces, exactly one-third of its 69 MPs. This includes 16 members in seats the ALP won from the Coalition and includes two returning members, Mike Kelly in Eden-Monaro and Steve Georganas in Hindmarsh. The other 7 new members have replaced retiring sitting members.
The Liberal Party will have 11 new members (19.7%), including Julia Banks, the member for Chisholm, who represents the only seat the Coalition took from the ALP in the election. Ted O’Brien regained the seat of Fairfax from the Palmer United Party. Nine other Liberals replace retiring members.