G’day John,
Well, we made it. Another year done and dusted. Canberra has been a circus. Some days I reckon the Senate has more plot twists than Home and Away. Between the election, the shifting Senate numbers and a few surprises on the health front, it has been a huge year. But we have hung in there and pushed through, and I want to finish it by saying thank you for sticking with us.
Being re-elected this year meant the world to me. I do not take that trust lightly, not for a second. Even while I have been off dealing with my spine and doing the rehab the doctors finally convinced me to do, my amazing little team has kept things moving in Canberra and back home in Tassie, so nobody gets left behind. I will be back in the new year, better than ever, sharper than ever and ready to get stuck straight back in.
Christmas means different things for different people. For some it’s loud families, dodgy bonbons and a feed big enough to knock you out on the couch by three in the afternoon. For others it’s a tough time that brings up a lot of memories. And of course, there’s plenty of Aussies working straight through the holidays, in hospitals, the ADF, our ambos, firies, cops and hospitality workers. If that’s you, thank you. The country does not run without you.
Wherever you are this Christmas, I hope you get at least a moment to breathe. A cuppa with someone you love. A laugh that comes out of nowhere. Something small that reminds you, there’s still good in the world.
If you’re on the roads, please take it easy. Every year we lose people who were just trying to get home for a feed with the family.
Looking back on the year, we have had some wins and we have a lot of unfinished business. Veterans welfare, cost of living pressures and transparency in government do not fix themselves. And when the government tried watering down Freedom of Information laws this year, you can bet I called it out. Sunlight matters. Accountability matters. That will not change just because the crossbench does not hold the balance of power right now. If anything, it makes the job even more important.
My tiny team and I will be back into it first thing in the new year, sleeves rolled up. If you want to keep track of the work we are taking forward or find ways to support the projects we are running, you can check that out on the website.
For now, switch off. Enjoy the break, if you can. Hold your loved ones close. Have a safe and happy Christmas and I see you in the new year, ready to go at full steam.
