DEBATES – Tuesday 1 May 2012

facilities requiring low-level care. In total, only also was a first grade Rugby player at 20% of seniors require some type of University. He was a boxing superstar whilst at institutionalised care at a high or low-level. Oxford University. He is not only smart but physically strong and a supreme athlete. Now, as She argued it is a myth our ageing population we all know, he runs ultramarathons. He has is a burden on society. She argued that seniors been a member of the Fire contribute significantly to our society by working in Service. He has been involved in work such as employment, by caring for their partners or other journalism and business management. He has people, and by volunteering. She was quite been a political advisor and Executive Director of inspirational in her optimism of what seniors can Australians for Constitutional Monarchy. He is contribute to the economy, to our society, and how quite an exceptional human being although you do they are undervalued by society in general. not hear him described as such in many forums throughout . She spoke about the new aged care reform the government introduced a few weeks ago, which I really enjoyed Mrs Bishop, as a colleague of was quickly overshadowed by the Mr Abbott’s, being completely loyal and honouring affair. She said the federal government really him as, potentially, the next Prime Minister of gave no detail of what was involved with that aged Australia. As a Country Liberal member of care package. It was greeted by the stakeholders parliament in the Northern Territory, I will be with a sense of optimism, but, on the surface, it carrying that message with me over the period does not offer much in relief to the cost of aged between now and the next federal election and, care for most people in Australia who may end up hopefully, imparting some of that information in aged care facilities. She said these reforms will about to people who would be not be introduced until 2014, so was quite realistic interested. but optimistic in her view of what seniors can look forward to in the future, particularly with a change Overall, the visit by Mrs Bronwyn Bishop to of government to the . Alice Springs over the weekend was a resounding success. She is very interested in all aspects of She also talked about how the carbon tax will society. She is a mother and a grandmother. She affect all Australians, particularly seniors. Seniors has been to Alice Springs numerous times. She is will be adversely impacted by a carbon tax and, as interested in Aboriginal people. She is interested we discussed earlier this evening in parliament, in not just her portfolios at the moment, but in this is a toxic tax which will only serve to bring business and in the law. She is interested in how hardship to senior Australians. people can get together and resolve issues. She was very interested to hear about the alcohol On Friday night, Mrs Bishop was guest of problems we are encountering in Alice Springs. honour at a dinner I organised. It was the Beehive She was very interested to hear the strategies we and Bow Tie dinner. Over 100 guests were very have in mind to present as alternatives to the enthusiastic about Mrs Bishop’s address. Once Northern Territory government. again, she wooed the crowd with her sensible and well thought out view of the world and how things Madam Deputy Speaker, it was with a great need to change in order for us to really progress sense of pride and honour that I put Mrs Bishop economically and socially in Australia. on the plane on Sunday. She did the markets on Sunday morning, she ran me ragged. She spent One thing which really impressed me was she much money and supported the local economy of spoke very highly of Tony Abbott, Leader of the Alice Springs throughout her visit. She spent up Opposition. She profiled Tony Abbott in a way and was received incredibly well by the people of which I have never heard before and, once again, Alice Springs. In fact, I saw people almost fall gave information which was new to me. I will over trying to ascertain that it really was Bronwyn share some of that information tonight, very Bishop strolling down the Todd Mall on Sunday briefly. morning browsing through the markets. I will always remember the weekend I had with her and Tony Abbott is an extraordinary man. He is look forward to her returning to Alice Springs criticised by different groups and factions within soon. Australia for different reasons, but she presented him as an extraordinary human being, both Mr WOOD (Nelson): Madam Deputy intellectually and physically. She described how Speaker, I will read an article from a magazine he not only has a Bachelor of Economics and Law called Eureka. It is written by a Bishop Greg from Sydney University, but how he then went on O’Kelly, a Jesuit and now the Bishop of Port Pirie. to become a Rhodes Scholar. He studied for a People might know the Catholic Bishop of the Master of Arts, specialising in politics and Darwin Diocese, Bishop Eugene Hurley, was also philosophy at Oxford University, and he has the Bishop of Port Pirie. credentials most people could only dream of. He

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