Wednesday, 21 September 2022

Mr Elasmar

Valedictory statement

The PRESIDENT (19:54): Firstly, I wish to acknowledge the owners of the land and pay my respect to the elders past, present and emerging.

My fellow parliamentary colleagues and friends, I believe I am the last to give a valedictory speech, and I am pleased you have stayed to hear it. Born in Lebanon and coming from a teaching and academic background, I migrated to Australia at 20 years of age. It was very difficult leaving my country, but with enthusiasm I came to my new home, Australia. I was to face many challenges, but with much hope and hard work I persevered and overcame many obstacles, chasing my dream to become a member of Parliament as I believed I could make a positive difference and contribution. In 2006 I was endorsed by the Australian Labor Party and had the wonderful opportunity to enter Parliament, elected to represent the Northern Metropolitan Region. I thank the party for the trust given to me to serve in the Legislative Council and to advance our Labor values. I also thank those in my electorate for their vote and trust in me.

During my parliamentary career I encountered so many wonderful, talented and accomplished people—too many to mention. I have been incredibly privileged and proud to assist my constituents and to hear their stories, their concerns and about their struggles. My door was always open. There is no greater honour in my view, no greater responsibility or greater undertaking in our democracy, than to be entrusted by our fellow constituents with the duty to represent them and the opportunity to contribute to legislation that protects their needs, serves their interests and shapes our great state.

I pay tribute to many communities and advocates in the Northern Metropolitan Region that I have had the great pleasure of working with and supporting over the last 16 years. This includes health, social justice, schools, sport, disability, ethnic groups, local government, women’s groups, environment, arts, LGBTQI, RSLs and Indigenous organisations—and particularly the many volunteers for their tireless work and input. They are to be commended. A dedicated local member needs to listen, work hard and fight hard to get results. A local member also needs to treat everyone decently and with much respect. I take pleasure in knowing the lives of many people in my electorate have changed for the better, and this gives me great fulfilment.

The last 16 years have been incredibly rewarding and enriching years to be part of, and it has been gratifying to experience progressive reform, good policy and the changes that have been achieved so far. We face and deal with enormous issues, demands and expectations, and the implication of our decisions can be daunting—such as in the recent pandemic, especially when it was at its height. I cannot begin to tell you how at times matters that looked simple could become amplified and exaggerated.

We empower Parliament to work efficiently. We seek or are given advice. Most importantly we implement our best in order to ensure that we are transparent and clear—and then move forward. This is what we do. I was guided—guided and judged—but I believe I was guided with the best of my abilities, which was the best of my judgement, wisdom and integrity, and I sincerely believe this made me the man I am humbled to be today.

I particularly wish to acknowledge and thank my loyal electorate office staff: Alison Donohue, who has been with me from the beginning; Ana Sarakinis and Arcade Collins, who have supported me endlessly; as well as my past staffers Hannah, Lea, Stephanie, Daniel and Jonathan.

In my current role as President of the Victorian Legislative Council I wish to thank the Premier, the Honourable Daniel Andrews, and the caucus for endorsing me. I wish to thank the Leader of the Government for nominating me. I wish to thank you all for electing me. At the time you may recall I stated I would do my utmost to protect the integrity of Parliament, as the Parliament is for the people and we are here to represent this great state, and if I had not, I would have betrayed the integrity of Parliament, my colleagues and most importantly myself. I believe I did the best with what I had. There is plenty of criticism that parliamentarians attract, but I will leave as a great advocate of our profession, of the demands on all our lives and for the importance of good government and the importance of the institution of the Parliament.

I wish to acknowledge and thank my former and current staff in the President’s office, Jody Milburn and Christina Smith, and also I would like to thank Lex, who makes sure I am always on time. As well my thanks go to the Deputy President and acting presidents; to all of you, my colleagues; and to the amazing clerks and parliamentary staff as well as department staff. Their unwavering commitment, guidance, loyalty and patience were always appreciated. It goes without saying that the quality and integrity of the people who fill these positions are absolutely vital to the respectable progress of this Parliament—a difficult and valued job. Well done.

I therefore will leave Parliament proud, honoured and humbled to the very end, and I truly hope that I fulfilled my duties. I hope and believe that my work ethic, duty of devotion and integrity not only to my constituency but also to the Parliament never faltered. I believe I am wiser, feel rewarded and see things differently, though I wish at times they could have been different. I cannot adequately find the words to convey to you the sense of the feeling of independence, and I sincerely thank you all individually very much indeed.

I wish to also sincerely thank my Lebanese community, who have been my rock. Their belief in me, their spirit and their support never faltered, and I hope I have done them proud. I look forward to the next generation of my community being involved in politics and better contributing to the Victorian way of life.

I am leaving with sadness but with renewed enthusiasm. I look forward to better days ahead. I will take with me many eventful, amusing and funny memories.

To my late parents—and I know you are watching from above, with my two brothers—you taught us with God’s blessing to be proud, to be loyal and to be honourable, and for that I say thank you. To my brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, cousins, in-laws and friends, I thank you all for your ongoing support and faith in me. The blessing in my life, I feel my main achievement, which gives me most happiness and fulfilment, is my family, who are here today: my wife, Heam; my son Riad and his wife, Jodie, and my grandchild, who is probably asleep; my daughter, Adele; and my son Robert. I am a proud husband, a proud father, a proud father-in-law and a proud grandfather. Siobhan always adds a smile to my face. Heam, you have always been who you are, always next to me whispering in my ears—sometimes in English, sometimes in Arabic. To all of you, I have been there most of the time for you, but you have been there all of the time for me, and I thank you.

In the end, it has been a pleasure to work with you all. Thank God, I leave with a life fulfilled and I look forward to my retirement. Before I finish, I promised my family I would say what is written is written. They wanted to know what I meant by it, and I told them, ‘I’ll tell you tonight’. I just want to remind you of my birthday: 16/4/53. What is written is written: 16/4/53. At the age of 53, I entered Parliament—four terms, 16 years. Thank you very much.

Members applauded.