Mr GAFFNEY (Mersey) - Mr President, I acknowledge all the different contributions made by members in this place. It is fascinating to hear where the debate or offerings go and it is really good because we come from a diverse background. It explains and helps the people listening to know that the people representing them here come from a wide range of experiences and backgrounds and all bring to the table something different.

Sometimes, I think, 'I do not want to repeat what has been said before' so I am conscious of that when I make my contribution. As others have done, it is important to say thank you. I thank Her Excellency and congratulate the Honourable Barbara Baker. I thought her learned words opening the Fiftieth Parliament for the first time, her accomplishments as an individual are many, and I extend a warm welcome as she takes on that most important role.

As the member for Murchison spoke about Her Excellency, Kate Warner, we can all say that she did that position proud and while not speaking on behalf of all Tasmanians, all the ones I know held her in the highest regard. She has done an excellent job and has set the standard for those to follow. I congratulate her and wish her the best in her future endeavours.

I congratulate the Government and the new ministers, their achievements during their last term, and I acknowledge the Premier, Peter Gutwein and the former health minister, Sarah Courtney for their role in the pandemic.

It is interesting, whilst being the profile or the face of the government there is a lot of work done behind them and we know that in our roles and positions and acknowledge that as much as we can.

Winning the election - and the Premier's personal vote was quite amazing - was not surprising. The people have spoken. There was a substantial Cabinet reshuffle and I thank the member for Murchison for highlighting that. It is important to put those people in those positions who will be able to make Tasmania a better place. I congratulate the member for her election to the Deputy Leader. Congratulations on that, so well done.

Whilst I acknowledge the successful candidates downstairs - especially the new members - and true, whilst we are two separate Houses with our own responsibilities, we have to remember we are the one parliament. So, at the end of the day, a decision or any bill that comes out of this place is through the parliamentary process. So, whilst we might have disagreements about our role in that - or our review, our purpose or our amendment - at the end of the day we are responsible for the legislative framework and the bills going into the future that will guide our community for many years.

Somebody mentioned the 1860 act yesterday or today and I was quite amused by that, thinking the bills and the acts we introduce here will be spoken about in generations to come.

I also acknowledge Rebecca White for her role as the leader of the opposition. I congratulate David O'Byrne for his current leadership role and also to Shane Broad for putting up his hand for the leadership position and for providing the Labor community with a choice.

I also acknowledge Cassy's huge personal vote for the fifth time to be elected to the lower House. That shows that the people of Tasmania are supportive of those people being in those roles.

I welcome the member for Windermere, Nick, and I have written to him to offer our support, as many of us would, and wished him all the best. I am sure he will enjoy this place and this environment and I am sure he will have a lot to contribute.

Like the member for Murchison, I thought Ivan Dean's contribution to this place and other sectors of government - the police, local government and state government and his passion for foxes - cannot be understated.

Ms Forrest - And smoking.

Mr GAFFNEY - And smoking. Smoking foxes. We all feel a bit sorry he did not have the chance to have his say. I suppose that is politics.

I am pleased to see Mr President back in the chair. Perhaps, a little smaller than this time last year and I am pleased to see that too. I am really pleased that he has been working hard and buying some more suits and that Lee is getting some nice ties.

That was a long list of thankyous and acknowledgements but at the start of a new parliament it is important to take a moment to note the new faces, those departing roles that these individuals have or will play in Tasmania's parliamentary system.

I also congratulate all those who nominated as candidates. It is not an easy thing to make the decision to enter public life - not for you and not for your family - and I respect their efforts in putting themselves forward and undertaking campaigns with decency and determination. Sometimes, it might take a number of attempts to generate a profile and so I would say never give up. Do not be discouraged from future roles if you believe you have something to offer your community and your state.

I acknowledge Janie Finlay's persistence in the lower House, in what she has done. She will do well for this state because she is a passionate and talented young lady.

The recent election was fascinating and perhaps closer than some commentators had predicted.

Mr President, from the moment the day it was announced, this in itself, coming as a shock to many - yourself included - the campaigns of the major parties were somewhat interrupted to say the least by a number of high-profile resignations. From the earliest days to the completion of the election politics can be a colourful business at times.

I must make comment: there are a number of members with local government experience and profile. I am one of those and sometimes I do get a bit concerned that people say oh, they have come from a local government background. All those who have come from local government background - most of them - have had careers in other places. I did so myself as a teacher. I was not a career politician, I was not a local government career person, I just happened to be a mayor for a number of years. That gives you a profile. That is why, when we sit in this place, there are a number who have local government experience. I believe that to be an asset, because it is the way of procedures, processes and knowledge of your community. That is an important thing. I do not think it has to be done that way, I think other people come from a whole range. I would like to just put on record that I think those who have come through the government process are also connected in other areas.

Ms Armitage - I agree. I do not believe it has ever been a negative, it has always been a positive, a huge network we have gathered along the journey because of our involvement with local government.

Mr PRESIDENT - It is also worth pointing out this Chamber has been called a retirement home for old mayors, but I think the other place now has more former mayors than this place.

Mr Valentine - Something to remember.

Mr PRESIDENT - Something about stones and glass houses.

Mr GAFFNEY - It has changed. When I came here 12 years ago the face of this place - and it has changed for the better. For me, I find this to be a more workable environment. That is not saying anything against past members, but is more reflective of our community, with more gender equity and different age groups, even though we have one still to yet have his jab. I hope they have a really big needle.

Can I make the commitment here today to serve those who live, work and play in the beautiful Mersey region and the north-west coast of Tasmania in general, to the best of my ability for the next six years and perhaps beyond?

When I was preparing this contribution, I returned to the speech I had previously made at the commencement of parliament. I was not surprised to find a lengthy passage that rings true for me today as it did in 2014. Some points of note were: I believe the primary challenge for this Government is to govern for all Tasmanians, to reflect the ideals of the majority and support and protect those who, in some circumstances, may be in the minority and experience some form of discrimination or inequity.

Secondly, I believe we must be cautious to interpret the election outcome as an endorsement of all policies. The idea of political mandate based solely on election results needs to be approached warily. Every government endeavours to make sound policy decisions based on and supported by thorough research and reflected in robust legislation. The existence or lack thereof of a mandate should never detract from these core ideals, not excuse rushed or poorly prepared legislative change. On a side note, I know there are people out there listening to it and say the hung parliament, when it was in process, was not good for Tasmania.

It is interesting in this day how we refer to it as a hung parliament. In other places they refer to it as minority government. I found being in this place, some of the legislation that came through when we did have 10, 10 and five was much better than some of the other legislation we have had in recent years, because it was more thoroughly assessed and amended and had to come through some consensus downstairs. I hope the Government of today, even though they do have a majority, takes that on board and listens to the people in opposition, whether they be Green, independent or Labor, and ask, would that suggestion they have there strengthen this bill? That is a really important thing, not just to get the bill through because it is what we propose, but to get the bill to the upstairs as good as it can be and let them work on what they want to do. It is a really important point not to lose sight of.

Regardless of the minority or majority government, it will always be the role of the members in this Chamber to carefully scrutinise all matters that come before us on its merits. It is the duty and the role of this Chamber to ensure that every legislative change, part of the Government's mandate or agenda otherwise, is supported by that sound judgment, reason and research. As a member of this House of review, I believe it is important in my role and part of my mandate to assist the government of the day to govern well.

In doing this I acknowledge that each new government has a different approach. I do not see it as my role to block or impede such progress just because I might personally do things differently or because there is not unanimous agreement within the community. Because of this, it is naturally my intention to support sound and considered legislation. However, each new government and each parliament creates an opportunity for positive change towards a brighter and better Tasmania and this, the Fiftieth Parliament is no exception.

I look forward to putting changes together in a consultative and collaborative manner that can benefit our state. I look forward to once again working constructively with the Government and as a member of this Council, providing a strong scrutiny and accountability required of a House of review.

Mr President, colleagues here have spoken at length about a number of electoral issues and I thank them for their views. I will confine my comments to health at this stage. I listened with interest to Her Excellency's reflections on the Tasmanian health system and the optimistic projections provided by the Government for the next term, in particular, the memorandum of understanding with a private provider to support the Government's plan to reduce waiting times, patient flow and access to care. I wish the Government well in their endeavours. There is a lot to do.

The election and Cabinet reshuffle has delivered us a new Minister for Health, the honourable Jeremy Rockliff, my friend and Braddon colleague. I wish the minister all the very best in his role which is arguably the most challenging and, for some, the least desirable of all ministries in any jurisdiction, state or federal.

Personally, I think it is the hardest challenges that give the most personal satisfaction, especially if one can effect and implement positive change and/or advancement. Indeed, if I was in the lower House, Health would be the one I would be trying to get hold of because from experience we know it is not possible to receive a tick of approval from everyone but at the end of the day I need to know, like many people, that I have given it my very best effort. Our health system, and I do believe it would not be an exaggeration to use the phrase most healthcare systems, have been for many years over-exhausted and underfunded to the detriment of some of the most vulnerable people in our community, those suffering from cruel diseases, physical ailments and mental health issues. Quite frankly, there never seems to be enough money dedicated to supporting this most vital function in a caring and involved society.

I completely acknowledge as an independent member, it is difficult to fully comprehend the complexities of competing economic priorities for Treasury, although I do appreciate how onerous the burden of making those decisions must be when faced with the reality of limited resources in order to keep taxes manageable, but this is of little comfort to many constituents who seek our help in some truly desperate circumstances.

I can almost guarantee I have never yet had a person approach me in regard to the health system unless there have been repeated delays, cancellations or less than ideal experiences. Most Tasmanians understand and accept our dedicated nurses, doctors and health professionals are doing the very best they can under the circumstances. I would imagine the detrimental stores or negative experiences we hear as members make up a tiny fragment of the bigger picture.

However, we must not lose sight of the advanced health system we do compared with many other countries in the world. Yes, whilst there will always be room for improvement, I personally am grateful for the wide range of health professionals and those working behind the scenes on our behalf. I am certain that the new minister, Mr Rockliff, will work collaboratively with our frontline health professionals to look at the current issues such as surgery waiting periods, overcrowding, ambulance ramping and securing permanent doctors and specialists to find creative and effective solutions to some of these long-term problems. I appreciate the comments I have read from Mr Seidel in recent articles where he has been advising or suggesting ways it could be done more effectively. That is good if it is done in a positive way to advance our health system.

While the major hospital and regional health system is under constant strain, another area which warrants attention is the palliative care sector. I made speeches on behalf of Palliative Care Tasmania in this place before. Last time I spoke at some length about PCT I highlighted the fact that Palliative Care Tasmania like many organisations was required to present a budget submission effectively going cap in hand to the Government for its funding each financial year. This was not acceptable. I am very pleased to be informed that the Government's election commitment of $4.25 million over a four-year period for Palliative Care Tasmania has been announced. No doubt this will remove a considerable administrative burden from the hardworking PCT team, currently headed by Ms Colleen Johnstone, who does a wonderful job with limited resources. Tasmania has an ageing population and it is vital that this service be adequately and repeatedly funded to ensure it can support the many who require it.

I will take Colleen's job for example. If each year she has to sit down and prepare a budget submission so that she can continue to employ the staff that she has to as a CEO, each year that is a stressful time for her and her staff to ensure that they get the funding. Now, over a four-year period she does not have to worry about that and she and the organisation can concentrate more on providing services. That goes back to where the member for McIntyre spoke about a 10-year plan. It does allow organisations to breathe because they are not always having to be asking for money. Then again, as with the budget Estimates process, we have to ensure that wherever that funding is going it is done in the right manner and is done with a secure and reliable support group underneath it.

I will take a moment to acknowledge the hard work of the voluntary assisted dying task force and implementation team. We do not know very much about that yet. Since the End-of-Life Choices (Voluntary Assisted Dying) Act 2021 was granted royal assent in April, the Government has been proactive in ensuring that the required recruitment process has commenced to form an organisation to develop the required procedures, protocols, forms, training modules and regulations to provide eligible terminally ill Tasmanians the opportunity to end their lives at a time and place of their choosing. I have met with the manager of the task force team and I am in regular contact in assisting where possible with the successful implementation of the act within the required time frame.

I am very impressed with the dedication and the passion displayed by the manager and that team. I am comfortable and comforted by the fact that the Government is taking this seriously and is investing in it.

I mention this as VAD now forms a large part, the large suite of the end-of-life choices for people who may have already engaged with the palliative care sector. The two concepts are not the same but they are not mutually exclusive. While VAD is not part of palliative care proper but a separately assisted and managed process, a person may be supported as stated by the CEO Palliative Care Tasmania, Colleen Johnstone, by palliative care until such time as the VAD event occurs.

I feel sure that the implementation team is already gathering information and feedback from many organisations such as the RACGP, the AMA and the ANMF who will be consulting closely with PCT to ensure the best awareness and outcomes for individuals and families facing terminal illness. Whilst my role with the legislation is finished to a certain extent, in the last month I have visited 14 of the year 11 and 12 colleges and I have presented 18 times to legal studies and philosophy students about VAD because it is one of the choices they have at their end of year finals. The inquisitive nature of these young people has been so wonderful for me because they are very switched on to what is happening and this is the legislation that they need to be aware of.

I was a guest speaker at a national webinar about the Tasmanian process. I have met with the heads of the New South Wales Dying with Dignity and Go Gentle. One of those people I met with was Andrew Denton. He said he was so impressed with this parliament and with what he has witnessed. As you know, he is the sponsor or the patron of Go Gentle and he has been on this track for many years now and he spoke about how civil we were and how pleasant we were even in our disapproving of an amendment or a motion. He was quite impressed with the Tasmanian system both upstairs and downstairs. He said he was very pleased and that actually made me feel really good because this is my place of work and that is good feedback for the public listening in on this to think that we are highly regarded in how that process unfolded. I was pleased with that.

I also had the opportunity to speak at the ANMF conference here recently in Hobart and a number of nursing professionals came up to speak to me at the end about how pleased they were that the bill has gone through. Even those who would not be supportive or be involved voluntarily could understand the reason for it and they thought the debate was very good.

I am pleased with that and to those of you in local government land, it is important that once you raise an issue with the community, whether it be your own council or the wider community, that once a decision has been made and we have now a bill, that you go back to those government areas and offer another information forum. It was 18 months ago that I saw them about the start, and now we are here, what is the future? So, I am going back into those council areas now in the next month, doing information forums so that the community can come along and ask questions about what happens now.

In closing, I once again revisit the Premier's comments on his election in 2021 that the Government would be one of conviction, compassion and opportunity. I would assume that statement still stands. I wish the Premier and his Government the very best in delivering that promise to Tasmanians. Thank you, Mr President, and I look forward to other members' contributions.