Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan)
It is fitting today that I mention the name of a young girl for the very first time in this Parliament, who may very well be sitting on these red benches one day.
Scarlett Blake Chipp was born at 12.02 pm on Friday, 31 July—just a tiny one weighing in at only 2.6 kilos—to extremely proud parents, Andrew Shears, chief of staff in my office, and his lovely wife, Laura Chipp.
It is Scarlett’s grandfather though that I feel would be most proud of this little bundle of joy.
The late Don Chipp, former federal minister and founder of the Australian Democrats, paved the way for minor parties in Australia and was a dear friend of mine. He was a wonderful mentor and most definitely played a role in me standing here although he didn’t live to see it. I have known his daughter Laura for almost her entire life and she has long been active in politics, most recently as a candidate for the Reason Party at the 2018 election.
I won’t be here when Scarlett gets here but I hope I am alive to see it.
Laura suffers from endometriosis, which can affect a person’s chance of pregnancy, and although every baby is a special gift, I know how much this has meant to Laura, Andrew and their extended family. I am so very, very happy for them.
And by the way, I will be getting a membership form for the Reason Party to Scarlett soon—just so no one else in the house gets any ideas about what party she’ll be representing when she does get here.
