Warren Entsch, wearing a colourful Great Barrier Reef-themed tie, reflects on 26 years as the Leichhardt MP as he delivers his valedictory speech in Parliament House on 25 November. Photo: Supplied.
He has been a fixture in the chamber for more than a quarter of a century, but veteran Far North Queensland MP Warren Entsch may have risen to speak in the House of Representatives for the last time.
The long-term Leichhardt MP, who will retire before next year’s federal election, delivered his valedictory speech on 25 November and used the occasion to reflect on the highlights of 26 years’ representation of the northernmost part of the country, as well as slam the Albanese government for turning its back on the Daintree Microgrid Project.
The project would have provided renewable, mains-equivalent energy for about 300 residents on the northern side of the Daintree River via an 8 megawatt solar farm and 1MW clean hydrogen plant.
In his speech, Mr Entsch fired both barrels at Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen, describing the project backflip as an “absolute disgrace”.
“Mr Bowen, his department and his bureaucrats have done everything in their power to prevent this project from going ahead,” the Leichhardt MP told Parliament.
“They bluntly refused to release the money that had been set aside by previous governments.
“It is an absolute disgrace and, in my view, an act of political bastardry.”
Speaking to Cape York Weekly after delivering his valedictory, Mr Entsch took a final shot at Minister Bowen as he spoke openly about why he believed it was time to “change the baton” to a younger MP.
“What he’s (Chris Bowen) done there is nothing short of disgusting,” he said.
“It’s impossible to name the myriad of people who have supported me on this journey; this is what made me realise it was time to change the baton – so many of those people who supported me when I first got in in ’96, they’re my age or older; to me, this seems like it’s time for another generation.”
Mr Entsch received a standing ovation from his Parliamentary colleagues following his speech and said having his youngest son, Jacob, in Canberra to witness his farewell to political life had capped off the moment.
“It’s very difficult to try and condense 26 years in this place into a speech,” he said.
“The only emotional part about it was the fact I just left my office to go and do it, and my girls brought my youngest son into my office; I had no idea he was coming down.
“The fact he was sitting in the gallery when I delivered the speech, I was quite emotional.”
With political pundits tipping late January for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to call the federal election, there is every chance that Mr Entsch has sat in the House of Representatives for the last time.
While the veteran MP said he was proud of his achievements over the past 26 years, he was quick to add there was still “a lot of work to do” to unlock Cape York and the Torres Strait.
When asked what he viewed as the top local priorities for the new Member for Leichhardt, he identified bridge infrastructure at Myall Creek and Shelley’s Crossing, stage three funding for the Cape York Region Package and developing Weipa into a far northern economic hub.
“Get a business case together for making Weipa the hub for that entire area,” he said.
“Utilise the wharf and the infrastructure that’s there.
“Weipa’s going to be the northern hub once that road (the Peninsula Developmental Road) is sealed.”
