An honour to be elected Speaker
9th May 2023
Independent Member for Lake Macquarie Greg Piper was today elected unanimously and unopposed as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly in the 58th NSW Parliament.
Sixteen years to the day since he was first elected to represent the people of Lake Macquarie in the Parliament, Mr Piper said it was both an honour and a privilege to lead the Parliament into the next four-year term.
“I come to this role as an independent Speaker in the truest of senses,” Mr Piper said.
“This is a Parliament for the people. We have traditions and standards to uphold but we also have a duty to improve them and an obligation to apply contemporary standards to them.
“In my inaugural speech 16 years ago I spoke about the many challenges that we face both locally and throughout the State. We have economic and social challenges including housing and cost of living pressures, we have environmental challenges with our climate and a transitioning energy industry, and we have challenges in our health and educational sectors.
“The people of NSW have entrusted me and my colleagues in the Parliament to meet those challenges and we must deliver on them.
“The Lake Macquarie electorate and the broader Hunter Region will remain my priority, and in that capacity I’m thrilled that the hard-working Member for Wallsend Sonia Hornery has been elected Deputy Speaker. I’ve also enlisted the Member for Upper Hunter Dave Layzell and the Member for Cessnock Clayton Barr to the Speaker’s Panel.
“I’m committed to moving the Parliament forward in a fresh spirit of co-operation, respect and integrity, and that work starts today.”