RETIRING Wimmera parliamentarians made their final speeches in the legislative assembly on Thursday.
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Member for Lowan Hugh Delahunty said he wanted to send a key message to parliamentarians about respect.
“I came into this place and wanted to have respect,” he said.
“We need to have respect to do the work we do. We will not always agree with people.
“We will not always be able to do the things people want, but if you can hold your heads up high and have respect, you can walk out of this place like I will on November 28, down those steps that I walked up in 1999, feeling very proud of my achievements.”
Mr Delahunty also used the speech to thank his family, colleagues and parliamentary staff.
“To my parents Frank and Kath, I am indebted to them, firstly, because I was born to them, and secondly, because they always said to me ‘do not whinge outside the fence, get over there and do something about it’,” he said.
“Whether it is in football terms or parliamentary terms, it meant getting inside this chamber and doing something about it.
“I am proud to say that I have achieved a lot of things I wanted to do.”
Member for Ripon Joe Helper thanked the Bracks and Brumby governments for investing in communities that he loved.
Mr Delahunty and Mr Helper were first elected to State Parliament in 1999.