Labor’s newest Tasmanian MP has expressed enthusiasm about starting his parliamentary career after securing a seat in a recount, just hours before his first day in office.
Elected on Tuesday evening to fill the vacancy left by former MP Rebecca White, Casey Farrell said he has already received strong support from his new colleagues.
“It’s been quite a whirlwind,” Farrell said on Wednesday morning before stepping into Parliament as an MP for the first time.
“I’m feeling really confident that I’ve got the support that I need to kind of get rolling and start showing the people of Lyons, thanking them for voting me in and showing them what I can do as a Member of Parliament, as their representative.”
The new MP described Tasmania as “the best place in the world to do pretty much anything you set your mind to”.
Farrell said he is also looking forward to working with his father, President of the Legislative Council and Member for Derwent, Craig Farrell.
“He’s very well respected within the Parliament and I think that’s a really great footing for me to come in on,” he said.
“I probably agree with my dad as much as anyone agrees with their own parents and so it doesn’t mean that there’s not diversity of thought there that’s being brought to the Parliament and the Labor caucus in terms of having us both present.”
Farrell said his immediate priority is to familiarise himself with parliamentary processes and responsibilities.
“I think it’s a really exciting time to come into the Parliament,” he said.
“Obviously, there’s a lot of really interesting stuff happening and so I’m sure I’ll get a really good induction to the ways that things work here.
“And then once I find my footing, obviously, then be able to exercise an agenda to start to make this state a better place.”
