Dubbo MP Troy Grant has told his family he just “wants to come home” in his valedictory speech in NSW Parliament.
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In July, Mr Grant announced he was not recontesting the seat of Dubbo in the March 2019 election. Mr Grant said he wanted to spend more time with his family.
On Wednesday night, Mr Grant made his final Parliamentary address in front of more than 160 people, including his colleagues, mayors, sporting identities and family members. He re-capped some of his most memorable moments and thanked the large number of people he had worked with during the eight years he served the community.
Mr Grant also thanked his family for believing in him.
“I was often surrounded by a million people but more often than not I felt lonely and alone and missed you dearly. I often felt like I was living someone else’s life such was the privilege of much of what I got to do,” he said.
“But now I just want to be near you and I want to come home.”
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Mr Grant, who is also the Police and Emergency Services Minister, said eight years could feel like a lifetime, or it could be gone in the blink of an eye, and for him his service had been a bit of both.
One of the moments that would stick in his mind, as an elected representative and as a husband, father and member of the community, was the annual Police Remembrance Day commemorations, he said.
“The men and women in blue go to work in the morning not knowing if they will come home to their families at night. It is a terrible privilege to honour that sacrifice and bravery each year,” Mr Grant said.
He also recounted the small role he played in mid-2012 to raise the issue of child sexual assault and its cover up by the Catholic Church. Mr Grant spoke at the time of his own experiences as an investigator in charge of a similar offence in the Maitland-Newcastle diocese.
Mr Grant acknowledged there were also many people who would like to rewrite the history of the Baird-Grant government.
He said himself and former premier Mike Baird laid the platform for many successes that NSW was currently experiencing.
“Were we perfect? No – but we never claimed to be. Did we make mistakes? Yes we did, but we are human and I believe we got more right than we ever got wrong. Is NSW better off for having us? That is for others to judge but I am proud of the Baird-Grant government and always will be,” Mr Grant said.
The Dubbo MP said he looked forward to being out of the public eye.
“I do know our lives will be dominated with me repaying my family for the sacrifices they have made and for being away from them for 200 nights a year. I will always be a son of regional NSW no matter where I go in the world,” Mr Grant said.
Mr Grant concluded his speech by saying he would not miss the circus, he would only miss some of the clowns.
“When it is all said and done, I am done. I am simply grateful to have served.”