Address to the Federation Chamber, Adjournment 

Thursday 12 February 2026

Last week I hosted the Capital Region Showcase here at Parliament House. It's an event to highlight the breadth and depth of experiences and attractions that are available right across the capital region. Canberra is written off by many, as a boring place for politics, politicians and public servants, and I always appreciate being able to showcase what our region has to offer, including pieces from national cultural institutions, local foods, local wines and attractions.

The showcase featured 38 exhibitors and included the National Gallery of Australia, the National Film and Sound Archive, the National Museum of Australia, the AIS, the Museum of Australian Democracy, the National Portrait Gallery, Questacon, and the National Zoo and Aquarium. There was also the chance to sample food and drink from producers across the region, including Underground Spirits, a strong representative from the Bean electorate; Eden Road Wines; the Canberra Distillery; Garlicious Grown; BentSpoke and many others. Thank you to all those that participated in the event for making it a wonderful evening, and thank you to the National Capital Attractions Association, the ACT government and VisitCanberra for their assistance in pulling this event together. One of the many privileges of my role is having the ability to elevate and showcase the incredible things on offer in my community and the broader region, and I look forward to being able to continue to showcase my community throughout this term of parliament.