The Gambaro name is synonymous with hard work.
It is an iconic name. This post-war migrant family is known for its commitment to the Brisbane community, for its flare for enterprise and of course, for the wonderful Member for Brisbane, Teresa.
Elected as the member for Petrie in 1996, Teresa has deepened and extended her family tradition to become a passionate, sincere and formidable local representative. Teresa has capably represented the seats of Brisbane and Petrie. She is the only woman to have represented the seat of Brisbane since Federation.
Teresa served in the Howard Government as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence from 2004 and then, in 2006, as a Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade before being elevated to the Ministry as Assistant Minister to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship in 2007.
It demonstrates Teresa’s immense resilience and strength that she responded to a defeat at the 2007 election by standing again and being elected to the seat of Brisbane in 2010.
Most recently Teresa has been doing an outstanding job as the Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, drawing on her extensive experience in this area.
Teresa is a great champion for her constituents. She has been a very strong advocate for the rights of LGBTI Australians. Her love for the cities in which we live is reflected in her advocacy for the Brisbane Metro project, the hospitality and entertainment industry, and the arts.
Teresa is an exemplar of the rich, diverse, multicultural nation that we have become.
I wish her the very best in her future endeavours with her husband Robert and her two children Rachelle and Benjamin.