“I am honoured to have been asked to represent the Australian Parliament and people at the funeral of His Holiness, Pope Francis, in Rome on Saturday.
“His Holiness was an inspiring man who broke new ground for Catholic Church – he is the first Jesuit Pope; the first of his name, honouring St Francis of Assisi; and he was the first Pope from the Southern Hemisphere.
“Catholicism is the largest religious group in Australia, according to the 2021 Australia Census, with many Catholics living in communities across the Riverina electorate.
“As a proud Catholic, I am truly humbled to be offered the opportunity to represent them and other Australian people to celebrate the life of a remarkable man who devoted his entire life to serving God.
“It is an incredible honour to represent the people of the Riverina on such a momentous occasion and this is a decision which hasn’t been made lightly, acknowledging this will occur during the Federal Election campaign, however, I assure the residents of the Riverina Electorate that representing you is always at the forefront of my mind.
“Indeed, for the Riverina to have a representative at this history-making event, alongside leaders from across the globe, is a privilege to the region which cannot be rejected.
“I will be back on the ground listening to the residents of the Riverina on Tuesday 29 April, and look forward to engaging with constituents at pre-poll locations in the leadup to the election day.”