Western Australian Labor MP Kyle McGinn marked his final moments in the state’s Legislative Council in an unconventional fashion—by performing a “shoey” in the chamber.
The Upper House representative from the Goldfields delivered a 56-minute valedictory speech wearing only one shoe. As he concluded, he poured a beer into the empty one and drank from it, mimicking a ritual popularized by Perth-born Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo.
“I gave a lot of thought to how I’d wrap this up, and I reckon the folks back home in the Goldfields will get a kick out of this,” McGinn said with a grin, moments before drinking the beer.
He added with a laugh, “I’m no stranger to getting in trouble, so let’s just get this over with. To everyone across WA—thank you for two incredible terms. Cheers.”
The reaction in the chamber was mixed—some MPs laughed and applauded, while others looked on in disbelief as the mulleted MP took his final swig.
Legislative Council President Alanna Clohesy, however, was quick to intervene, rising to her feet to admonish McGinn.
“The honourable member is well aware he’s walking a fine line when it comes to maintaining the dignity of this chamber. I’m assuming his speech is now over,” she stated firmly.
McGinn’s farewell address was candid and colourful. He described himself as an “accidental politician” and admitted to being “a bloke who’s had one too many beers on more than a few occasions.”
A former organiser with the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA), McGinn paid tribute to his roots, calling the union the “GOAT”—the greatest of all time.
He didn’t shy away from criticism either, taking a veiled swipe at the government’s Westport development, labelling port automation a “hoax” and a “joke.”
In a rare moment of vulnerability, McGinn revealed he had been diagnosed with severe anxiety about 18 months into his parliamentary career. He recounted an incident in Karratha with Labor minister Paul Papalia, where he feared he was suffering a heart attack—only to learn it wa
s a panic attack.
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