Mr Jeffery, who runs the Tharwa general store, will be paid about $30,100 for his 11 weeks. His contribution has been to highlight issues facing Tharwa and the bush, with a question on each of the six sitting days. His questions focused on bushfire readiness and the neglect of rural communities, including the Mount Clear fire in 2015, the bushfire response in 2003, and water in Tharwa.

As to the responses, he said, "They skirt around the bush and you don't get straight answers". But he was pleased to have Tharwa issues on the agenda.

Mr Jeffery, 81, delivered his maiden speech on Tuesday, August 2, and attended Question Time and some party room meetings, but was "paired" for all of the major votes – which means Labor agrees to drop one of its votes to match the Liberals having one less.

It was a "short and sweet" stint, and he appreciated the reception from all sides of politics and the media.

"It really made me feel good," he said.

Mr Jeffery replaced Brendan Smyth when Mr Smyth was unexpectedly made Commissioner for International Engagement at the end of July. Mr Jeffery was to some extent a reluctant politician, greeting the news that he was next in line by saying he was too old. But he was persuaded by his Liberal colleagues, who would otherwise have lost the seat – to the Motorist Party's Burl Doble.

Mr Jeffery still has one staff member answering the phone, emails and letters in his Assembly office.

"I've got no reason to be in there in at the moment because there's nothing happening," he said. "I'm not getting too involved in the election campaign because my legs are too old for walking around."

As to the question of taxpayer value, given the hefty pay for such a brief stint, Mr Jeffery said, "That's the way the system works I'm afraid … I would have thought it would have been a good idea to leave the thing vacant till the middle of October. But at any rate that's not my call. I didn't put the laws together."

He had not sat through the parliamentary debates because he hadn't been involved in the issues.

"There really wasn't any advantage in me to be there in those times. I've done my duty for the taxpayer and I'm doing my duty to the taxpayer," he said.

Mr Hanson said, who greeted Mr Jeffery's arrival as "humbling and heartwarming", said on Monday that his election "was a breath of fresh air and it's terrific to have him on board".

"Val's contribution to the Canberra Liberals party room, especially in terms of his advice on rural and emergency services issues has been invaluable and I will continue to seek his advice in his areas of expertise," he said.

"Val attended the Assembly every sitting day during the final fortnight and pairing arrangements agreed by both the government and opposition were put in place to allow flexibility."

Mr Jeffery predicted the election would be very close and said both major parties had to do better on rural issues, taking rural voters much more seriously.

Debates missed by Mr Jeffery covered topics such as overcrowding and maintenance in schools, the purchase of land in Glebe Park, the economy and business investment, government integrity and probity, delays in adoption, the lack of land for multicultural groups, a call for the tram to be scrapped, the state of the Emergency Services Agency, same-sex marriage, and the state of the city's ovals. Votes were also held on tougher detention and move-on powers for prosecution and police, and an overhaul of laws governing public servants.