He spent five years showing people how to do it on the mighty Murray River and won't take no for an answer when this reporter politely declined the offer.

It's that stubbornness that has seen him finally nab a seat in the ACT's expanded 25-member parliament.

It was the third time new Liberal Member for Yerrabi stuck his hand up for public office.

In 2010 ran for the federal seat of Fraser. He again put himself forward as the candidate for Molonglo in the 2012 ACT election before finally gaining a seat in the assembly this year as a Member for Yerrabi.

"That's one thing my mother said, if I do decide to do something I'll stick at it and I'll get it done," he said with a grin.

In many ways, Milligan, 38, is a typical country lad - laidback and direct.

He was born in Benalla, in country Victoria, but later moved to Yarrawonga where his parents opened a restaurant.

The youngest of three boys, from an early age he was roped into helping out in the family business.

"I've done my fair share of dishes," he said. "I grew up around the table talking business and discussing the issues that they faced quite often."

Milligan does not have many childhood memories. He was hit by a car when he was 10 and spent several days in a coma.

When he woke up he had lost pretty much all of his memories. What he does remember though is how the town rallied around him and his family in the aftermath of the accident.

"I grew up in a tight knit community. We supported one another, we respected one another, we respected different points of view. And I think that that's something that we're missing here in parliament. And I think that's something that the community [in Canberra] really needs," he said.

Milligan taught water-skiing for five years before heading to Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga to study graphic design.

He would draw landscapes or cartoon characters as a kid and even wrote 'graphic designer' down as a career aspiration in a time capsule he buried at school.

In 2003 he started his own publishing house, JM Publishing, and put out his own children's education book in 2004. That was also the year he moved to Canberra with his wife Katrina and their son Blake.

While Labor's election win in October was heralded as a yes vote for light rail, particularly in Canberra's northern electorates, Milligan reckoned it was not an issue people he spoke to on the campaign trail felt strongly about.

"Out in the community the majority of people I spoke to light rail rated very low on their key issues that they were concerned with, the key issues were infrastructure, the key issues were housing affordability, local employment and cost of living and rates," he said.

"You know when I asked them 'where does light rail sit in comparison to them?' it was after all those issues that were mentioned."

As the Canberra's Liberals spokesman for recreation, one problem he is keen to tackle is the lack of outdoor recreational facilities in Gungahlin, and Canberra as a whole.

"I grew up on the water and then I come to places such as Canberra and think why aren't we utilising our waterways here, why aren't we allowing powered vessels on these waterways and allow people to get out there?" Milligan said.

"I think we need to get families back out in the community and make [Canberra] a fun place to be."