Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

By indulgence—We are now commencing that section of business at the end of the parliamentary sitting which is Christmas valedictories. I know, to many people who are listening, this will seem quite a strange custom because we are here still in November and talking about Christmas valedictories. I do want to assure those who are listening that does not mean that their members of parliament, or their government, is ceasing to work on this day. What is happening on this day is that it is our last parliamentary day. For myself, I have a lot to do before the end of the year and I am raring to getting into doing it, particularly some very big work that we have to do at the forthcoming Council of Australian Governments meeting.

For members of parliament and senators who are returning to their home communities, they have big work programs too. This is the time of year, particular, that people attend a lot of end-of-year events at local schools and enjoy the opportunity to do that very much. But this is also the time where we do say thank you to those who make parliament possible for us, and reflect on the year that has been—the year 2012. In so doing, I do want to mark that the final day of House sitting is actually on a significant Australian anniversary. It was 60 years ago today that Gough Whitlam won the by-election which bought him to this House. Our thoughts are with him this year and on this anniversary. I recall particularly the example he has given us in the House of a parliamentary career dedicated to the highest of purposes: the public good. We will, as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations with China in the weeks to come, have an opportunity to reflect on his remarkable legacy to the nation in opening us up to our world, and particularly to China.

As we reflect on the year that was, this was a year of some happy days. Every Australian who takes even the smallest interest in diplomacy felt pride in our international status when we were elected to the United Nations Security Council. It was a good day to be an Australian. But good days in Australia often revolve around sport more than they do around diplomacy, if the truth is told. It was a year of Australian achievements in sport, too. Sydney won the Australian Rules Grand Final and Melbourne won the Rugby League Grand Final, and the world has changed. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs were not there in the AFL Grand Final.

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