Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I join with those that have preceded me in thanking everyone associated with this parliament for all the effort they have put in over the last 12 months. It has been an extraordinary 12 months, not least because St George won the premiership, as the Attorney-General would appreciate. I was just reflecting on a conversation with the father of the House, the member for Berowra. I asked him if he had seen such a tumultuous year since he first came here in 1973, when I was eight years of age. I think at time even Wyatt Roy’s parents might not have been born.

It has been an extraordinary year in the history of the parliament, and no less and probably more significant than any other year in politics since 1901. We have had two leaders of the opposition, two prime ministers, and an incredibly hard-fought election that resulted in the first hung parliament since 1941. We have seen some very important milestones in the new parliament—the first Indigenous Australian elected to the House of Representatives, the first Muslim Australian elected to the House of Representatives, the youngest Australian ever elected to the House of Representatives and the direct re-election of a female Prime Minister—all in the space of just a few months. It is significant.

Normally this time of the year is a moment of upheaval, whether you are in government or opposition. They have referred to it as the killing season in the media but, in the period between 2003 and 2009, there have been six leadership changes in Australian politics either before or just after the summer period. I am very sure—although I have said this before—that on this occasion we will not see that happen, thankfully; and Australia will have a stable political environment for some months to come. The fact is that we still manage to have a stable political environment despite occasional upheaval within this chamber. Much of that stability is delivered by the fact that we have set formats that the Australian people expect us ultimately to deliver for them. In that regard, I want to thank all the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate for all of their contributions to that stability over the last 12 months, given that there could have been a period of incredible instability for the Australian people, particularly in the aftermath of the recent election.

It has been a significant year for the economy. I fear that 2011 will be a rough ride, not particularly for Australia but on a global basis in particular for Portugal, Spain and Greece—and the challenge of what Ireland is going through at the moment. The massive increase in the supply of sovereign debt is going to represent a funding challenge for the world and particularly for Australia, which is a net importer of capital. Therefore, we cannot lose sight of the challenges that not just our economy but also our financial system is going to face in 2011. But now is not the time to focus on that. I do want to wish my direct opponent, the Treasurer Wayne Swan and his wife Kim, all the very best for Christmas. I want to wish the much loved Speaker Harry Jenkins and his wife Michelle all the very best for Christmas.

To my leader, Tony Abbott, Margie and his three daughters I would say that Australia has not seen a more formidable Leader of the Opposition. He is someone who brought down a Prime Minister and nearly brought down a second Prime Minister in a matter of months. He managed to take us from what was, 12 months ago next Wednesday, an extraordinary period in the Liberal Party and I will not forget that date in a hurry. Tony Abbott’s contribution over the last 12 months has been nothing short of exceptional. I join with my colleagues in praising him for what has been a most formidable performance in Australian politics.

To his office and to all of our colleagues; the deputy leader, Julie Bishop; the Leader of the National Party, Warren Truss; and Senate colleagues: thank you so much for your support. To my own finance team of Andrew Robb, Tony Smith, Luke Hartsuyker and a number of others: thank you so much. In the Senate, Mathias Cormann, I thank you for your support.

From a personal and rather indulgent perspective I thank my own office. Thank you to my former chief of staff, Andrew Kirk, who has a formidable brain, and to my current chief of staff, Tony Pearson, who is an exceptional person, and former and current staff, Lisa Chikarovski and Nigel Blunden, but particularly to my long-suffering PA, Jackie Parker, who has been with me for 16 years, and to Trent Zimmerman in my electorate office.

See this speech in context