Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to join the Prime Minister in saluting the life and service of Joe Riordan. I feel a certain solidarity with Joe Riordan because before his election to this House he was for many years, as the Prime Minister has pointed out, a senior official of the Federated Clerks' Union—a union that was very dear to many people from those days who are close friends of mine. It was a union that was particularly well respected in those days but, sadly, it has subsequently fallen on much harder times.

As the Prime Minister has said, subsequent to leaving this parliament Joe went on to serve in various capacities in our industrial relations system. He was a good man—he was faithful to his party, he was faithful to his nation, he was faithful to his family and he was faithful to his religion. He was a fine representative of a disappearing breed of Labor man and will be much missed.

See this speech in context