Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

on indulgence—Many fine words have been spoken about Chris Hayes—all deserved—and I associate myself with the fine speeches that have been made by the previous speakers. It hasn't been possible to go outside of this building to a restaurant anywhere in Kingston without seeing Chris, with Bernadette by his side. In fact, Bernadette, you must share some of the blame for the weight he's put on by taking him to these restaurants and the resulting health condition he finds himself in, which we hope he recovers from quickly. Chris and Bernadette were never separated. It is a beautiful partnership and they are interdependent. The love they have for each other is obvious to all of their friends and, no doubt, to their family and to their community as well. I think that has enriched each of them over the course of the last 16 years. The spouses of parliamentarians endure the slings and arrows that are inevitable in this job. For Chris's world to be sustained here—it's very hard without support from your family and your partner. The way in which you two have been able to work as one is a wonderful reflection on your faith and also on the people who you are. I pay tribute to that relationship, which I think has been the underpinning of Chris's success.

I also want to pay tribute to Chris for the work that he's done in particular through the Police Federation of Australia and his time as an advocate for police officers. The Prime Minister spoke very passionately earlier, no doubt influenced by his father's own service, of the service of the officers in New South Wales who will be undertaking gruesome work today. Chris too was guided by the service of his own father. It instilled in him values and principles that have served him well in the service of other police officers. His father would be incredibly proud of the life that he's led and the way in which his contribution, not only through the industrial work that he's done, has resulted in increasing the pay of police officers—and I am sure they are grateful for that. Chris's advocacy has, no doubt, resulted in the saving of lives of police officers as well, in improving work place conditions. The way in which he's advocated for those officers is something he's immensely proud of and that all of us in this place, on both sides, who have served as police officers have greatly appreciated. The approaches that he's made to provide support to us over a number of years and the way in which, to this very day, he continues to support the work of the PFA and police around the country are recognised deeply by many.

Hayesie, you share the great adoration of both sides of this chamber. The public has seen its parliament probably not at its best over the last fortnight, but there are many in this parliament, on both sides, who share many of your attributes. There are many fine people in this place and it's a great calling to answer, to serve in this parliament, and you have served this parliament with great distinction. You should be incredibly proud of that—certainly, we are.

We wish you every success and the best of health in retirement. The many years that you enjoy in retirement will be a product of the decades that you have put into your local community, into your family and into your life. It's a life that has been well lived—it's only halfway there! This is not an obituary, of course—often, in these presentations that we make we speak in the past tense! But Chris has an enormous amount to contribute in many forms into the future. I wish you and Bernadette every continued success. We will miss you deeply.

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