Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

It's been a bit of a tradition to stand up and observe that it's been a tough year for Australians, and, unfortunately, that tradition continues, because it has been a tough year. We've gone from drought to bushfire to pandemic and lockdown and now to flood. Australians still living in caravans after losing their homes in the fires are now having to deal with the rains of La Nina. Farmers got through the drought, and then we had the mouse plague. They saw things coming good, and now their bumper crops are getting smashed by rain. They're doing it tough.

The thing that we've seen, though, during the pandemic in particular is the resilience of Australians and their preparedness to make sacrifices for each other, for their families and for their neighbours. I particularly want to thank those essential workers who have kept the country going during such a difficult time. We should value our nurses, our doctors and our police, but I also hope we never, ever take our cleaners and the people who do so much work to keep the whole economy and the whole society running for granted.

I want to thank the community organisations like Addie Road in my electorate, the Reverend Bill Crews and his organisation, and other charities, who have done it particularly tough and have helped so many people. I look forward to spending Christmas Day once again with Bill Crews and 2,000 of our closest friends. It is indeed a wonderful occasion where people who are afflicted with homelessness, addiction or tragedy, or in some cases are just lonely, have somewhere to go on Christmas Day. It is the true Christian spirit that Bill Crews and Exodus represent, and this year they celebrate 50 years of providing service for some of the most vulnerable people in the inner west of Sydney—but, wherever they come from, no-one's ever turned away from Exodus there at Ashfield.

I want to thank the Prime Minister for his words, and I wish him and his family and all the families of the members and senators all the very best for Christmas. To you, Mr Speaker: it is a bit of a tough job from time to time, isn't it? Our job isn't necessarily to make it easier for you, but it is a tough job and I wish you well. I reiterate my thanks to the former Speaker, who did such an extraordinary job; to everyone on the Speaker's panel; and to our whip team, led by the member for Fowler, about whom we said good things before—that's enough, Chris; that's enough, mate—and Anna and Deb in the whip's office and, of course, the members for Lalor and Werriwa, who assist in that job.

To my mate the deputy leader: one couldn't have hoped for a more loyal deputy leader. He is a good friend, someone who I've developed a very close relationship with and someone who, I think, will make an outstanding Deputy Prime Minister at some time next year. To the Manager of Opposition Business, who I've known for a lot longer, the member for Watson. He's the longest ever serving Member for Opposition Business. He is a good person. He will make an outstanding Leader of the House. He does understand the standing orders. I will forgo my customary sledging of his band and his musical capacity on the basis of the Christmas spirit!

To his deputy, the member for Hindmarsh, and to my economic team, led by Jim Chalmers and Katy Gallagher. They have done outstanding work. In the Senate we've got these three amazing women: Penny Wong, Kristina Keneally and Katy Gallagher. They are quite extraordinary in the work that they do. To my shadow minister assisting me in the Senate, Don Farrell: I've come to rely upon him very much for advice and wise counsel, always. To all of our team: it's been a tough period to be in opposition. We had to come into the parliament and we supported every single piece of legislation that was put up during the pandemic, even though we regarded some of it as being flawed. We said we wouldn't allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good because the national interest required that, and we did it. Without exception we did it, something that those opposite don't always acknowledge, but they are the facts of what happened.

I think that our responsibility means we're competitive at the next election. We're competitive. Nothing more than that. It's a tough time to be Leader of the Opposition, to be in opposition, during a pandemic. Most oppositions around the country—I note Western Australia as an example—have not been competitive at all in the lead-up to an election. But we're in a position whereby we will continue to hold the government to account and we'll put forward our constructive alternative offer to the people of Australia at some time next year, be it in March or in May.

To all of parliamentary staff: the clerks; the Hansard staff; the Parliamentary Library; the Department of the House of Representatives; the attendants; the hardworking folks at Aussies and the staff cafeteria; everyone working at the coffee cart, who really keep us going; to the cleaners, who do such an amazing job—to everyone here. Particularly I want to thank Joy, the cleaner who keeps my office presentable. Thank you very much. To the COMCAR drivers and staff, especially my Sydney drivers, Greg and Suzanne, who look after me so well. To all the Parliament House security and the AFP. We appreciate all that you do. To our ADF personnel serving overseas, as we noted during question time. It is a particularly important time for us to thank them. To the press gallery; we don't always agree, but it is an important role that you play in a democracy, and I certainly acknowledge that. To the state premiers and chief ministers for their leadership during the pandemic. I've made it a principle not to criticise any of the state premiers. I think they've had a really tough job, along with the chief ministers. To all the parents who've had a tough job too, dealing with remote work and remote schooling often at the same table.

I want to thank my personal staff, led by Tim Gartrell, my chief of staff. Tim Gartrell was the campaign director in 2007. There's an omen there. I think that he brings that experience and his experience as the campaign director for the marriage equality postal vote that was held. He's a class act. He's a good friend. He was my first campaign director way back in 1996 for Grayndler. We go back a very long way. When I became leader of the Labor Party I approached him and cheekily said it was a condition of my continuing with that pursuit that he had to come, because that was the deal that we had come to some time ago before when he talked me into running once before.

To Sandra Crowe, my EA, I thank you for making me go to the right place at the right time. We really rely upon our personal staff for all my team, including Liz, who leads the media team, and Jeff, who plays such a key role in policy development. I thank all of them very much.

I thank my electorate. Without them, I wouldn't be here—simple as that. I love my electorate, the inner west. It's diverse, it's multicultural, it's a fascinating electorate, it's a difficult electorate and it's a very political electorate, and I'm very proud to have lived there my whole life.

My son Nathan turns 21 next week, and I've been in politics his entire life. When I talked to Greg Hunt about his family we discussed how it is difficult. But I look forward to being home. I thank whoever did the parliamentary schedule for the fact that 8 December isn't a sitting day, and I look forward to that. I look forward to 11 December, which is the party. I hope that it goes well for him, and I'm very pleased that he's able to have one. I am very proud, every single day, of the young man that he has become. He's quite outstanding, but he has had a difficult time as well. He's studying business at university and hasn't been onto his campus since 2019. For a lot of young people, the period of their lives in which they should have been having the most fun of their lives simply hasn't happened. It's been a difficult period.

To Jodie Haydon, my partner: we've spent considerable time apart this year, but I thank you for your friendship and your support. I do want to wish everyone a wonderful Christmas. May it be a time of reunions, of love, of happiness and of relaxation, and may 2022 bring us whatever we want in life. I guess people know what my wish is for!

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