Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

Today we have heard from the first batch, if I can call them that, of departing Senators—12 of them: six coalition, five Labor and one Family First—whose terms expire on 30 June. If the elections were held today I would suspect a few different results, but that is not to be.

All senators, irrespective of party, make huge sacrifices, as do their families, as they seek to serve our nation. Today we say farewell to three Labor senators. I confess to some mixed emotion as well. But this is a day for Labor to celebrate its people, who have served their cause in the advancement of our nation. I suspect that the bound copies of the Hansard that will be produced for these valedictories will be such that Labor senators would not want a necessarily long contribution from coalition senators; but, nevertheless, I do believe it is important for Australians to know the respect that we do have for those who sit opposite us, which is not necessarily accurately portrayed by the 30-second clip from Senate estimates or question time, when we sometimes let down ourselves and the people whom we seek to serve.

Allow me to turn to the three senators who are leaving. I confess to being the one who commented on Senator Forshaw's follicle fastidiousness today. I suspect it was out of an excess of jealousy on my part! I did privately ponder whether he had in fact used a wide comb to get the effect—which is a good segue into his distinguished union career, which he wore with pride in this chamber, always referring to it and never letting go of his commitment to those that he had previously served in the trade union movement. I dare say many Australians will recall Senator Forshaw as being the person who fronted the cameras as the returning officer to announce Ms Gillard's election as Prime Minister, which must be one year this week or thereabouts. It must be getting exceptionally close. More importantly it would be fair to say that Senator Forshaw and I did share certain values which I must say were dear to my heart. It does surprise one from time to time that people with different backgrounds and different views nevertheless have something in common—of course, I refer to some of the social issues on which conscience votes were held in this place where Senator Forshaw and I were able to sit on the same side of the House. I also commend Senator Forshaw for his dissenting report on the territories bill which, if I might say, was both principled and gutsy. When we disagreed with his views, Senator Forshaw still had that same principled and gutsy approach.

His constituent work was also legendary: something that senators can, if they want to, get away without doing and ignoring by virtue of being senators. But I think that those who do try to ignore it miss out on one of the most rewarding aspects of being a senator. From all reports, Senator Forshaw did that exceptionally well. Whilst people said that Senator Forshaw had big shoes to fill in taking over from Senator Graham Richardson, I think that senator-elect Thistlewaite will have huge shoes to fill in seeking to replace Senator Forshaw. On behalf of the coalition, I wish Senator Forshaw all the best in life after politics.

I turn to my fellow Tasmanian, Senator O'Brien. It would be fair to say that I have seen more of him around the state of Tasmania by virtue of our being senators for that great state. As a result, I have had more interaction with him than with the other two senators that we farewell tonight. One of the jobs that you have to do in trying to determine what to say on occasions like this is to read the first speech. Tonight I can offer an apology to Senator O'Brien. You will recall that there was a motion for a Senate inquiry into AFL to be played in Tasmania. I confess I thought that Senator O'Brien was simply doing this as a political stunt et cetera, and I made comments to that effect. Much to my horror, when I reach his first speech, he in fact mentioned that as an issue that he was concerned about. He commented on all the great Australian rules footballers that Tasmania produces. On that basis, please accept my apology. It is nice to know that you have the passion for Tasmania to have a football team.

The other interesting thing I picked up in Senator O'Brien's first speech was his commentary on the 1989 state election:

… Labor, in accord with the Tasmanian Greens, replaced Gray's Liberal government, but Labor found itself with an impossible task. Minority government and big public debt …

I will not say anything other than how history repeats itself. In relation to Senator O'Brien, I finish by saying that the task he set himself in concluding his first speech, which was to work for and with the Tasmanian community to repay their faith in him by his commitment to them, he has achieved exceptionally well. You leave this place being able to be well satisfied that you have truly served the people of Tasmania. I wish you and your family all the best and trust that you will enjoy the vineyard in the Tamar Valley and things Tasmanian.

I can assure you that the coalition, whilst we did not necessarily like one aspect of your work—that was, as federal opposition spokesman on primary industry matters—we respected it, and you did keep the government to account on a continuous basis. That will be a great credit to you. On a friendlier basis, we appreciated your role as whip. From the coalition's point of view, common sense and camaraderie always prevailed in relation to the decisions and in relation to pairs. That is vitally important for the effective working of this place. You did it exceptionally well, so from the coalition's point of view, a big thank you to Senator O'Brien for making things work as well as they did.

I turn to Senator Wortley. Unfortunately, I have known her for the shortest time. When I talked about having some mixed emotions, my mixed emotion is that we have lost a Labor senator for a Greens senator. I can say that without any Greens in the chamber and undoubtedly get unanimous support for my comment. Chances are, out of the three, Senator Wortley and I share the least in common. She has been described as being Left, and indeed hard Left from the Peter Duncan faction. That is all beyond me, struggling as I do within the Liberal Party and Tasmania, let alone in offshore places such as South Australia. But I do note her first speech covered all the same topics that she covered this evening.

You remained true and committed to those views and those principles. Those differ­ences do not stop us in the coalition recognising you as a very pleasant and principled individual who helped to make this place work. I wish you well. As you described it in your first speech, it was an honour to be elected as a senator and you said that you would treat that honour with respect. You have done that by the bucket load. We wish you well for the future.