Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too would like to acknowledge the contributions of all the senators who have spoken tonight. As Government Whip, I would like to say how much I have appreciated the fact that, despite their retiring, all of our government senators have continued to contribute fulsomely to the business of the Senate and the parliament and have been very generous in agreeing to do whatever I have asked them to do in these last few weeks. They have always worked hard and clearly they are going to continue to do so until the last moment.

I will miss their contributions, their willingness to do whatever is required and the good humour with which they adapted to the ever-changing and often mysterious program of the Senate. I also thank all of them for their very thoughtful and polite interactions with the staff in the whip's office over a long period of time.

I also acknowledge the work of the staff of the retiring senators, as I know that a number of the senators' staff will also be leaving this place. I thank them for their contribution to the work of the parliament. You should all be very proud of yourselves for your professionalism and for the dedication that you have shown to your bosses.

I would like to say a few words about the senators who have spoken this afternoon. Senator Forshaw: apart from your patience, good humour and fondness for lollies, I particularly acknowledge your assistance in sorting out important issues to do with committee memberships, office-holder positions and other such party matters. Your leadership and the respect that you have from all of your colleagues made it possible for you to be a trusted go-to person to sort out those issues. Those aspects of the manage­ment of our work here in the Senate may not be immediately apparent to everyone, but they are the hidden cogs of this very complex system. Your support has enabled this place to function. Your corporate knowledge on such matters and your valuable history has been greatly appreciated by whips, I know. Senator Dana Wortley has made the most of her six brief years here. She is from my home state of South Australia. Dana, you have been a wonderful representative of South Australia. She has been a dedicated contributor to the life of the Senate. She has always been prepared to make contributions in the chamber—sometimes we could not hold her back!

Senator Dana Wortley and I have spent many hours, many days and, in fact, many years on the Senate environment and communications committee in its various incarnations. When I was chair of that committee Senator Dana Wortley was an absolute stalwart. She was always really well prepared to bail up ministers to make sure they gave the necessary assistance to the committee members. She always showed great interest in any matter the committee inquired into. She also made sure that she used every opportunity that she had to pursue her passions, which include workers' rights, industrial relations, the ABC, Australia Post, the Murray-Darling Basin and cybersafety. It was very fitting that her longstanding interest in young people and the media was recognised when she was made Chair of the Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety.

Aside from her strictly senatorial duties, Dana Wortley also played a very important role in the life of government senators, organising on many occasions informal get-togethers in her office that involved food, music and other things. She did that especially on late sitting nights. Her contribution to social occasions has been very much appreciated. Of course, her contribution to the parliamentary sports club has been awesome. Thank you for encouraging those of us who are less active to get out and do things. Thank you for your six years in the Senate. I look forward to seeing you advocating on behalf of South Australia in whatever you choose to do next.

I have a few remarks about Senator Kerry O'Brien, for whom I have immense regard. I will miss him very much. He has taught me a lot. When I was first elected to the Senate I was fortunate to become a member of the infamous Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee. At that time Kerry was the shadow minister for transport and later he became the shadow minister for primary industries, fisheries and forestry. Kerry O'Brien's pursuit of the then government through the portfolio areas covered by the RRAT committee was a lesson to all of us and certainly a lesson to a brand-new senator. Whether at inquiries or at estimates he was absolutely dogged in his relentless pursuit of witnesses. He has always backed that up with his in-depth knowledge of the broad range of portfolio areas that he covered from primary industries to transport. I remember that airline safety was a passion of his and obviously still is.

In 2007, as has been said, Senator Kerry O'Brien was made the Government Whip in the Senate. It is fair to say that his work in that role provided me with a solid understanding of the many-faceted, always interesting and sometimes very frustrating role of Government Whip. Kerry was very supportive of me when I became whip and has continued to be supportive. I would like to thank Senator Kerry O'Brien for leaving me with not only many words of whipping wisdom and a few stray bottles of wine when he left the whip's office but also his truly excellent staff—Kay and Maria, who are indeed the real power behind the whip's throne.

I wish Senators Forshaw, O'Brien and Wortley all the very best. I thank them again for their assistance and support.