Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to associate myself with the remarks of my colleagues across the chamber in relation to the three retiring Liberal senators. Senator Troeth has always been a very warm and friendly colleague. I did get to know her during my time in the organisation before I came to this place. It was some time after I realised a little of how this place worked that I understood the impact of some of the conversations I might have had with her before I came into the place. It has always been a very warm and friendly association.

The strength of Judith's work was demonstrated at the Rural Woman of the Year awards a couple of weeks ago. She did mention this in her speech earlier tonight: she was specifically recognised for the work that she had done in relation to the development of that award and the raising of its stature and its profile. Having had an association myself with that award, as her successor in the portfolio, I know how valuable it is and how much her work was valued in that area. Her legacy is more than well established through the agricultural sector and the portfolio. She very kindly left me alone and allowed me to make my mistakes and stumble through my early days in the portfolio, however difficult it might have been for her, having gone through that change process. I very much appreciate the fact that she was prepared to do that, although I did notice her smiling knowingly during some of the occasions when I was dealing with my colleagues in relation to some of the industry fees and levies. I know that she had her moments. I certainly had my own, as well—the knowing smile remains. Judith, all the very best for the future. It really has been great working with you and I appreciate the collegiate and friendly nature of our interactions. I wish you all the very best into the future.

I have not had a huge interaction with Senator Russell Trood during my time here. Because of the nature of this place and the committees we work on, we are often in different places at different times. But I have had the great pleasure of Russell's company a number of times at social events and dinners where we have had the opportunity to sit down. Like all the others who have spoken here before me, I do recognise what Russell has brought to this place. He has always been held in high respect across this chamber for his knowledge and his wealth of research. I certainly hope he remains a friend into the future.

This valedictory process that we are undertaking in this couple of weeks actually demonstrates the strength and the value that the diversity of members of this chamber brings to the chamber's work—the ideas, the expertise and the experience that members bring to this chamber, to the parliament generally and more broadly to what we do. Some of the things that have been said about colleagues tonight and particularly Russell demonstrate the real value of all of those things that come to this place. None of us are the holder of all wisdom, and the strength of this place is being able to work together, as we do in the committees that we are all part of, on so many occasions. Sometimes it can be combative but more often than not, particularly within the committees and the work that we do there, we are genuinely looking to make things better and to find solutions. If we are prepared to work with and consider the ideas of everybody else that sits around the table then more often than not we will come up with a better result. Quite obviously, from what has been said here tonight, Russell's contribution really signifies the value of that.

Finally, I turn to my Tasmanian colleague Senator Guy Barnett. Guy and I go back quite a long way within the Liberal Party organisation in Tasmania. I have not been a member for as long as Guy has—I was not underage when I joined. I had been doing a few other things before I was invited to join the party. But we worked very closely together on a range of things within the organisation. Guy has served the Liberal Party in Tasmania extensively on its constitutional review committee.