Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Joyce, I understand that your valedictory speech was your second chance today to reflect on your time in this chamber and on how you are hoping to move the other place and represent a seat in another state. I would not be the first to note the irony of this choice given your passion for the states' house, although I also note with interest your lament this evening that you think this place has lost that role in the way that it represents. As it is Origin game 2 tonight, I think the question on many, many people's minds is: what colour scarf will you be wearing?

Senator Joyce, your presence in this place has added a great deal of colour in its own right, whatever that colour is. Your wonderful nature, the garrulous, friendly way in which you approach your work, will be sorely missed. You have always been prepared to express a very independent sentiment, and often in a very unique way. But the character you bring to this place brings so much to the Senate as a whole and, indeed, to the parliament. I am delighted that you have noted that the persuasion of the Labor argument managed to grab your attention, and you have indeed chosen to cross the floor from time to time. As an illustration of your independence, you understood the impact of abolishing student fees on university campuses, and you crossed the floor to vote against legislation that nonetheless passed. I note that in 2006 you crossed the floor again, unsuccessfully moving amendments to cross media ownership laws. Both of these are issues that I know you feel passionately about. But you were not always swayed by the arguments put forward by the Labor Party; you have never been captured by the logic of Labor arguments. Without pre-empting the electors of New England, I presume that your inclination for independence of thought might be a little constrained in your future career. I guess we will see how that plays out.

In your Senate career you have participated in an enormous range of committees. You were dedicated to your committee work. I had the pleasure of serving with you on the national capital and external territories committee, and we shared many an adventure in many an exotic location—our external territories. I think it is reasonable to say that you are leaving before your time; you are doing this by your own volition in pursuit of a different kind of opportunity. On behalf of the government, I wish you and your family all the best for your future endeavours. Who knows what will come to pass. With Mr Windsor's decision today not to stand at the next election, your fortunes have changed come what may. Senator Joyce, thank you for your contribution and thank you for your friendship. Perhaps we will see you again.

I would now like to make some comments with respect to my ACT Senate colleague, Senator Humphries. I respect the fact that Senator Humphries has made it clear that he would like to focus on the future and not dwell on the way in which his time in the Senate was prematurely ended. I would like to say that I personally thought it was unfair and certainly undeserved. I will leave it at that.

As a territory senator, I would like to reflect on the departure of my friend Senator Trish Crossin. We have often found ourselves working collaboratively on issues that are dear to our hearts with respect to the territories we represent. I note with interest that you made reference to the crossing of the floor—somewhat enthusiastically given that, on many a Friday morning with Ross Solly on the political panel, you have rubbed my nose in the fact that I am not able to cross the floor because of the rules of my party. I will talk a bit more about that shortly. But you are entitled to do so because that is in fact the way it is: as a member of the Labor Party I am bound by its rules. I certainly stand by and that respect that. But I also acknowledge your inclination on at least that occasion, as so eloquently expressed tonight, on the nature of your party's approach to such matters.

For Senator Humphries and me, our shared interest in our constituencies in the ACT has manifested itself in a number of ways. The first thing I want to mention is the cultural institutions, our national treasures, most but not all of which call Canberra, the national capital, home. Senator Humphries' support and appreciation of the arts and culture generally is very well known throughout the Canberra community, and it is reflected in his diligence with regard to holding the government to account through Senate estimates. I know that it was a genuine and abiding interest for him as a territory senator representing a Liberal government.

The other area of intersection has been on planning policy, with your active interest and involvement in the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories, which in fact Senator Trish Crossin also shared for a deal of time. That has been another area of great intersection and concern for many of our constituents. Navigating what is often a complex demarcation between the roles and responsibilities of the Commonwealth in planning for the national capital and the roles and responsibilities of the ACT government is something that your experience in the ACT government brought invaluable insights to in the respective deliberations over many, many years on that joint standing committee, and I would like to acknowledge that tonight. We certainly have not always agreed on those issues. We have had many complex discussions about them, but on all of those things I know you to be someone who is extremely well motivated in the way that you see things and very focused on getting a constructive outcome.

We have not spent too much time on committees really, you and I, other than that, but I want to also acknowledge the work that you have done, particularly with Senator Trish Crossin, on the both the legislation and references committees of the Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. Your contribution to reviewing legislation and developing policy agendas in that area of the law and how that applies to the reform process of keeping this country's laws updated is well respected and observed formally this evening.

I also would like to make a note, as you did, of your work on both the Senate Select Committee on Mental Health and the 'forgotten generations' inquiry. I think, having taken part in many a debate and many a forum with you on various election campaigns, that there is no doubt that your proficiency and expertise in both of those areas are second to none and well respected, again, in our constituency.

There are another couple of roles that I think it is important to mention—and this would go, I know, for many senators—but they are often an invisible role that senators play. Senator Humphries has played two important ones that I would like to mention and has probably played many more. One is, of course, as the co-chair of the parliamentary interfaith group; the other is as co-chair of the parliamentary friends of people with multiple sclerosis. I know that we are having a morning tea with the friends of people with multiple sclerosis tomorrow morning, so I will not say too much more about that other than that, again, your role with both of these organisations has been highly respected and will be sorely missed. As an ACT senator, your connections with many of the national advocacy groups are very strong and very real and have been for many years. In that respect, you will be missed. These groups play a significant part in ensuring that parliamentarians remain literate and educated about the issues affecting their respective constituencies. In this way, we are very proud as parliamentarians about how we keep our parliamentarian colleagues up to date with those issues.

Perhaps, in all of this, where I will miss Senator Humphries the most is probably, I reckon, those Friday mornings in the ABC studio with Ross Solly. The regular session with a political panel on Friday mornings on our ABC local radio was something of an institution, and it is just not going to be the same without you! I remember bringing in coffees one day, which totally flummoxed Ross Solly. He said, 'How can you bring your political opponent a coffee?' Anyway, it started a great tradition of bringing coffees, at least for a while. I think I spoiled it by moving to decaf and not wanting to drink it anymore.

Senator Humphries, I think those debates showed that not only is it possible to have a fiery debate with you but you are the sort of person who can walk out of the room and be entirely civil. This is not a characteristic shared by all colleagues. It is certainly a characteristic shared by most, but it is most certainly a characteristic that you have displayed over many years, and I appreciate that in this place, as I know everyone does.

So, Senator Humphries, I take this opportunity to say that I am sorry to see you go. I wish you all the best in your future. I am not going to say 'your retirement', because I have no idea what you are going to do next. From reading the paper this morning, I think you obviously have some really positive things in your mind about how you can keep contributing to the Canberra community. I would also like to acknowledge Cathie, Felix and Owain. I know the political life is very tough on families. I have met them a number of times over many years. I have seen your boys grow up over those years. To your family as well, I would like to pay my respects, and on behalf of the government I wish you all the best for the future.