David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

To President Hogg and Senator Sue Boyce, thank you for a wonderful contribution. Forgive me if I spend the very few moments that I have tonight talking about my good friend the boy from Busselton Alan Eggleston. I am very proud to call him my friend. He has served Western Australia and particularly the north-west of my state in so many ways and so very well. I might start with the Royal Flying Doctor Service and I might also add as a GP and obstetrician in the Pilbara, as Mayor of Port Hedland, as President of the Kalgoorlie North Division of my Liberal Party in Western Australia—where he travelled as a volunteer month in, month out some 2,000 kilometres to attend meetings—and as a senator for the past 18 years. What a fabulous contribution.

He and I fought together in the 1987 campaign. I was a candidate for the federal seat of Kalgoorlie and he was a Senate candidate. We had the tall and short of every political argument across the north-west. I of course provided the brawn; he provided the intellect and, may I say, the heart.

Alan, your contribution to the Senate over the past 18 years has been thoughtful, insightful and outstanding, particularly on the communications committee, on the environment committee and in getting SBS into regional Western Australia. That is something not many people know and understand. In recent times, in the last several years as chairman of the foreign affairs, defence and trade committee you have done a wonderful job. I thank you for your strong advocacy for Western Australia and particularly for the north-west. There will never be a better advocate for the north-west of Western Australia in the Australian parliament. I thank you for your friendship, your intelligence and for being the kind of decent work colleague who we are all going to miss from this chamber. Your fellow senators, members and all of the staff that have known you over the years share with me an enormous admiration. I congratulate you on a stellar career and I wish you all the very best in your retirement.