Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I'm glad for the opportunity to place some remarks on the record as we end the parliamentary year. It has been a pretty big year. I've been here since 2002, and there has never been a year like this one, certainly in terms of departures and arrivals and constitutional law and so forth.

It's a great privilege and honour to be a senator in this place. It's a great privilege and honour to lead the Labor team. I do appreciate the opportunity to express my gratitude, on behalf of the opposition, to a number of people. I will start with you, Mr President. You have filled your role since the somewhat unexpected—perhaps less expected for some than others, Mitch. It's Christmas! It was said with a smile, Hansard—she said it with a smile—you could interpolate that.