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

On behalf of the opposition I join with the Leader of the Government in the Senate in extending our congratulations to you on your election to the office of President. We note that your election is in keeping with a longstanding convention of the Senate, that the government of the day has the right to nominate the President. This is essential to our democracy because it goes to the effective functioning of this chamber. So I thank Senator Birmingham and I thank Senator Cash for their commitment to the permanence of this convention. In a chamber where no one party of government holds a majority, conventions such as these, that government and opposition senators hold the role of President and Deputy President respectively, matter.

This is the chamber in which executive government is held to account in a way that rarely occurs in the House of Representatives. Impartiality and objectivity are essential qualities for any president, and, as the opposition, we obviously look forward to you maintaining that even-handed approach. We also look forward to you being a defender of the place of the Senate in our constitutional system of government; of its mandate conferred by the people to review, reject or amend legislation; and of its privileges. I note, Senator Brockman, that you come to office with just over four years of experience as senator—significantly less than the average of 11 years for most senators assuming this position. This does mean you will bring a different perspective to the position from most presidents who preceded you. I hope and trust this will be a positive for the Senate.

I would also like to make some remarks about former Senator Ryan, who had served as our President since 2017. As I've said publicly, Scott Ryan deserves to be remembered as one of the great presidents of the Australian Senate, as a strong believer in liberalism and in democracy, and as someone who sought to defend and enhance the role of the Senate and the privileges of the parliament. He discharged the responsibilities fairly and with distinction, and he worked hard to be a consultative president—another essential quality of a holder of the position. Scott Ryan had a deep understanding of and a personal commitment to the role and importance of the Senate in our democracy. I have listened to you today, Mr President, seeking to emulate Scott Ryan in the discharge of your work as President.

Once again, on behalf of the opposition and personally, Mr President, I congratulate you on your election, and we look forward to working with you.