John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I take this opportunity on the last sitting day for 2013, at the conclusion of what has been a very busy parliamentary year, both for us parliamentarians and for the many staff of the parliamentary departments, to acknowledge and express my personal gratitude to the following. Firstly, I thank the Clerk of the Senate, Rosemary Laing. Not only is she a staunch defender of the traditions and dignity of this place but she has been the source of wise counsel throughout the year, for which I am most grateful. I thank the Deputy Clerk, Richard Pye, and all the senior officers of the Department of the Senate for their outstanding professionalism and commitment to this very important institution in our democracy.

I thank all senators, and I would like to make special note of the Deputy President and Chair of Committees, Senator Stephen Parry. I wish to once again acknowledge the excellent working relationship that we have established since July 2011. I know that has been something that has worked very much to the betterment of this parliament and to the benefit of all senators in this place. I also thank the temporary chairs of committees, who do a very wonderful job in relieving both me and the Deputy President in the onerous job of looking after the chairing of this chamber when neither I nor the Deputy President are available. I also wish to thank the former Usher of the Black Rod, Brien Hallett, as well as to take this opportunity to put on the record my welcome and gratitude to the current Usher of the Black Rod, Bronwyn Notzon. I wish to thank the Director of Senate Services, John Baczynski; Assistant Director, Glenn Krause; and the staff of the Black Rod's Office.

I wish to acknowledge the staff of the Clerk's Office, the Table Office, the Procedure Office and the Committee Office and thank them for their hard work, dedication, patience and forbearance. I thank the chamber support staff, and in particular John Brown and the chamber attendants and the mail attendants, led by Stephen Schmidt.

As I do every year, I make a special mention of, and I thank, Ian and Peter at the transport office, who continue to look after our transport needs so efficiently. And I extend my thanks to the Comcar drivers and telephone booking operators, who are always helpful, efficient and pleasant in making our lives workable.

I thank the Secretary of the Department of Parliamentary Services, Carol Mills, and her staff, most of whom work in the background providing the essential services that enable the parliament to function. In particular, I thank the grounds staff and gardeners as well as those who maintain the building for continuing to make Parliament House such a showpiece for the nation.

Those who work in the Parliamentary Security Services as well as the AFP officers who patrol the external areas of this building also deserve our gratitude. The staff of ICT, particularly Reyhan Waterford and Josh Cunningham, who have assisted me on more than one occasion in getting the information and communication technology we are provided with to work in this place. I also thank the Health and Recreation Centre staff, and the Parliamentary Library and the research service—under the direction of Parliamentary Librarian, Dianne Heriot—who do a wonderful service for all senators and members in this place.

I would like to also offer my thanks to the licensees and other contractors who provide a range of important services to those of us who work in this building including: the cleaners who keep this place so immaculately clean and tidy; the catering staff of IHG and Aussie's who provide the coffee and food to all building occupants and visitors; the very dedicated Parliament House switchboard operators, whose voices we often hear on the public address system directing us to committee meetings, but who are the front-line service for us all—while they are not seen, they are definitely heard and, I can assure them, not forgotten; and the staff of FCm, who make our travel arrangements.

For the first time, and given that they have completed their first full year as part of the Department of Parliamentary Services, I acknowledge and extend my thanks to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Phil Bowen, and the staff of the Parliamentary Budget Office, who have so ably supported senators in this place. I also thank the International and Community Relations Office Director, Andres Lomp, and his staff for their dedicated work with outgoing and incoming delegations and in managing so well our interparliamentary relations and international parliamentary assistance program. The Parliamentary Education Office Director, Simon Harvey, and his staff do an extraordinary and very important job teaching young Australians about our parliament. In 2013 they taught 90,950 young Australians from 1,589 schools.

I would like to thank the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Anna Burke, and her staff, and in particular Chris Paterson, with whom I have had a great number of dealings over a long period of time. I welcome the election of the new Speaker, Bronwyn Bishop, and the Deputy Speaker, Bruce Scott, and look forward to working with them again in the new year. I particularly wish to express my gratitude to the retiring Clerk of the House of Representatives, Bernard Wright, and on behalf of all senators wish him, his wife, Maree, and their family all the best for the future. I extend my thanks also to the officers of the Department of the House of Representatives.

I also thank the hardworking and dedicated staff of Ministerial and Parliamentary Services in the Department of Finance, who provide an important service for senators and our staff. I am especially grateful to the staff of my office here in Parliament House as well as to my electorate office staff in Queensland, who make my job much easier indeed. And I acknowledge and thank all the other people I have failed to mention by name or by class who personally work in Parliament House and in electorate offices right around Australia. We are a dedicated group of people, and there are a dedicated group of people who support the work of this parliament—something that is not very much understood, I fear, in the broader community. But, nonetheless, to those people especially, our thanks for all your assistance.

In conclusion, I extend my best wishes to all colleagues and staff for the upcoming festive season and I look forward to seeing everyone back here in 2014. I thank the Senate.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I thank the Senate on this occasion. It must be getting close to Christmas.

I thought I had an impressive list of people to thank, but I think you have gazumped me, Mr President, so I simply say, on behalf of the coalition, that we fully endorse your remarks in relation to all of the wonderful people who assist us in doing our tasks. That includes, Mr President, yourself. That is one that was on my list, which you left off your own list, and so on behalf of the coalition I thank you for what you do in ensuring the smooth running of the Senate. I do note that, all things being equal, this will be your last Christmas message, but I look forward to your stewardship of this place over the next six or so months until the Senate changes.

I also include in the list the parliamentary chaplain. I thank Reverend Peter Rose for his prayerful support of us individually and also of our collective endeavours and deliberations. I thank my colleagues and my deputy, Senator Brandis, and Senator Scullion and the country cousins from the National Party for providing a good, cohesive coalition. It is a situation where we have this year changed sides in this place, but it is a great testament to the strength of our democracy that these things can happen so smoothly. I thank all of those involved who assisted in that quite extensive logistical manoeuvre. Having been on the opposite end of it a couple of times as well, I am very appreciative, on behalf of all senators I am sure, of those who make those logistical changes for us.

I thank not only all of the personal staff in my office but also all of the coalition staffers for the wonderful job they did leading up to the election, during it and since. Mr President, I simply say it is a genuine privilege to be able to serve in this place, and especially so to serve as the Leader of the Government in the Senate and have the confidence of the Prime Minister, Mr Tony Abbott, to do so.

I conclude by wishing the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, all opposition senators, the Greens, Senator Xenophon and Senator Madigan a very happy Christmas time and a restful period as we regroup to gather in 2014 to do the people's work. The Christmas period is part of a very rich heritage that we as a society enjoy and it is worthwhile to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, not only for us personally but also for us as a nation. I wish everybody a very happy Christmas and all the best for 2014.

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

by leave—I join with Senator Abetz and with you, Mr President, in wishing all senators and staff a safe and happy holiday season and the very best for the Christmas season. I for one am looking forward to a break. I suspect that, if I were to put that to a vote, there would be almost unanimity.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You've got the numbers anyway.

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

I have the numbers on this one. On occasion we get them. It is an understatement to say that this has been a big year. Political contests are generally difficult, but this year has been even more so. What we saw in this election, as you always see in any election, is the great workings of the Australian democracy. As a result of that we now have different roles in this place. Our acknowledgement and congratulations of those opposite is more than matched by our determination to ensure we hold them to account and, hopefully, best them in this chamber on many occasions.

I also extend my Christmas greetings to Senator Abetz, as Leader of the Government in the Senate, and to all senators and staff. I want to thank my colleagues for their support and the manner in which they have taken the fight to the new government. I particularly want to thank my deputy, Senator Conroy, and give special thanks to Senator Moore, who has taken up the role of Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate and has done an outstanding job. I also want to thank Senators McEwen, Urquhart and Bilyk, who do a fantastic job whipping. I extend my thanks and seasons greetings to them and also to you, Mr President. I hope you have a good break over the summer. You deserve it.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator.

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

On behalf of the opposition, I echo the thanks of the President. He went through an exhaustive list, which I will not replicate, but I do want to make special mention of the opposition's thanks to Rosemary Laing, the Clerk of the Senate, and other staff of the Department of the Senate. We thank you for your wise counsel and your assistance. I do believe—and I believed this even when I was on the other side and perhaps was a little irritated at what I was being asked to do—that this is one of the great institutions of Australia's democracy.

I want to also thank the staff. I acknowledge the extraordinary role that the clerks and other staff of the Senate play in ensuring this institution works as well as it does to play the role it does in our nation. I also thank the staff of the Department of Parliamentary Services. I have become much more reacquainted with the Parliamentary Library now we are on this side. What a wonderful resource it is. I thank Hansard and broadcasting. Thanks to the gardener who at my request pruned the walk—I think it is known as Faulkner's walk—between the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate's office and the chamber. I also want to thank many others in the department who assist us.

I want to make special mention of the staff of all senators. I have often said that as a politician you are really only as good as your staff. I particularly want to thank those staff who have made the transition from government or joined the new opposition. Again, I echo the thanks to Comcar. Where would we be without them, literally!

Finally, I say to the many Labor members across Australia and people who are supporters of the Labor Party: thank you for your passion, commitment and hard work in this election year and in every year. I promise you that your Labor Senate team will return in the new year and continue to take up the fight on your behalf and on behalf of every Australian who believes in a fairer and more progressive Australia.

In conclusion, on behalf of the Labor opposition I extend our warmest Christmas greetings for this holiday season. May we all spend time with family, may we all remember what it is like to not have to have as little sleep as we have had and may we also enjoy the peace, harmony and joy that this holiday season brings.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—On behalf of the Greens I would like to join Senator Abetz and Senator Wong in wishing everybody a very happy and very safe Christmas when we leave this place to go home to finally spend time with our families. It has been a big year—I agree with Senator Wong. For some of us it is not quite finished. There is unfinished Senate business still to be done in Western Australia, so it does not quite seem like we are finished. I hope all of us will take the opportunity to join our families, enjoy some festive time and reflect on what we are actually doing this for and why we spend time away from them.

I wish to join the President, Senator Abetz and Senator Wong in extending thanks to the people who really make this place function. I would also particularly like to mention Rosemary Laing for her support and the procedures clerk, who is always there to help us when we are doing fiddly amendments and say: 'We have changed our mind. We can't do that. We have to do this.' They are always accommodating and ready to help, same with the Table Office. I thank you very much.

I have been asked by Senator Milne to particularly mention Comcar—although I was going to—and to make a suggestion to you, Mr President. That is, sometimes the Comcar drivers might be invited in to look around the House, because we are told that some Comcar drivers have never seen the gardens. Given the beautiful work that the gardeners do—and a big shout-out to the gardeners—it seems a shame that people who are outside our doors, every day that we are here, have not seen the beauty of those gardens. It is a suggestion to the President that they be invited in to see what we see every day.

I would like to extend thanks to the Greens staff, who have worked so extraordinarily hard in this place. They do go above and beyond the call. In particular, a shout-out to Emma Bull, who is now our chief of staff and was whips clerk and has been the manager of parliamentary business for us. She is a most extraordinarily talented person who keeps us on the straight and narrow—and it means that she has a mention in Hansard for the fourth time in a row, so I will mention that. I would also like to particularly say thank you to my staff: Jess McColl, who is the best policy officer you could imagine; Rose Newbury-Freeman, who keeps my office shipshape; Chris Redman, who is my media officer and who does the most amazing work; and obviously Nick, who works on campaigns and community campaigns for me. They are a fantastic team. I know we all have fantastic teams and we do not get to mention them often enough. I want to give credit where it is due: we all could not stand here unless our staff were there, 100 per cent on deck. When you come from Western Australia, you ask a lot of your staff to be away from their loved ones—I see Western Australians and other people who travel long distances nodding their heads. You ask a lot from them to be away from home for so long. So thank you. Please, everybody, have a safe, happy Christmas and New Year; and get lots of rest, because this team is certainly going to be taking it up to all of you in the New Year.