Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

'This too shall pass'—it's an ancient Persian proverb, the lesson being that, through times of despair or elation, neither shall last forever. It is a keeper of perspective that I've found useful through the highs and lows of political travails.

Now, it is time for my parliamentary service to also pass. Some will be kind enough to be disappointed to see me go—maybe only a rare few but some. To them, I am sorry, especially to those who feel that I'm letting them or the team down at this time. Others, as is the nature of this business, will be delighted to see the back of me. To them, I am also sorry. I'm sorry that I'm giving you this joy, but staying just to spite my opponents or to prove them wrong is no good reason to stay. In any event, it is always better to go when there are some wishing you to stay, and none of us is irreplaceable. Now is the right time for me, for my family and for new career pathways.

I am excited that next year I will step into a new commercially oriented direction. You can all be relieved to know that it has nothing to do with lobbying, government relations or commentary! This year I hit the big five zero. It provided cause for gratitude on the wonderful life I've been fortunate to craft and reflection on the priorities that lie ahead. There is so much in my life that I do have reason to be thankful for. Professionally, I will leave here just short of 18 remarkable years as a senator for the great state of South Australia. Perhaps it is best to get out before hitting 18 and reaching Senate adulthood—whatever that might look like.

When I entered this chamber in May 2007, I was its youngest member at the time. I will leave, thankfully, not as its oldest but as the longest continuously serving of my current coalition colleagues. I've been fortunate to spend more time on the government benches than in opposition, to have had a near decade as a minister and to have the vast majority of it as a cabinet minister. For more than four years, I've had the honour of leading my party here in this Senate serving as both leader of the government and leader of the opposition. I do know which one I preferred!

I've seen, during those near 18 years, too many prime ministers, and I acknowledge the political blood on my own hands during those more turbulent times. I've worked at sufficiently close quarters to PMs to see the real and constant stresses of that job. I acknowledge all of those who have held our nation's most important office during my time in this parliament, from Prime Minister Howard all the way through to Prime Minister Albanese.

I particularly thank the Liberal PMs in whose party room I served. John Howard was always generous with his time and advice, especially in my early years. Tony Abbott gave me the opportunity to serve on the frontbench and, through his win in 2013, in the ministry. Malcolm Turnbull promoted me to cabinet, backed me in the pursuit of difficult reforms and brought me into his leadership group. And Scott Morrison was to challenge me with roles in the Expenditure Review Committee, the National Security Committee, the leadership of this chamber and the joys of being a campaign spokesman through two elections. Politics, though, should never be about the titles you've held but what you do with them. I hope to be judged to have left a positive legacy.

As education minister, we cleaned up the rorted mess that was VET FEE-HELP and replaced it with student support, targeted to job-enabling skills with real limits on fees. In higher education, like many education ministers, parts of my agenda were foiled by this chamber. A key direction I sought to take, which I urge future ministers to revisit, was to create a performance element to university payments, linking some Commonwealth support to graduate employment outcomes. Supply-side decisions made by universities play a huge role in shaping the graduate mix across our country. It is in the interests of both students and the economy for universities to face both reputational and financial incentives to get the enrolment mix right.

I had more success in abolishing the historic maze of multiple childcare payments, replacing them with a single childcare subsidy and targeting support to those working the hardest but earning the least. Means testing and activity testing the CCS were critical to maximise workforce participation and choice for families without breaking the budget. It would be fiscally reckless and of limited genuine benefit to abandon these limits. Simultaneously, we backed safety nets for early education and, to get more kids into preschool, began shifting state payments from ineffective enrolment based payments to much more important attendance based payments.

My biggest fight as education minister was, of course, over school funding. I inherited a wicked dilemma. On one side were the reforms recommended to the Gillard government by the Gonski review, which had been compromised via a big-spending, no-losers approach that, instead of Gonski funding, maintained 28 different funding deals for schools. On the other side were budget repair initiatives of the Abbott government that sought to strip away the big spending but had no chance of passing the Senate and also maintained funding inequities. After many conversations with the ever-thoughtful David Gonski, and with the unwavering backing of Malcolm Turnbull, we determined that the only way out of the dilemma was a principled implementation of the Gonski recommendations.

Applying the principle of Gonski's funding formula meant having the courage to create losers as well as winners. Some of those who stood to lose fought hard; others played politics. That was their right, even if, at times, their positions betrayed their purported values. As I said at the time--to some controversy--an opponent or two sold out their values for a few pieces of silver. But many education leaders, faith leaders and experts put principles first, even if it required a difficult transition for a few. Ultimately, we were to prevail, securing 10 crossbench votes at the time. I notice Rebekah Sharkie in the chamber. Bek, you helped with getting those crossbench votes, too.

We did so to put school funding on a more needs based and more consistent footing, which enabled more choice for families of all means and greater support for those of most need. The Grattan Institute's Peter Goss wrote: 'This is a victory for the schoolchildren of Australia over politics.' I also acknowledge Michael Chaney, who took on the task of overseeing the technical efficacy of the funding formulas, including improving measures of income. I take some pride in the fact that our changes are enduring, with the current government's school funding changes based entirely on the model and formulas we legislated. But we didn't stop with funding.

Thanks to bipartisan support in my home state, we began the spread of an early-use phonic based reading check across Australia. I was pleasantly surprised when, at my 50th birthday bash in June, the musician turned up. He introduced himself as a teacher in his day job and told me that his principal had asked him to thank me for the phonics check. That was the last thing I was expecting at the start of my 50th. The Gonski 2.0 report, which looked at how record funding should be applied for better outcomes, laid the foundations for these and other practical reforms. Its recommendations on developing basic skills, more effectively measuring student progress and recognising our best teachers deserve to be fully implemented.

It was quite a change to move from the classrooms of the education portfolio to the entrepreneurs of the trade, tourism and investment portfolio, but I loved the transformative nature that each brings to our nation. Our government delivered the biggest ever expansion of preferential market access for Australian exporters, lifting the share of Australian exports with advantageous rights of entry into our export markets from 27 per cent when elected to more than 80 per cent.

I was proud to oversee the implementation of the CPTTP, to sign the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and to finalise the Hong Kong FTA, the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations with our Pacific island family and the landmark digital economy agreement with Singapore as well as launch the negotiations for our eventual FTA with the United Kingdom. In particular, I take pride in having secured the 15-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. RCEP created the world's largest trade bloc, encompassing around 30 per cent of both global population and global GDP and cemented Australia's place as an integrated economic partner with ASEAN and others major Asian economies. We also launched Australia's India economic strategy and led a delegation of more than 100 education, tourism, energy, resources and agribusiness leaders as part of the first Australia-India Business Exchange.

However, my time as trade minister coincided with the beginning of a great crisis, the COVID-19 global pandemic, and a big warning, China's attempt at coercive trade sanctions. I will never forget Saturday 1 February 2020. I was spending the morning at the Liberal preselection that brought Andrew McLachlan to this place, while the family prepared to host Tilly's 9th birthday party that afternoon. Then came the message of a special National Security Committee meeting being called. This was bad news. First, I had to tell Courtney I may not make the birthday party! But, more seriously, I also knew what was coming. That was the meeting at which we determined to close Australia's borders to China.

As trade and tourism minister, this was a decision of such consequence for the stakeholders I represented. I challenged the health advice but could ultimately see the wisdom in the precautions being taken. It was the first of so many monumental decisions to be taken—further border closures, the JobKeeper program, standing up a government run air-freight coordination mechanism, actions to save tourism businesses, and just so many more through COVID. Our actions weren't perfect, nor in such unprecedented times was the information we had available to us to base those decisions on perfect. But on the whole I am very confident that the Morrison government's decisions saved many Australian lives and livelihoods.

In the midst of this global crisis, the wolf warrior diplomacy being deployed at the time by the Chinese government suddenly struck numerous Australian export sectors. As I've said many times, Australians should be proud that our businesses, our economy and our nation withstood that attempted coercion. China's actions betrayed the commitments our countries had made to one another, and whatever differences our governments had there was no justification for those trade sanctions. Incidentally, the WTO's multiparty interim arbitration agreement that we had negotiated with China due to US blockages—and did so with China and other parties—actually became useful leverage for the ultimate resolution of those disputes. China is a great power, but this was an abuse of power, as we sadly see the Chinese government deploy too often in their military actions and in other conduct that is increasing risk and instability in our world. We all wish to preserve peace and stability. That requires genuine deterrence and effective diplomacy.

Shortly after I became finance minister, Scott Morrison brought me into the early discussions among a very small group of NSC ministers about the possible acquisition of nuclear powered submarine capabilities. As if the pandemic decisions hadn't been monumental enough, the birth of the AUKUS partnership involved the most consequential of national security decisions arguably since the signing of the ANZUS treaty.

Subsequently, when we lost the election, I was to take on the shadow foreign affairs portfolio and in doing so have seen the most challenging of times emerge across the world. I salute the courageous Ukrainians, the determined Israelis. I pay tribute and acknowledge the tragedy of lives lost in the Palestinian territories, in Lebanon and in so many other conflicts around the world but particularly those that are being fuelled by the axis of Iran, North Korea and Russia—all too much enabled by certain Chinese policies. At the time we embarked upon AUKUS, we also oversaw the unwinding of pandemic assistance, the beginning of post-pandemic budget repair and an economy that drove unemployment to its lowest levels in my lifetime.

I was also responsible, as finance minister, for working with former sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins on delivery and initial implementation of the Set the standard report. This was important work, and I value the contribution that I was able to make alongside colleagues across the chamber, but I do want to press that I do not accept the perceptions peddled by some in this building of it being a universally toxic workplace. There are many staff and members of parliament of all political persuasions who not only work hard and achieve much but actually enjoy their time here too. They should be proud of their work and take pride in coming to work in this place, and, whilst we should never tolerate the types of behaviours that led to the Jenkins report, the whole should not have their experiences universally besmirched.

After all those experiences and, indeed, those even before I was trade minister, I was, and remain unashamedly, a free trader. I do fear the world is headed into an era where populism trumps good policy. Australia must protect our interests. As the two largest free trade blocs, RCEP and CPTPP must be protected and enhanced to ensure that a free and open Asia-Pacific region remains the world's economic growth engine. In doing so, that will be best for Australia's interests too.

In my new life, I look forward to advancing these interests and to helping to practically grow our trade and investment flows through our region. With that, we should also be clear that it's important to celebrate the profits of Australian companies, not undermine them. We should also acknowledge that Australia needs migration if we are to fund ambitions in sectors like defence and maintain essential services as our population ages. We should also be bold in the use of data to drive government efficiency and stare down the conspiracy theorists who jeopardise such productivity measures, and we should seek to unite Australians, not divide them.

I remain proud of my small role in securing marriage equality in Australia, having been the first coalition frontbencher to publicly back marriage reform. The ultimate strength of the 'yes' vote for marriage equality demonstrated that Australians overwhelmingly back concepts of equality and respect for each other, regardless of our differences. We must learn this lesson in all aspects of our work, including in the pursuit of reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. We should strive to make Australians proud of having the oldest continuously living culture in the world, not ashamed due to disadvantage nor resentful due to perceptions of special treatment. It's about achieving mutual respect and equality of opportunity for all.

Those on the harder edges of the left and the right who seek to divide our country only make us weaker in our division. Little is gained by culture wars, politicians obsessing over what happens in private bedrooms or anyone seeking to override evidence based medical practice. I am a proud liberal of the John Stuart Mill tradition, preferring less government intervention in both our economy and our personal lives. The global rise of populism and divisive tribalism, peddled by ideological extremes, troubles me. It risks social cohesion in countries like ours and jeopardises the economic wellbeing of countries like ours. I am confident that Australia is a country whose values sit toward the centre and that the parties of government forget that at their peril.

This won't be universally agreed across the chamber, but, in Peter Dutton, I believe the Liberal Party has a leader who understands that. Peter and I certainly don't agree on everything, but Peter is grounded and thoroughly decent and has a perspective in touch with many hardworking Australians. I am confident that he would be a strong and effective prime minister, and I wish Peter and the coalition team nothing but success.

Without pre-empting the decisions of our party room, I also note that my departure will likely see the first all-woman leadership across this Senate. Good luck to you, Michaelia. Thank you for being a loyal deputy and a good friend. And, I guess, good luck, Penny, in having Michaelia at the table with you!

I have been fortunate to have had it all in many ways: career, family and a great life. And I owe thanks to many—my staff, of course. I've been blessed with amazing electorate staff and policy, parliamentary and media advisers. I could never hope to repay what they have collectively done for me. I hope they never forget that my achievements and those of our government's are their achievements too, be they parliamentary staff, electorate staff or any who have made a contribution. While many have come and gone in my office, and, happily, often gone on to bigger and better things—a few prime ministers seem to like to poach my press secs—we have also had remarkable stability. Loretta Sist and Anthony 'Buck' Rogers, two of my first electorate staff, employed all the way back in May 2007, remain part of the team all these years later.

I could wax lyrical about the merits of so many staff past and present, but I do want to single out two in particular for their loyalty and leadership, both known to, I think, the bulk of my colleagues. Loretta, my office manager for the entire journey, has underpinned the standards, ethics and culture of our office. She has become family to us and will forever be so. Rachael Thompson—not game to look at me!—my one and only chief of staff ever since I first became a minister, is potentially the best networked person in this place. However, Rachael's vast network is genuinely one developed through diligence, professionalism, thoughtfulness, humility and generosity. Thank you to Marcus and Samantha for enabling Rachael to give so much of herself to me.

Truman was wrong when he quipped that, if you want a friend in politics, buy a dog. I take away treasured friendships with current and former parliamentary colleagues—far too many to name, and I will create offence by leaving some out. But I will single out John Gardner and Trudi, James Stevens and Alex, Marise Payne, Christopher Pyne and Carolyn, James McGrath, Scott Ryan and Helen, Jamie Briggs and Estee, Anne Ruston, Sean Edwards and, as I say, no doubt others.

Relations across the aisle are essential too, especially here, where the Senate is ungovernable without a degree of trust between the leaders. Penny, thank you for our trusting working relationship. It's come a long way from us sparring over the Murray-Darling Basin in my early years here. You are a formidable opponent, a warrior for your cause, and with an intellect that justifies your success. The Murray-Darling, too, incidentally, is a reform where achievements that have been made—world-leading in water recovery and reform—should not be undermined entirely by debate about what more may or may not need to be done. Holding the water portfolio, the Murray-Darling portfolio, in my earliest days is also where I got my first real taste of conflict with the Nats! Bridget, we have become near experts at managing such conflict, along with being good mates, and I thank our coalition partners.

That leaves family and friends. Today would have been my nan Madge Herde's birthday. She was a huge influence on my life; I spoke about her in my first speech. I know that Mum, who's here today, and her sister, Margaret, join in taking some added meaning that, on this anniversary, I take my next step. Mum and Jim, Gaye and Roger, Margaret and Neice have all in different ways given Courtney and me the support to juggle crazy professional lives while giving our girls every opportunity possible, along with support further afield from my cousin Lauren.

Fewer truer words have been written about raising children than the phrase 'it takes a village'. In addition to family, our village is blessed with many treasured friends who have kept us grounded while giving more help than could ever be expected. In particular, to Pricey, Don, Cooper and Ruby, along with Sash, Keano, Georgia and Harvey: thank you for being the best mates anyone could ask for. Many more fun times lie ahead.

I told the Senate in my first speech that my partner, Courtney Morcombe, could be just as capable of standing here as me. Perhaps she should have been, although 'Courts' has a typically direct answer when anyone has suggested it; she honestly replies, 'I don't like people that much.' At the time of that first speech, when I referenced Courtney, she was the chief of staff to Adelaide's lord mayor and I was a backbench senator. We quickly agreed that one of us in politics was enough, so Courtney returned to her professional services career. Somehow, that formula didn't last. One wedding, two children and 13 years later, we were to find ourselves in the position of me being Australia's finance minister and Courtney back in politics—not in local government but as chief of staff to the South Australian Premier—also in the midst of that same global pandemic. How we all survived the intensity and madness of it all may forever be one of life's mysteries. It's due, of course, to many of those family and friends I mentioned before. As we now enter a time when neither of us shall be in politics, words are insufficient to express my love and gratitude to you, Courtney, and my thanks. You've backed me through the toughest of times. You've always been my most important and forthright adviser.

Sitting either side of you are Tilly and Amelia. You guys are our world. We love you enormously—okay, stop crying because you're doing it to me! Tilly, your drive and determination will take you anywhere. Amelia, your care and consideration will ensure you are always surrounded by love.

As I farewell this place I have a few departing observations for the colleagues I leave behind—some of it informed, sadly, by the last couple of days. Colleagues, it is not necessary to target one another and personalise debates to advance the issues important to you. It is not necessary to undermine the principles and practices of this Senate to advance the issues important to you. Every senator is accorded with remarkable privileges and a platform like no other in this nation to advance those issues important to you. Use those privileges and make the most of your platform, and you will be amazed at what you can achieve in this place without crossing the line.

I acknowledge all the Senate staff and all across the Australian Public Service. Rosemary Huxtable, the former head of Finance, thank you for being here with me today. I also acknowledge Tony Cook and George Mina, across Education and Trade, as two amazing public servants among the many I had the privilege of working with.

Serving in the Senate is the honour of a lifetime. I was just the 89th South Australian to do so, and have served, if the maths is right, with 206 of the 647 Australians to have ever been a senator.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

Wow!

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

We've seen a lot of turnover, Penny!

Those of you who have the honour of continuing in this place carry a great responsibility. I wish you well. Do good. Make a positive difference. Thank you, and farewell.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on behalf of the government and myself to acknowledge and thank Senator Birmingham for his service to the Senate, his service to the great state of South Australia and, most importantly, his service to our nation.

As Simon said, he's been a member of this place for some 17 years. He has had quite an extraordinary career—there is the Murray-Darling Basin; anyone who serves in that portfolio bears certain scars!—and has had senior frontbench positions such as Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Trade et cetera and Minister for Finance, and, in this place, leadership roles across the board: Manager of Government Business, Deputy Leader of the Government, Leader of the Government and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. It is quite a remarkable career.

Senator Birmingham's political activism probably dates about as far back as mine, and we've had a similar career—if on opposite sides—both cutting our political teeth in Adelaide at the uni. We've clearly got different political ideologies. He once confessed to me that he joined the Liberal Party at a time when John Hewson was promoting Fightback, so clearly we disagree often!

Simon Birmingham has always engaged respectfully. He has always engaged with integrity, and he has always engaged with a clear view for achieving something positive for our country. Senator Birmingham is a thoroughly decent person, and I want to thank him personally for his constructive engagement across the table in this place in these last years but also over the last 17 years.

Senator Birmingham has repeatedly demonstrated a commitment to rise above petty personal politics, and we saw that again today. He's shown me a great deal of kindness at times. He may not remember this, but he was actually very kind to me after our 2019 election loss. Our children were doing Mandarin at the same school, and he saw me outside. He was very, very kind to me, and I've never forgotten that. He could have just said, 'We won,' or something like that.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

I was probably the last person you wanted to see.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh well, not at all. He has also shown grit. Some might say he's been optimistically valiant in advocating a moderate approach to key debates such as water, environment and climate. He was a key advocate, within his party, the community and this parliament, for achieving marriage equality. With his characteristic humility today he spoke about his small part, but I was there, and he played more than a small part.

I think in politics you see a lot of people who have a lot more spin than substance. Some might say in this building that's the norm. With Senator Birmingham there's a lot more substance than spin. Unlike many in this building, he never promotes how good he is or tells people how smart he is, but he is a man of enormous competence and high intellect. I think in politics you learn from the people with whom you work, but you also learn from the people with whom you contest. I can confess to the chamber that Simon Birmingham is much more patient than Penny Wong. He also is a man who keeps his perspective. I think that is the key to why Senator Birmingham remains calm. He keeps perspective in the moment, and it is one of the reasons he has been such a good leader in this place and one of the reasons he was such an effective minister.

We also have both learnt things in the Pacific. We learnt the difference between kava in Vanuatu and sakau in FSM. Oh, Micmac has left. I was really making that joke for him. Oh dear! I have to say that one of the things I learnt then about Senator Birmingham was this: despite having partaken much more than he should have—much more than was advisable—of the sakau, which is the kava of FSM, he nevertheless managed to deliver a competent, clear, coherent speech, albeit very, very slowly.

As Senator Birmingham said, serving in this place is an extraordinary privilege. Serving as a minister is an extraordinary privilege. Serving in the cabinet of the country and as leader in this place is the honour of a lifetime. I salute Senator Birmingham's career as a great contribution to the nation. Few Australians have the capacity and platform to contribute to public debate in the way all of us in here are able.

As Senator Birmingham described today, briefly, it also brings great costs, most of all to those who we love: a lot of time away from home, anniversaries, birthdays and celebrations missed. I know, Courtney, Tilly and Amelia, you are, I'm sure, looking forward to having a bit more time with your husband and dad, and I wish you all the best for that.

On behalf of Labor senators, and personally, I congratulate Senator Birmingham on his service in this place. I thank him for his friendship and I wish him all the very best for what's next.

Sue Lines (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham. I first saw you as a member when I was a member of the Rudd government. It was my first estimates, and my colleagues warned me and said: 'Watch him. He's clever and quick and has a huge intellect.' Since then, most of my interactions with you have been in my role as President. I've found you to be a person of great integrity, trustworthy and honourable. Your contributions have often been sharp and witty. Sadly, in this role I've never really been able to laugh at them, but I have found them witty!

For me, I've seen you at your best—your absolute best, in my view—during condolence speeches, whether it be for the passing of a senator, a national disaster or something on a global scale. I've discovered in those moments that your compassion is deep, that it's heartfelt and it's obviously—and still is—very real.

May I wish you well and all the best in whatever you do next with your family and your daughters and in your new career. Thank you, Senator Birmingham.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on behalf of many Liberal colleagues today who unfortunately, due to time, will not be able to make a contribution to you, Simon, but also on behalf of myself. I will start my speech—Courtney will understand this, and, Simon, you will, but I don't think anybody else in the chamber will—with, 'We'll always have the night markets in Taiwan.'

As I said, I rise to pay tribute to my friend and colleague and our leader in this place, Simon Birmingham. I do so, of course, with sadness, but more importantly, Simon, I do so with immense respect and admiration for what you have done and what you have achieved in this place. In fact, you'll recall that we came into this place at around the same time. You arrived here in a casual vacancy in 2007, and I was elected in the 2007 election. I have to say, it has been a journey for you and me over almost, now, 18 years. I think you and I have often remarked to each other that it still feels quite literally like we arrived yesterday—and, yes, you do still look as good as you did back then. You rose from the considered backbench senator you were back then to the top place in this job. As Senator Wong articulated, Leader of the Government in the Senate—what an honour it is to hold that position.

I was also reflecting earlier today that it would not have been an easy task to take over as Leader of the Government in the Senate, in 2020, from someone I think we all acknowledge was a formidable predecessor, in Mathias Cormann. But very quickly you brought your own personality and your own style to the role, and you were able very quickly to win the respect of your team. But, more than that—and again it was articulated by the President and Senator Wong—you in fact won the respect of everyone in this place. I have been honoured to serve as your deputy since you took over as our leader. Your collegiate attitude, intelligence and ability to negotiate successful outcomes both within our team and within this place has, quite frankly, been second to none.

Unlike myself, I've heard you sometimes described as quietly spoken, but that certainly does not mean that you have had any trouble getting people to listen to you. The intellect, thoughtfulness, decency and, more than that, good humour that you have always brought to the debate in this place will long be remembered. You have without a doubt a proud history of service that anyone who has served in this place would be proud, themselves, to hold. From a backbencher to a parliamentary secretary and then on to an assistant minister before becoming the Minister for Education and Training in 2015, you went on to serve as the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment and then, of course, a role you discharged so well, the Minister for Finance and Vice-President of the Executive Council.

As many of us in this place know, having had the honour of being a minister, as glamorous as the title may be, it is not easy. You always, however, appeared to be doing it effortlessly, always on top of the issue and of your brief. But I, along with others, know how much hard work, long hours and anguish you and, as you so rightly acknowledged, your team put in to make it look that way. It is a credit to you—and I quite frankly have no idea how you do it—that you are never flustered. It is something I will need to learn from you, seriously. You always remain calm—note to self!—and thoughtful, no matter what is thrown at you. I'm sure that will be one of the great strengths that you take into your new role in the private sector.

In your first speech, you said this:

I come to this place looking for us to think big for at least the next few moments, to lift up above the humdrum, the sledging and the cynicism of day-to-day retail politics, to instead recall what inspired all of us: a desire to make a difference, a positive contribution, one that improves the lives of those living today and those of the generations to come.

I think, on any analysis, you have continued to strive for all those ideals over your time in the Senate. You have been driven to make a difference and to improve the lives of your fellow Australians, and I think you have succeeded well and truly in doing that. Like all of us in this place, we are senators and we know ultimately what our role is—to be a fierce advocate for the people of our state; in your case, South Australia. I certainly know, as we sat around the cabinet table for, in fact, our entire time together, that you would always argue, as you should have, stridently and persuasively for South Australia and for South Australians. You will recall many a time that some of the things you argued in favour of were in direct competition with the interests of Western Australia, but we were always able to agree, to disagree and to remain friends afterwards. And that is why—or that is one of the reasons why—you will leave this place today with the best wishes of everyone in the chamber.

Simon, for anyone who has served in the parliament, as you said, the greatest thing you can do is leave at a time of your own choosing and on your own terms. As we know, for so many, that is a rare thing in politics. But, after almost 18 years in this place, you have absolutely earned the right to do that. As you have articulated, the service you have given to your nation did come at a cost, a cost that each one of us understands but each one of us is also prepared to bear. But it is our family who bear the greatest costs. As you said, you've spent large amounts of time away from your home and away from your family. No doubt, Courtney and your daughters, Tilly and Amelia, will be absolutely delighted to have you home on a slightly more permanent basis.

So, Simon, this is it. As you embark on the next chapter in your career and your life, on behalf of all of us, I really do wish you all the very best. I want to thank you for your service to the Liberal Party of Australia and to the Liberal Party of South Australia. You have been a loyal servant to each and have made your mark on this nation. You have a legacy and will be long remembered in this place. Good luck, my friend, with everything ahead of you. You are welcome back to visit us any time.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

I will just give a short contribution because I'm sure Birmo's own colleagues really want to have an opportunity. I want to say, being a fellow South Australian, what a wonderful time it has been to work in this place alongside Senator Birmingham. From his work on the Murray-Darling, to marriage equality—and Penny is absolutely right; the role that Simon played in that debate very early on was pivotal, and I don't think we would have actually got what we needed without Birmo's dedication to that issue. Climate, of course, has always been something that Senator Birmingham has spoken passionately about, and I understand that it's probably more passionate internally than we ever hear on the outside. I also remember the tussle over the education policy when Senator Birmingham was education minister. We had some interesting conversations at that time. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to say this, but I think we both wanted to take the Catholics down a notch.

There's the respectful and considered approach that Simon has taken in this role—the integrity, the honesty and the ability to be a straight shooter. When he tells you what it is that's going to happen and what he thinks, he always follows through. You can take his word, with absolute trust that it will be kept.

I will miss our chats, Birmo, as we fly home at the end of the week, talking and debriefing about how things have gone. I appreciate your counsel on how to deal with some of your pesky Nationals friends, and often the counsel about how to try and manage this place at times when things are really heated and people are very passionate. As Michaelia said, you've always got a calm about you. That calm isn't just reflected back in how you behave with your team; I see it reflected back in how we all then engage across the chamber. I think that that will be sorely missed. You've done a very good job and I thank you for that. I will also miss our annual fun on the dance floor at the media ball. Thank you.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to pay tribute to my friend, colleague and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Senator Birmingham, or, as everybody who actually knows him calls him, Birmo. As Leader of the Nationals, the second party of the coalition in the Senate, I want to express my warmest appreciation to Birmo and my genuine sadness about the prospect of his departure from this place. But I also want to express my admiration for your energy, your enthusiasm and the wisdom in choosing the time of your departure. Not many people get to do that, and that again, I think, goes to your intellect and your desire to continually want to make a difference for the people.

As two people from the opposite edges of the spectrum of the coalition—Birmo is the Liberal end and I'm absolutely on the National Party end of the coalition—we have, as he referenced in his opening remarks, often been at the two sides of the internal debates that have consumed the coalition in our time in politics.

When I arrived in 2011, you were almost a veteran of four years. You were the shadow minister for environment. We sat on the environment and comms committee together. I had to text Ben Bartlett to see which was the big fight we had, but we did have a couple. One was on the reach rule, about the ownership of media organisations, and the other was on the Murray-Darling Basin. We have sparred, as you've sparred with many of my colleagues over the years, about that particular issue. Whether it was the vexed position for the coalition on the Murray-Darling Basin or something else, our dealings leader to leader have always found you being a man of great honour and principle. Tough conversations have had to be had, leader to leader, requiring an understanding of each other's internal difficulties of having to manage principled, value driven senators on both of our sides to make sure that our two great political traditions are respected within the functioning of the Senate. The differences of the coalition internally are very easily exposed in the detail driven chamber of the Senate. Finding ways to get through that together—to make sure that every member of our team is able to express their values and to find a solution that allows them to bring their constituents along and to actually respect their role as a senator—I think shows you as a very considered and pragmatic leader.

I will miss you as the coalition campaign spokesperson. Everyone laughs, 'safe pair of hands'. That's not easy to do, particularly in the heat of a campaign. I will really miss that aspect. I was also your education chair during the tumultuous times of the Gonski review, and I'm forever bonded to many members of your team, some of whom I had the privilege to employ as my own chief of staff and senior advisers in government. I think what really drove that, Birmo—as a former teacher—was your desire to get the right outcome for Australian students for the long term. As difficult as that was, I think we eventually landed. I will miss your humour, your indulgence—which you do indulge, particularly Cashie and I in the leadership group, a lot—

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) | Link to this | Hansard source

You've got to try and control that!

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) | Link to this | Hansard source

That's right. I'll miss your curiosity as we ponder how to solve particular tricky vexed problems on a day-to-day. You have a real, curious, open minded way to try and solve problems, which I really love. I will absolutely miss you at Christmas time, when you are always the worst dressed with the best joke. It has been a great privilege to serve with you in the Senate, in the committees together where you were senior one—back then, backbench, you never got to ask a question in Senate estimates unless the shadow assistant minister indulged you—in ministry, in cabinet, on ERC, in prime ministers Morrison and Turnbull and now Peter Dutton's leadership team and obviously as Senate leaders. I think a testament to your strength as a minister is shown by Rosemary's attendance here today. That was a very difficult period, not just for government but for our nation, through COVID, and you absolutely steered the ship.

I think you display the very best qualities of a leader: patience, empathy. You're an amazing communicator, and you're a reformer. You understand that all of us only have this great opportunity for such a short period of time, and we've got to maximise the difference we can make in the roles we have. You've done it in every single role of your career. I'm absolutely confident that that commitment to making a difference and positive change won't change, despite you no longer being in this chamber. I wish you and the family all the very best for the next chapter.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to make a contribution about my friend and my colleague Simon Birmingham, but, as Macca said, he's just Birmo to us in here. Entering here in 2007, replacing the late Jeannie Ferris, was the start of a 17-year career, which has been accomplished, distinguished and significant. Seven of those years was as a cabinet minister in a coalition government. There is no doubt that those seven years allowed you to make your mark on this country, and you should go and leave this place knowing that you have made a significant contribution to our country as an education minister—I think every education minister wears the scars of having held that role—the trade minister, the minister for finance, the shadow minister for foreign affairs of course and, most importantly for us, holding our team together over the last three years in opposition as our leader in this place. You've done a phenomenal job.

Behind the extensive resume that Birmo brings to this place, there is a man of real character. You're a true moderate. You are absolutely a true moderate and unwavering in your conviction for your beliefs. Moderate he may well be; he's also a team player. I can remember many occasions, as we all can—whether that was in leadership, whether it was sitting around the cabinet table or whether it was in the party room—where Birmo always put forward his views and his convictions in the strongest possible way. But, if he was outnumbered by the majority, he would always accept the majority view and he would then go out, front the cameras and fight the fight that wasn't necessarily the view that he put forward behind closed doors. Because he's such a team player, he would often go and fight the fight, but I know that inside he didn't necessarily want to fight at all.

As Bridget has said, there was no more obvious a place where the contests were robust on many occasions, but the relationship that is established through a respectful debate with differing opinions can actually lead to some of the greatest relationships that you can ever make in this place. There is nothing that I think demonstrates that more so than the relationship you have maintained with the National Party and how we have managed to get to a consensus position once we have had our robust debates behind closed doors.

One of the things I think everybody will remember Birmo for is that he is the safest pair of hands in the media—although, I have to say, his confidence has grown and grown in his time in this place, because I do remember a certain press conference, when he was first in this place, where he failed to work out where the exit was and then, after a fiery engagement with the press, found it a little difficult to get out of the room. The unflappable Birmo we see today was forged on the altar of a very embarrassing moment, and you will note that these days he advances every single one of his media outings!

Beyond his talents in this place as an amazing senator, he has also been an extraordinarily loyal friend to me and a reliable source of advice. In fact, Birmo and his then partner in crime, Sean Edwards, are the very reason I'm even here today. They managed to con me at a restaurant one night at dinner that they'd really love me to run for a casual vacancy. I wasn't going to win, they said to me. 'You're not going to win; we just need a really good field of candidates.' So I put my hand up, and 12 years later I'm still here, so clearly that wasn't true!

The reality is that there are many ways that you can judge the character of a person, and one of the ways that I think is a really good judge of character is the loyalty of their staff. There is nobody in this place that has staff that have been more loyal than Birmo. I acknowledge Loretta, who is here—a formidable force in her own right—Buck, RT and the many others of your staff. Their loyalty to you is a demonstration of your respect and loyalty that you give to them. It works both ways. I think that is probably the greatest demonstration of the character of the person that is sitting before us today.

Above all else, Birmo is a family man. To Courtney, a political operative all in your own right: I acknowledge you and the sacrifice that you have made over the last—well, not quite 17 years, but all the time that you guys have been together that Simon has been in this place. I'm not really sure that you've thought through having him home full time, but I wish you all the best with that! To Tilly and Amelia, who have not known your father to be anything else but a person who is in this place: it's going to be a really interesting time for you to have Dad home a bit more often so he can pick you up from school. To Amelia: I will never forget your birthday on 7 September, because Dad promised me faithfully that he would be my sponsor and bring me into the chamber when I was sworn into this place. At the very last minute he said he was terribly sorry, but you were about to be born. Instead of swearing me in, he went home for your birth. I think that probably shows it. I reckon he might just be the family man that we all know him to be.

To Diana: it's fantastic to see you here. There is always one face that you will always find in crowd when Birmo is doing anything, and that's yours. The support that you have given to Simon throughout his career is absolutely extraordinary, and I just wanted to acknowledge that as well. I'm sure much of your decision today has been on the basis that you have an amazing family, and you want to spend more time with them.

To us in here, but to me personally, you're not just a considered and steadfast politician. You're a great leader. You're a great orator. You're a deeply rational thinker. Above all else, you're somebody that cares about other people, and the care that you have shown your team since becoming the leader has been extraordinary. We will absolutely miss you. We'll miss your wise counsel. We'll miss your terrible Christmas jokes and your terrible Christmas outfits, as Macca just said, but I think everybody in this place, and certainly I on behalf of South Australia, wishes you all the best for whatever it is that you're going to choose to do in the future. I know, whatever it is, that they'll be lucky to have you. We'll sadly miss you.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) | Link to this | Hansard source

I just want to take the opportunity to put a few comments on the record, too, and I don't want to take time from other colleagues who might want to speak. I want to associate myself with the other contributions made already. I think, Senator Birmingham, you can hear from the genuineness and some sadness in the contributions on seeing you go just how highly regarded you are in this Senate and across the chamber more broadly. I thought it was a wonderful valedictory speech, with lessons in there for all of us to think about—and the fact that we will all think about it is because we respect your views so much.

It's obviously been an incredible career here, but I've learnt, through painful reference to section 44, there is life outside this place, and it's a great life. It's hard when you're in the hustle and bustle of politics to understand that there are more normal jobs, at times less demanding and less public and just as rewarding. I know, from your service to the country, that you will keep contributing to the fabric of our nation; I have no doubt.

I took over from you as Minister for Finance at the change of government. I know the Public Service—I know Rosemary's here, or she was here earlier—never reflect on previous occupants of the job, but it was clear, through all my dealings, what a great department, in good leadership and in safe hands, it had been under your stewardship and how highly regarded you were by that department. I was the beneficiary of your hard work in that respect.

I associate myself with the contributions that have been made tonight. I think the words 'intelligence', 'integrity', 'confidence'—people can speak to you in confidence and have that confidence kept, and that isn't always the way. It's a highly undervalued part of the jobs that we do, and so when you find that with someone you treasure it.

The calmness—I must say that, at different estimates, I did try to ruffle that calmness, unsuccessfully! I thought, 'What do you have to do to get under this guy's skin?' I never, ever got there. Fundamentally, you are an incredibly decent person, and I think, if you can serve 17 years in this place in public life and have all those characteristics reflected in this chamber, you've done what many others haven't been able to achieve.

We won't miss you as campaign spokesperson; we do see the opportunities there, I have to say! But we know that you will be watching the campaign. I say all these nice things, and I know it won't reflect on you badly now because you're leaving, but you've never given up your liberal cause; you are a fighter and warrior for that. To balance that and your ability to be universally liked across this chamber is something that's hard to achieve as well.

Our dealings with your office, again, reflect so highly—I hear all the time in this parliament that the staff in your office are highly regarded, and that reflects on your leadership as well. We have a little thing in my office where if Birmo's on the floor so am I. We were always trying to stay one step ahead of you, so we'll have to change that now to 'Cash alert', I think, subject to those processes.

Simon, I was sad to hear the news, but I completely understand that this is a good decision for you, Courtney, Tilly and Amelia. I wish you all the best. It's been an honour and a privilege to serve alongside you, and I look forward to seeing what you achieve next.

Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

I won't be very long. In my dealings with you, Senator Birmingham, as leader of our respective parties, I wanted to thank you for your decency. I'm pretty sure that you won't miss us and possibly this place, but the chamber will be the poorer for losing your calm expertise and your shrewd operation. I've always appreciated your honesty, your sense of humour and your work ethic. You've always been professional and courteous to me. I respect how you've conducted yourself in this place, and I think that's a strong compliment for anyone to leave this place with.

Particularly, I want to flag the sincerity with which you approached the beginning of the work on Set the standard in this place and our dealings at that early stage. You were always very clear and very detailed, and you clearly wanted to help fix things. I respect you for that, and I think that's been really valuable work.

Parliament needs more decent people, and I think your party will be the poorer for losing your leadership. I wish you and your lovely family all the very best in the future.

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) | Link to this | Hansard source

I am rising today in four capacities, Birmo. The first is as a housemate. This is the longest running house in the parliament at this point in time. It's had a fair bit of turnover. I think I'm actually the most recent addition to that house. There has been everyone from Christopher Pyne to Marise Payne, Michael Ronaldson and Robert Hill—my goodness, the list is going on—but, right now, I speak on behalf of James Stevens, Angie Bell and David Coleman to say, 'Thank you very much to both you and Loretta,' who has just walked out of the room. She is the silent housemate, who has looked after us all. It is always a stress in this place, but coming home to friends—even though you are always the last to get home and always the first to leave in the morning, which speaks to your work ethic—does make a difference to the way we approach the rest of our time here.

I also want to acknowledge the word that dare not speak its name, and that is your role as the leader of the Black Hand. The Black Hand is the ultimate secret society here, but it is not just about the parliamentarians; it's also about our staff and party members who believe, as do you, that the centre of politics is where the real gravitas and responsibilities lie. I thank you very much for the leadership that you've shown in that space. You are a leader here not just to colleagues but particularly to staff. I know that we've mentioned your staff before, but it's not just your staff, it is everyone else's staff around the building too—we look to your office for leadership and guidance. The example that you set in your office is one that we'd like to replicate in our own. Your team is so loyal. They are of an extraordinarily high calibre. They would walk through fire for you, and that's what we all want.

Other than that, I wanted to say thank you as a friend. You have been an extraordinary friend in this place and sometimes at a time when friends are hard to come by. What the future holds for you is so exciting. We couldn't be more pleased for you. What you leave behind is a legacy of service to your country and a nation that has changed because of what you have done here. But what lies behind you and what lies ahead of you pale in comparison to what lies inside you. You are a person, particularly in a profession like this where a good heart is just as important as a level head, who means so much to all. Thank you very much for the service that you have shown here to all of us.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) | Link to this | Hansard source

Hi, Courtney. I'm quite grumpy at the moment—a real change of circumstances there! To begin with, Simon is leaving, and, secondly, he has made me cry. I don't cry, but he's leaving, and I'm very annoyed about that because I've known this guy for over 30 years. In the byzantine world of Liberal student politics, in the Adelaide conference of 1994, Simon was leader of the moderates—boo, hiss! Scott Ryan was there as leader of the Victorians—boo, hiss!—and I was there as a spear chucker with an unholy alliance between the Queenslanders and the New South Wales people—boo, hiss! It was a brilliant conference because no-one got on but three of us became really good friends. It was Simon, Scott and me. In later years, a fourth wheel joined our car, and that was Jamie Briggs. So, with Simon leaving today, it's the last of that group.

I want to say to Simon: thank you for being a good friend. Thank you for putting up with my grumpiness, my crankiness, my surliness and the fact that, like Courtney, I don't actually like people. Deep, deep down, though, I do like Simon, and I love Courtney. I don't think I've ever met Simon's mum, but Simon was also a flatmate of mine back in Adelaide, in the dying days of a previous Liberal administration in the 2000s. He broke my shaving mug, and I've never forgiven him for that, because I hold a grudge.

Simon: I'm so happy you're leaving this mad asylum and that you are going out into the real world. You're going to see the sun and the clouds and the birds and general happiness. Good on you. One day we will look to joining you in that happy, happy place—after we throw out Labor at the next election.