Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and International Security) Share this | Hansard source

Speculating on it with some accuracy, given the Prime Minister has now confirmed the election will be on 13 October!

I have referred to those opposite, but I also wish senators and members of other political parties—the Democrats, the Greens and the Independents—well. I thank Tony Windsor in particular for the courtesy he extended to me when I visited his electorate in New South Wales.

Mr Speaker, from time to time we blue with you. That is the nature of this place. We try to do so with humour, with respect and, inevitably, with accuracy. We know that, after you have returned to your family and your community for rest and recreation over the Christmas period, you will return to this place refreshed as well—and even more seized of the accuracy of our interjections, the robust nature of the argument we put forward based on the standing orders and our interpretation of them. Thank you, Mr Speaker, for your support. On a private and personal note, I would like to note the way in which you interact with members of our side of politics at a personal level. We appreciate that and thank you for your work in that respect.

There are 3,000 or so parliamentary staff around this building and its broader precinct who assist, in many ways, the work of members of parliament and make our life in this place possible. To Ian Harris, the Clerk of the House of Representatives, to his staff and to Bernard, we thank you for your services, always conducted in a professional and friendly way to those who represent the opposition party in this place.

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