Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

It is not always the case that the leader and deputy have a close working relationship, and the relationship between the occupants of the two leadership positions has in the past been a source of tension and instability. I see my role very much as one of providing support to my leader and to my colleagues, to be a conduit and to be a stabilising influence, and I have sought to do that with both leaders of the Liberal Party whom I have served as deputy. I thank my leader, Malcolm Turnbull, a person of immense ability, a person of substance, who has already achieved a great deal in his pre-parliamentary life and who will, with his intellect and drive, achieve much more. Hopefully at the next election he will achieve the ultimate prize, which is to be the Prime Minister of this country.

I pay tribute to the work of the Senate leadership team: Nick Minchin, for whom I have a great deal of respect; and my counterpart deputy, Eric Abetz, whose dry humour makes our leadership meetings a joy to attend. The Manager of Opposition Business, Christopher Pyne, is a wonderful personality and dedicated to whatever task he undertakes, always with great vigour, great wit and ability. The Leader of the National Party, Warren Truss, is a person with whom I have a strong working relationship and for whom I have a great deal of affection. I thank the Leader of the Nationals in the Senate, Barnaby Joyce, for the great working relationship that we have. I enjoy his company and he is a passionate advocate for the National Party. My colleagues in the Liberal Party and in the National Party are a great source of support to me. I enjoy their company, I respect their views, I admire the great effort that they put in—

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