Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Speaker, very briefly, on indulgence, I had the opportunity to speak with the member for Batman earlier today and he advised me that he would be making this statement to the House. It has been a privilege to sit and listen to him and to reflect on those times and his contribution to this parliament and to the Australian nation more broadly. Obviously in our own Labor way and on another occasion we will spend time honouring the member for Batman and his service both to the Australian Labor Party and to the trade union movement. But I know personally the sacrifices the member for Batman has made across his working career. I understand the toll that has taken from time to time on his family. I have had the opportunity over these years to meet and know members of his family, to know Tricia, to know Ben and to know Clare, and I know that he will very much value time with them.

From our point of view, he can leave this parliament knowing that he has been a part, indeed a pivotal part, of a number of great Labor achievements—great Labor achievements in the Hawke and Keating modernisation of our economy where the trade union movement was such a willing and such a vital part; great Labor achievements in the period of this government since our election in 2007. When the worst hit in the form of the global financial crisis it was all shoulders to the wheel amongst the Labor team to make sure that we were keeping our economy going, and certainly the member for Batman played his part in that.

He also has played his part very strongly in harnessing and nurturing our resources sector. I know that that is appreciated both by the companies in that sector and by the thousands of working people who rely on that sector for their living. The member for Batman has had to negotiate some incredibly complex changes in energy policy. I know I have worked with him on some. The level of detail is not for the faint-hearted. But he is respected nationally, including by state energy ministers, for his expertise and for his contribution to Australia's energy security.

On tourism, such a vital industry which has been under so much pressure given the strength of our Australian dollar, the member for Batman in his very tough-minded way has worked with the industry to chart a very clear course for the future.

So it is a very proud track record of achievement. I am very pleased that the House as a whole had this opportunity to hear the words from the member for Batman. He will obviously go with the thanks of the Labor team. We will make that very clear in our own way but I am glad that we had the opportunity now for the House to make it clear as a whole.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

See this speech in context