Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

Well done, Albo, on the redevelopment of Heffron Park. We lost Doc Neeson—an angel who never pretended to be a saint, and the author of one of our unofficial national anthems. A generation of movie lovers mourn the loss of Robin Williams and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and we celebrated no fewer than three Australian Oscar winners. Brisbane shone for the G20, and this parliament hosted a cavalcade of world leaders.

Someone introduced a budget at some stage—but not to worry, we will get a practice run again in a couple of weeks and a re-run in six months!

Madam Speaker, as well you know, managing this House and this parliament depends upon the work of hundreds of intelligent, dedicated people, and none of them are politicians. To the clerks, the Serjeant-at-Arms and their office; the Tabling Office; the Parliamentary Library and Hansard, as well as all the attendants in this chamber, I say that this place runs on your patience, your skill and your good will. Is there really a Facebook page for Luch?

This building, our home for 20 weeks of the year, could not operate without the people who come to work here every day—the security guards, plumbers, printers, switchboard operators, gym staff, nurses and the IT support team. To the Australian Federal Police, who look after MPs and senators—and on occasion our families—I thank you for your dedication. I send a special thank you to the officers who keep an eye on the Melbourne CPO.

I want to thank all of the Parliament House cleaners, especially Joy, Maria, Anna and Lucia, and I wish them well in their campaign for a modest 85c-per-hour pay rise. I thank Dom and his most excellent friendly crew at Aussies, who keep the caffeine flowing as the week goes on. In a building sometimes more known for melodrama and squabbling over the lime light—or indeed problems with the skylight!—to all of you who work backstage to make sure the show goes on, we are grateful.

In the same way, I want to thank all the Comcar drivers. I make special mention of my drivers in Melbourne—Steve Smith, Peter Taylor and, formerly, Bill Foster. They are always willing to listen to my new ideas for shortcuts and navigation—who needs a Navman!—or, when my children are on board, the Frozen soundtrack on repeat. Although Steve was on the wrong end of about five dud tips from yours truly for this year's Spring Racing Carnival he has kept his sense of humour.

I also want to acknowledge our friends in the press gallery. We all benefit from your hindsight! But our democracy is most certainly improved by your diligence and tenacity. And let me not forget the photographers!

In 2014 our party and our nation lost three political giants. In mourning the deaths and celebrating the lives of Neville Wran, Gough Whitlam and Wayne Goss, everyone who shares affection for our movement has been reminded of the timeless Labor values that bind us. To every member of our party—Australia's most venerable political movement—I say: thank you for keeping the light on the hill burning bright.

I especially thank our national secretary George Wright, national president Jenny McAllister and their hardworking team for all their help this year. And I promise every member of the ALP that all of us will give our very best to live up to the progressive, reforming, bold legacy of those who have gone before us, to make you proud to be Labor.

To my marvellous deputy leader, the member for Sydney and her family, thank you very much. Tanya, you mean so much to our party, and your support means so much to me. Thank you.

To our leadership team in the other place, Penny Wong and Stephen Conroy, thank you for the wonderful work that you have done in standing up for Labor values in the upper house. To our shadow Treasurer, the member for McMahon, and the Manager of Opposition Business, the member for Watson, I thank you for your good humour, your ready wit and your wisdom. To all my shadow cabinet and caucus colleagues, I pay tribute to your hard work here and in the community. 2014 was the year that Labor stood strong. We stood strong because we stood together. Every day in this job I count myself lucky to be surrounded by people of such talent, people of social conscience, and I wish you all a relaxing break with the people you love.

As we know, behind every good politician is a surprised and relieved staff member. Work in politics at any level is more than a job; it is a vocation. Our staff make tremendous sacrifices on our behalf and we thank them for that. I seem to have been provided with several extra paragraphs of praise for my own staff. Time will not permit me. Unfortunately, I cannot work through all of it and name them individually. I simply offer a heartfelt thank you to everyone from my office and my electorate office for their effort this year, their energy and their enthusiasm. Even at the most difficult and high-pressure moments, my team can always find a reason to laugh—sometimes it is not even at my expense! I am especially grateful for that.

In his final speech in this place, Kim Beazley said that what our families put up with is the hard secret of public life. Like everyone, I am only here because of my family's support, their patience, their guidance and their love. Chloe, Rupert, Georgette and Clementine, I love you and I cannot wait to see you.

Last week, David Cameron remarked that sometimes this is the place where the brickbats fly. Yes, ours is a chamber of robust exchange. It has always been that way and it always should be. Our democracy depends upon disagreement, on the contest of ideas, on each of us speaking on behalf of the people who elected us. But perhaps in 2015 we can all do better; we can all work harder to separate the personal from the political. In that spirit, I want to acknowledge the work of the crossbenchers in the House of Representatives and the Senate—very important work. In that spirit, I want to wish the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, the government and their staff a safe and happy holiday.

Earlier this year I lost my mother—a wonderful woman who taught me and my twin brother, Robert, so much. The Prime Minister sent me a very kind message of condolence. In one of those unscripted moments in public life, Prince William was ahead of the Prime Minister and Princess Kate was behind; the Prime Minister was between. My wife was talking to Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge was talking to Madam Speaker, and there was the Prime Minister and I, within handshake range, as we did. I thanked him for his thoughtful words and his message regarding my mother. I said that, every so often, just when I am at the point of complete frustration with the Prime Minister, he does something nice to surprise me. I think the Prime Minister was sufficiently surprised at this comment, but he paused and said, 'Don't worry. I'm sure I'll find a way to frustrate you soon.' Prime Minister, thank you for your generosity. Please send my very best to your remarkable wife, Margie, and your clever and capable daughters. I am sure that, as you savour a shandy or two this summer, pondering your year of achievement, you will miss us, but do not worry; we will be back. We will be here, ready for the political battle in the year ahead, whatever it may bring.

Merry Christmas, everyone, and a happy New Year. I thank the House.

See this speech in context