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

I want to add my remarks to the events and the departure of Mr Abbott as Prime Minister. It is a privilege to serve here and it is a vocation, but, as we know, politics can be very hard as well. It is part of the Australian spirit not to score points when someone is down, so I just want to say that public life is hard on people who serve and it is hard on their families. It is not for me to be partisan about Mr Abbott's record, but he certainly led the Liberal Party formidably for well in excess of five years. He is a fierce and formidable proponent of his views and a ruthless advocate for what he believes in. From his first victory in 2009 to become the Leader of the Liberal Party, right through to last night, he has been a fighter—a formidable fighter.

I have exchanged harsh words with him in my time as opposition leader. I have disagreed with his politics and decisions on many occasions, but I also wish to record that he had this frustrating ability on occasion, just when you were really frustrated with a particular decision he might have made, to do something unexpected, generous and personal. At the time when my mother passed, he was very sensitive to that. I said this to him and I explained this conundrum of his frustrating behaviour. He just smiled at me said, 'I'm sure I will frustrate you again.' And he did.

It is a very tough day for Mr Abbott. I say to him, to Margie and to his remarkable daughters that we wish you well. To Mr Abbott's personal staff, led by the formidable Peta Credlin, you have served the boss loyally and according to your code, and we recognise this. In conclusion, I just say to Mr Abbott: I had the privilege, on several occasions, of being with you when we addressed serving men and women of our defence forces. What I thought was remarkably humble of the member for Warringah was that he would frequently begin his remarks to them by saying, 'I have never served.' He was conscious of this, even disproportionately. I say to Mr Abbott: you have served. I do not think you need to judge yourself any lesser for not having actually worn the uniform of this country. You have represented and been the Prime Minister of this country. That is service indeed.

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