Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—The Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development has given more than two decades of service to the Australian parliament and to the community that he represents. He has served under three prime ministers. In 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal for service as Minister for Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry. They are all fine achievements, but perhaps the most recent achievement that has moved us all, and was mentioned earlier, was the leadership he gave in the search for MH370. The sober and dignified way that he undertook this responsibility has been, I know, a great comfort to the families of the people involved and to the public that watched the events with such concern and such interest. He has a record that he can be rightly proud of.

People outside this place might be a little surprised as they might imagine that the Labor Party and the National Party are always at loggerheads because, of course, there are policy differences between us. What would surprise them, I think, is how often, instead of being at loggerheads, we actually agree. There is still a fine strain of agrarian socialism running through the National Party, an impulse that says it is important to look after people in the bush, to look after their health care, their education and the services that they receive. Our Deputy Prime Minister has been as the forefront of making that case, of defending the people in the bush that he feels so much a part of.

There is another thing that people outside this place would be surprised about, too. It is the soft spot that many of us in the Labor Party—and I am guilty of this myself—have for our friends in the National Party. I am not sure if it is because so many of us have farming in our family backgrounds or if it is because we agree on so many of the services that we want to see for people living in rural and remote communities but it is expressed very often.

Most particularly I want to say a thank you to the Deputy Prime Minister for the generosity that he has shown to me such as in welcoming me, for example, to the farewell of Paul Neville, the former National whip. We had a great time that night. That is not the only time I have had a great time with my friends in the National Party, but the rest of that is secret.

There is something that comes with being from the bush and that is a strong spirit of self-reliance and also the determination to lend a helping hand when it is required. You have personally, Deputy Prime Minister, shown that again and again. There is something else, I think, that comes from coming from the bush and that is a determination to have a good time at every opportunity when you get together with your friends and colleagues. You have not only shown that but also welcomed many of us into that.

I am sure your wife and your family are listening today and I am sure they have mixed feelings too, having supported you and been so involved in your political mission over so many years. I am sure it is as much Lyn's success as your success, and you would see it that way, no doubt. We are not just farewelling you. In a way we are farewelling Lyn too. I am sure that she will be happy to have you at home a little bit more. Our personal wishes for you are that you enjoy these years of retirement. I am sure that it will not be retirement from politics more generally, but retirement from our parliament. We hope that you enjoy your time with your family and that we will see you around, no doubt.

I want to also make some comments, of course, on the retirement of Minister Robb. It was much more of a surprise to us as we have not had quite the amount of speculation as the Deputy Prime Minister's retirement. You are, many people would say and we would say, at the peak of your powers in the federal parliament. The 12 years has really gone by very quickly. I have been here longer than you and it seems to me that the time that you have been in the parliament has really flown by in a flash.

There is no doubt that your achievements as trade minister have been driven by and underpinned by an enormous amount of hard work. It is hard work that has taken you away from your family and away from your friends for many nights. I can understand the personal toll that that has taken on you and on your family. I thank you for the commitment that you have shown in pursuing Australia's interests.

We have had our arguments across the chamber about some of the areas in the agreements. Of course, today is not the day to talk about that. What there is no doubt of is the effort, the skill and the ambition that you have shown for our country, and we thank you for that. Trade agreements can take a very long time to come to fruition and you inherited a number of trade agreements when you took on the portfolio. I thank you also for the generosity that you have shown in acknowledging the work of your predecessors on these agreements. Not everyone does that in this place. You have been extremely generous in acknowledging that we are all part of a continuum. We pass the baton to one another. I thank you for the generosity that you have shown.

I want to say also to the minister that the candid and brave way that you have discussed your issues with depression have really been groundbreaking for the million or so Australians that suffer from depression each year. The bravery that you have shown and the example you have set—taking on complex, difficult work—while admitting that you have struggled with depression and continue to manage it, I know, is a constant battle for anyone who has experienced depression. There is the constant need to look forward and make sure that you are looking after yourself and looking after the condition that you have.

You have inspired countless people to know that, even if they are struggling with depression, they should not rule themselves out from a full, rich life, a contribution to their community, and relationships successfully maintained. So I want to really thank you for that as well. You say that you will continue to work in the area of raising awareness about depression. That is a marvellous contribution to continue to make to our community, and I thank you for that. I wish you, Maureen and your family all the very best. I suspect that Minister Robb will not be staying home quite as much. My guess would be that he is planning on some other steps in his career. If that is true, I wish you all the very best with the next steps you take in your career as well.

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