Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

on indulgence—When our new ministry met for the first time on 29 July 2024, it was the first time since 2006 that any Labor ministry that didn't include Brendan O'Connor had sat. You couldn't ask for a better colleague than the member for Gorton, and you certainly wouldn't find a more decent human being.

I met Brendan O'Connor a very long time ago, going back to, I think, probably the 1986 Australian Young Labor conference held in Sydney. We were at primary school at that time, obviously! So, for a lot of our lives, we have been on the journey together, and I have been privileged to share that journey with someone who has integrity and who has the respect of everyone across this parliament. Most importantly, for a political party that can often be quite fierce in our internal battles—and I think Brendan is right to point towards the extraordinary unity that characterises not just this government but this caucus—Brendan has retired without, I think, making any enemies, and that is pretty extraordinary for someone who has been in this place.

As Minister for Skills and Training, he, of course, was instrumental in setting up Jobs and Skills Australia and doing, in a really modest way, the first skills agreement that has been done in Australia for more than a decade. He got it done without premiers or chief ministers ringing me and without there being argy-bargy. It didn't go through National Cabinet. He just got it done by dealing with people in the honest, frank and clear way that has characterised his performance in political life.

His reforms to TAFE and training have changed the perception of TAFE. The truth is that, for some period of time, Commonwealth governments have said that TAFE is just about states and territories and there's no role for the Commonwealth. He has put it front and centre of the skills and training agenda of our national government, and the fact that over 500,000 Australians have participated in and benefited from fee-free TAFE—importantly, in areas of skills shortage—has not only helped them but helped our national economy and productivity as well. He's given these Australians new skills and self-confidence to find a new job and to embark on a new career. I've been with Brendan to so many TAFEs where we've met people who are either just starting off, having left school, or getting retrained in a new job as the economy has changed. That's just one example of the member for Gorton changing lives for the better.

On a personal note, the many of us who count the member for Gorton as a friend know how difficult it was for him to continue his work in politics following the very sad passing of his beloved wife and Una's beautiful mum, Jodi, back in 2018. No-one would have thought less of him if he had chosen to walk away at that time. So, my thanks go not just to Brendan but also to Una and the broader family, for letting us have him for another six years—Brendan being an important part of the return of Labor to government in 2022.

Our party and our nation are better because of the contribution of Brendan O'Connor as the member for Gorton and as a minister in the Rudd and Gillard governments as well as the government that I'm proud to lead. He deserves every happiness and success in the future. He will depart this place at some time between now and—at some stage; if we choose not to have a half Senate election, it will mean we can go until September next year! So, it will be at some stage. We will wish him every success in the future, because he certainly deserves that. Well done, mate.

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