Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, with your indulgence I note that today is the last day on which House of Representatives proceedings will be covered by Misha Schubert of the Age. She has been a splendid member of the press gallery and a welcome visitor to our offices, as so many members of the press gallery are, for many years. I have known Misha Schubert since she first joined the press gallery about a decade ago.

As I have to say about all the members of the press gallery, sometimes they say things that we would prefer they did not, but the great thing about Misha Schubert is that she has always been fair and she has always sought to advance public debate. I am sure that she will have much to contribute to our public debates in the future, and she will certainly be missed by members on this side of the House and I suspect by members on the other side of the House as well.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On indulgence, Madam Deputy Speaker, on behalf of the government I wish Misha Schubert and her family all the best. I have known Misha Schubert for much longer than the Leader of the Opposition but I am sure that Ms Schubert does not wish me to divulge the circumstances of our first meeting—I will just leave that hanging!

Ms Schubert will no doubt continue to have a successful career in journalism. She brings to her profession a diligence and professionalism that is clearly respected across the House. I will also say that as a human being she deals with members in a way which is polite, which is frank, which is determined and which brings, I believe, a great deal of respect to her very noble profession—the noble profession of journalism.

Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, on indulgence, I join with the comments of the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the House on behalf of the Greens. I first met Misha Schubert probably 20 years ago as a student conference—and I am definitely not going to recount the details of that encounter. There was then an interregnum where I did not have any interaction with Misha other than seeing her in the paper wrapped in the Australian flag. I am disappointed she has not done that in her time here in the press gallery. On behalf of the Greens, I thank Misha for her dedicated work and her excellent journalism, and wish her all the best for the future.