Kate Ellis (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is the week of Senate valedictory speeches, when we farewell many of those who have served in the other place. I would like to use this opportunity tonight to recognise all the departing senators, from both sides of the house, and thank them for their contributions to the parliament. I particularly note the departing Labor senators Mark Furner, Mark Bishop, Mehmet Tillem, Ursula Stephens, Louise Pratt, Lin Thorp, John Hogg and Don Farrell, and send them my particular gratitude and my every best wish for the future.

It may not shock you that I want to focus my remarks tonight on the senator who has served the great state of South Australia, Don Farrell. I wanted to do this for a number of reasons, but one is because—with the possible exception of Julia Gillard—I have never met anyone in public life whose public persona is so very different to the individual they actually are. Now is the time: we owe it to ourselves to set the record straight.

Some choose to refer to Don as a 'faceless man'. It is a particularly absurd way to refer to someone whose face is very public through both election and appointment to the federal ministry, and it is also just plain wrong. It is wrong to leave unchallenged any perception of a factional operative interested only in power or, as some others choose to put forward, a staunch conservative intent on pushing his own moral viewpoint on others, incapable of accepting different views. This is not the man Don Farrell is. This is not the Don Farrell I have the pleasure of knowing and the privilege of working with.

It is just that this parliament has a permanent and lasting account of the real and remarkable contributions of this great South Australian to public life, so I want to tell you a bit about the real Don Farrell. Don Farrell is a powerful figure in politics in South Australia. He is a thoroughly decent human being, a man of absolute integrity, a giant of the labour movement and a champion of working people. He is also an absolutely besotted husband, father and soon-to-be grandfather. If you want to know the real Don Farrell, then you are best served to set aside the cliches about faceless men.

Don has dedicated his life absolutely to the working people of this nation. He is driven, daily, by fighting for fairness and ensuring that people are valued and treated appropriately in the workplace. I know this is true of the retail workers in Australia Don dedicated so many years to representing. My first introduction to Don was as a young checkout operator who was a member of the South Australian SDA and a recipient of the benefits and conditions Don fought for and secured. He has been tireless in pursuing fairness and justice for working Australians.

Don also has an enthusiasm for and commitment to his work that I think many of us could learn much from. Whether as a senator, parliamentary secretary, minister or shadow minister, Don has never once taken for granted the amazing opportunity we are given of serving in this place. He has always worked to make the most of every opportunity and repay the faith that has been placed in him. I know that in recent months, as the shadow minister for veterans' affairs, he has shown the same dedication to the pursuit of justice and commitment to fairness that has been evident throughout his working life.

He has achieved much in parliament and in his portfolios, but he has also played an important role within our party. People in this place talk about the under-representation of women. Don generally does not, but few have done more to walk the walk than he has in supporting and promoting. When I was a 26-year-old girly candidate with progressive views on social policy and untested qualities as a local candidate in a tough battle it was Don who stood up and supported me for the seat of Adelaide. I am incredibly grateful for that.

Don has, at every stage, put our party before his own individual interest, often at great personal expense. He has contributed more than most ever will but has never sought to take in return. He has been dealt injustice he simply does not deserve. It is not just my words; I have heard from many people from different sides of politics. Today I spoke to Roger Drake, an employer who worked with Don, who said: 'I've worked with Don for 30 years. He is the fairest man that I've ever dealt with.' Someone from across the factional divide, Pat Conlon, said he is: 'an outstanding human being who in politics always gave far more to others than he ever took for himself. I am proud to call him a friend.' And Annette Hurley said he has worked in 'an honest, compassionate and clean way. He was and is a model of leadership.'

Our parliament is better because of Don Farrell, our party is better because of Don Farrell, and our country is better because of Don Farrell. I thank him wholeheartedly for his contribution.