Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

First of all, I congratulate Senator Cormann on his first speech. Welcome to the Senate. I note that he adds to the number of Western Australian senators who were not born in WA. There are very few who are born in WA; South Australians looking for a job often come across to WA. Welcome.

Paul Calvert, it is a great pleasure to speak today in a valedictory and not an obituary. One of the things that I have found as a Senate leader is that one gets to give a lot of obituaries, often about people one did not know. It is nice to give a valedictory for someone who you know and whose company you have enjoyed. One of the things that we all wish of our political careers is that we get out fit and well at a time of our own choosing. Unfortunately, very few of us do. Some are dragged out, some retire due to ill health and some go at the hands of the electors. I congratulate you on being able to achieve a distinguished career and then go at a time of your own choosing. I wish you well for the future.

Senator Calvert has had a long career in the Senate and before that in local government. It is fair to say that in some sense—and I do not mean this in any ageist sense—Paul represents the old school. He is someone who is collegiate and polite, who has a sense of humour and who does not let partisan politics interfere with the way he treats people. That is to his great credit.

I got to know Paul when we were members of the whips club. Paul came on as the coalition whip when I was still the Labor Party whip. I had to break him in a bit, even though he had long experience as the deputy. The deputy does not quite learn the dark arts that are the key to being a whip. There are some things that whips guard to themselves. Paul and I retain secrets of those times. I recall once losing my temper a bit with him when, under enormous pressure from one of his backbenchers—who will remain nameless—to get a pair when pairs had all been allocated, Paul said, ‘Don’t hassle me; go in and see Evans.’ He sent his irate backbencher to see me. I made it very clear that I dealt with ours and Paul dealt with theirs and if they had a problem to take it up with him. We established that process and things worked well after that. I always respected Paul’s work. He always dealt with you honestly and fairly. I enjoyed that time dealing with him as whip.

On his promotion, he brought to the presidency a light touch and a capacity to work with everyone in the Senate. He treated people with respect and worked with them behind the scenes to resolve any difficulties, rather than trying to impose his will. There have been in the past—and I do not mean this of his predecessor—some Presidents who developed airs and graces and an inflated opinion of themselves and their authority. Paul has not been one of those. He has always taken the role seriously but has not taken himself too seriously. I think that is an important attribute in any profession but certainly in politics. I know that I and other opposition senators have tried his patience, particularly in question time, but that is part of the job; it is certainly part of the opposition leader’s job. What I have always respected is that Senator Calvert has accepted that it was not personal and that we always showed respect for the chair even if we were trying his patience on occasions. When he has lectured me and addressed me on my allegedly poor behaviour, I have always accepted that it was not personal, and we have always been able to have a chat about it afterwards. Paul is well regarded throughout the Senate for the way he deals with people. I think his terrible jokes are things that are best forgotten, and many of them are too risque to recount in the Senate.

I was interested in the observations about the pressures of the Senate presidency—all those lunches and dinners and international travel. I am very sympathetic, Paul, to the pressures you have been under in recent years. I know your colleagues are very concerned for you! But I have great faith that the new President will be able to handle those pressures, as he has put in a strong apprenticeship. I am sure he will not have any trouble in dealing with it.

I am very pleased to wish Paul and his family all the best for the future. I have enjoyed his company and his contribution to the Senate. We wish him well for his future. It is a really good thing to see someone go out having had a successful and rewarding career and having made a contribution to the Senate, and it is good to see someone go out in good health at the time of their own choosing. I wish him well.