Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President—and I might say a very good President, too, of this chamber! As I have said to my colleagues, the Senate is truly the best club in Australia. I am proud to have been a member of this club for some 18 years. I am grateful to the Liberal Party and the people of Victoria for giving me the opportunity to serve here. I would like to express my strongly felt gratitude to the members of the Liberal Party and its office holders. I am proud to have served as a minister in the Howard government. I believe that government will be viewed as one of the great administrations in Australian history. Even the doubters—and there have been a few—are no doubt thinking that the Howard government is looking better day by day, as the Rudd government starts to stumble.

Mention has often been made, rather unkindly, by my colleagues of my performances in question time. I would like to set the record straight. During my time as Assistant Treasurer, I received some 700 aggressive questions from non-government senators, mainly half-pitches aimed at the head. To set the record straight, I have been fascinated as the new ALP ministers have queued up at my door wanting to withdraw their previous attacks on me and saying to me how they regard me as one of their mentors. I never thought that would happen in politics.

I am delighted that my wife, Daniele, is here this evening with my daughter, Nathalie. It is lovely to have both of you here. My son, Alexander, has an exam in Melbourne this evening and, unfortunately, cannot join us. Danni, as you all know, has been a wonderful wife and shown enormous enthusiasm for politics. Janette Howard once remarked to Daniele, noting her interest in the arts, that, with my appointment to the arts portfolio, the government was getting two for the price of one. How true!

Danni must truly be the only political wife who, on those rare occasions when I was home, always wondered why we were not both attending some arts, sports or political function. I have not been able to persuade my daughter or son to consider a political career, but their support and advice—and often too frank advice—has always been helpful.

I have been very fortunate to have a brother in politics. One thing I think David and I can claim is that we have been the only two brothers to have ever served in a ministry concurrently. I mean no discourtesy to anyone else here, but David Kemp was certainly the best education and environment minister in memory. It has been an honour to be regularly confused for him. My father used to tell David and I that our sister Rosemary had the best political brain in the family—and I suspect that is probably true. Interestingly, my late parents were unenthusiastic when they heard that both their sons were going to stand for parliament. But I would hope in the end that they thought that it was all worth while.

During my time in the Senate, some 98 senators have passed through this place. Yet during this period of time we have only had two leaders of our party in this chamber, Robert Hill and Nick Minchin. I am sure I speak for all senators when I say what a wonderful job both Robert and Nick have done in that position. As Kay Patterson so beautifully said it, in politics they say you tend to lose friends rather than gain them. And we all know that old joke: if you want a friend in politics, get a dog. But I have enjoyed the friendship of so many colleagues. Former senators such as Ian Campbell, John Herron, Richard Alston, Jim Short, Michael Baume, Warwick Parer and many more have all had a very substantial influence on me. I have also enjoyed the company of, really, all current senators. I will not go through naming them all particularly, but I have enjoyed being here with you and I am certainly going to miss you.

I would like to pay tribute to the departing senators: John Watson, who spoke so well, Grant Chapman, Sandy Macdonald, Ross Lightfoot and my old friend Kay Patterson.