George Campbell (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am fortunate; I only did 10½. I am sure you will take the message back into the cabinet room and make sure that they do not make some of the mistakes that some on the other side did and open the door for the return of a conservative government.

I should take the opportunity to pay tribute to Senator Webber and Senator Kirk, who are also leaving the Senate on 30 June 2008. A warning, Senator Parry: you will note that the three senators who have been disendorsed on this side all occupied the Opposition Whip’s offices for three years. I do not know if there is a jinx on that room. The Opposition Whip before me also went in circumstances that were less than gracious. I am just warning you. Maybe it is time to look at moving on. Take over a committee chair or something, but be careful: watch who is coming in the back door as well as who is coming in the front.

I want to pay tribute to Ruth and to Linda. They were deputy whips when I was Opposition Whip. Ruth has been a particularly good friend and comrade over a number of years. We have shared more than one meal together and hopefully we will share more than one meal together in the future. There will be opportunities for our paths to cross and to continue the friendship that we have established. I think it is a travesty of justice that both Linda and Ruth have been disendorsed. Old warhorses like me are fair game; we have been around long enough. You live by the sword, you die by the sword and you accept the consequences. If you want to play the political game then you take the consequences of it, and sometimes the consequences can be substantial.

I think it is a travesty of justice, as Senator Johnston said last night, that both Senator Webber and Senator Kirk lost their endorsements. There was no basis for it. They have been active members of the Senate; they have played a substantial role in their committees from what I have seen. Linda’s knowledge, particularly, of immigration issues has been invaluable. Many of the contributions she has made in this chamber have been invaluable, and so have Ruth’s. I think sometimes we do not always get it right. I have enjoyed the company of both of them and I hope that they are able to establish, outside of this place, new careers which are both rewarding and well rewarded.

There are two things I do want to do before I finish my remarks—again, I am running over time. One is to acknowledge my staff, who have served me over the past 10½ years. Their work and support has been invaluable and, more importantly, it has been appreciated. I particularly want to thank two people, Felicity and Karen, both of whom commenced working for me as 16-year-olds at the metalworkers and both of whom now have adult children of their own. Both followed me into the political arena and wanted to work for me here. I cannot understand why, but they did. So I must have been doing something right as a boss, although perhaps I did not always know what that was. Their loyalty to me has been above and beyond the call of duty and I appreciate their contribution no end.

I also want to thank the Senate staff: the Clerk, Harry Evans; the chamber clerks; the committee secretariats; the chamber attendants; the security staff; and the Comcar drivers and their allocators, Michael and Ian. They certainly make this place a much more pleasant place to be, and this job would be much more difficult without them. Their support has been appreciated, and I publicly acknowledge the contribution that they also make to the work of the Senate. Senator Marshall has asked me to acknowledge him for his mentoring role and for putting up with me for the past six years! Gavin, you are going to be miserable without us. Finally, Mr President, can I conclude my remarks by saying thanks for the memories.