Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I certainly endorse the comments made by Senator Minchin in relation to Senator Murray. I take this opportunity to wish Senator Murray and his lovely wife, Pam, every success in the future. Due to the constraints of time, I seek leave to incorporate the remainder of my remarks.

Leave granted.

The incorporated speech read as follows—

Mr President, in this final week of winter sittings, we farewell Democrat Senators from the Senate. One of them from Western Australia, my home state, is Senator Murray who was first elected at the 1996 election, winning the Democrats’ first West Australian Senate position since the 1987 election. Not only is Senator Murray one of the longest serving Democrat Senators, he is the longest serving non- ALP and non-Liberal Senator for Western Australia.

Andrew had extensive experience before entering the Senate. Born in the UK, Andrew was raised in Rhodesia as a child migrant at Fairbridge and subsequently studying at the University in South Africa and becoming a Rhodes Scholar. Indeed he was subsequently deported from that country for resisting apartheid. As well as this, Andrew also managed to have extensive experience in small business. This extensive experience enabled him to bring a good deal of integrity and common sense to the many debates in which he has participated in the Senate. In particular, he has made an outstanding contribution to the Senate Committee process, and in particular has been a member of the Scrutiny of Bills Committee since 1996. I think during that time he has only missed one meeting of that Committee!

As well as this, a subject close to his heart has been the Senate Inquiry into child migration and of course he has always championed the cause of democracy in Zimbabwe.

Senator Murray, with the support of his charming wife Pam, can be proud of his time in the Senate. We shall miss the company of them both, and I wish them every success in the future.