Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is the end of a remarkable three decades, with the Democrats leaving this chamber, but there is no discounting their remarkable work—amazing, hard and tireless work—which I have only seen in the last few years but which has been done over those three decades. I do not think there is any political party that has not been impacted by the Democrats. I know that I most likely would not be standing here if I had not come into contact with the founder of the Democrats, Don Chipp, back before the 2004 election.

To Senator Lyn Allison, Senator Andrew Murray, Senator Andrew Bartlett and Senator Natasha Stott Despoja, this place will not be the same without you folks. That goes without saying. We wish you all the very best in your next endeavours, and we wish you well. As I said, I do not think there is any discounting the work that the Democrats have done over the last three decades. Very briefly turning to Senator Nettle, who is no longer in the chamber, I wish her all the very best in her next endeavours as well.