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

by leave—I just want to express on behalf of the government our appreciation of the job you have done as President. You are not retiring and you are not leaving, so I will not go on at length. In fact, I understand that you and Senator Hogg are going to wax the job.

You have brought a great touch to the job. You were obviously respected and well-liked before you took up the job, but I think that the light touch, the cooperative approach, the calm and the sense of humour you have brought to the role have allowed for the good management of the chamber. I tell people that one of the best chairs of the place I knew was Noel Crichton-Brown. I do not actually say very pleasant things about Noel Crichton-Brown very often but, because he had that light touch and the capacity to deal with people, I think he brought the same sort of touch to the role, and I think that that has been part of the success you have had. We do appreciate the role you have played. I appreciate, as Leader of the Government in the Senate, the cooperation that we have had behind the scenes as well as in the chamber. We think that you deserve great credit for the role that you have taken. I think that you are one of the people in politics who manages to do what I think we all should do, which is take the job seriously but not take yourself too seriously. We wish you the best of luck in what I understand will be your new role, maybe, in the new parliament.

I would also like to indicate that Senator Hogg will be the Labor nominee for President in the new parliament, and I am sure that he will do an equally good job. It is important, I think, to reflect that the cooperation that the two of you have had has really assisted the success of the management of this chamber and the carrying out of your important duties. That is probably enough from me, Senator Ferguson. There has been a lot of love in the air in the Senate in the last few days—the place has been unrecognisable. We do congratulate you on a job well done.