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

Unfortunately, Senator Minchin, a few people have remarked that I am from the same school of '93 as you and perhaps I ought to consider my position! It is very uncharitable. I point out, though, that we have had reverse careers. We got elected at the same time, and you went straight into government while some of us toiled in opposition for many years. I was very keen to give you a decent length of experience in opposition at some stage, but you circumvented that by leaving. But I understand that decision.

I make the point that the British Council, in about 1987-88, made a decision to award what are now called Chevening scholarships to two young party officials. There was a break from the normal tradition. They usually chose people with academic creden­tials. I did not know that they had chosen another one, but one was Senator Minchin and one was I—one from each side. We both got the opportunity to study in London. He studied voluntary voting, as I recall, and I studied privatisation. I suppose I was happier at the LSE than he might have been in terms of the environment. I understand that un­fortunately they have never sent a party official since, and I do not know whether that is a reflection on me or on him or on both of us. Senator Minchin has had a very distinguished career in serving in the Howard government and, while I did not agree with him given his position on native title—and I do not want to sound condescending—I saw his understanding of Indigenous issues really grow during that period and I think he developed a real sensitivity about them over the period of having to deal with some quite difficult and challenging issues.

I think it is fair to say that tonight we are farewelling three genuine Tories. I think all three are genuinely conservative people, and that was reflected in their contributions. I certainly think Nick Minchin would wear that badge with extreme pride. I have always found it difficult to understand how an intelligent and able bloke can come to such opposite conclusions to those of mine on so many issues and yet have—