Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

It is a bittersweet moment to stand here and give this brief speech, because I am losing three great Senate colleagues. I will not say I am losing three great friends, because they will not be lost at friends. But they all have become very good friends and they have all brought so many different things to this place.

Julian, I have not known you for very long in the five years that I have been here, but over that time we have become mates. I have come to admire your loyalty, your witty insight into the peculiarities of parliamentary life. My wife has not given up trying to find a nice young girl for you to settle down with. But I fear it is going to be a lost cause, because you are enjoying so many other aspects of your life at the moment.

Alan Ferguson was a great friend of mine before I got into parliament and has been a great friend ever since. He was a great patron of my prior establishment. It was there that I reflected on what Alan Ferguson said today, that I am a person who sticks by my beliefs. When Alan came to me and asked me to get involved in the Liberal Party more fully, he said, 'We'd like you to run for the state executive.' I said, 'Okay, I'm happy to do that.' He said, 'We'd like you to become the multicultural coordinator.' I reacted in a horrified fashion and said, 'Look, mate, just because my name ends in a vowel doesn't mean I believe in this multiculturalism baloney.' I have been sticking to that ever since. Fergie came back the next day for another schnitzel and said, 'What about running for vice president?' I never looked back. Fergie, it has been an honour and a privilege to have served with you in this place. You have been a wonderful role model not just for me but for many others and, without any doubt, you are admired and respected by all.

Senator Minchin, who has just walked into the chamber, is a man of extraordinary talent and insight. You are a man of great strength and you are a man that I have the utmost admiration for. No-one has been more loyal to me than you and Alan, but in particular you because of the strength that you have shown. At times where I have perhaps tested your patience, and maybe that of others, you have always been there with a firm rod—sometimes trying to belt me with it but, more often than not, to put a bit of steel in my spine.

A few days ago I was having a conversation with someone and I said to them it seems that the great failing in modern politics is loyalty. It seems such a transient thing. Nick, you have loyalty in spades. In response to a request from someone, I said: 'I've always believed that loyalty is an admirable quality. It's a characteristic that more people should demonstrate. And in parliament, or anywhere else, you always dance with one that 'brung ya'. For good or for bad, I'm with Minchin until the end of the week.' Nick, I am going to unleash my true inner conservative. There is no more moderation from me after your balance is gone; next week I am going to be a true hard-core conservative and let everyone know how I truly feel about things.

Friends, colleagues, I am going to miss you enormously, not only because of the great strength and wisdom you have all shared with me, but because you are all great mates. I know that friendship will continue outside of the parliament. I wish you every best wish for all of your futures.