Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

I will start by paying tribute to Senator Trood, Senator Troeth and Senator Barnett, who gave their speeches the other evening. Senator Trood looks very much like one of those distinguished Roman senators. He resembles that beautiful picture in the Roman senate; all he needs is a white robe and a toga and he would look the part. Senator Judith Troeth, I did not always agree with your stand on many issues, but I do respect your right and the work that you did to stand up for the causes you believe in. Senator Barnett, I shared many of your conservative causes and I wish you all the very best.

Tonight I pay tribute to three conservative colleagues. Sadly, those of us who share mainstream conservative values are losing three of our own. Being conservative is not always fashionable in this country. The fourth estate love to deride us. They ridicule our values and belittle the causes that we stand for. Nick, as you said, we are sometimes called pariahs, but I know that every time we stand up for such causes we represent a silent majority. I can see 'The Friends of Carbon Dioxide' having a lot of foundation members.

Fergie, we will miss your leadership, your sense of humour and your general bonhomie. We have valued your sage and wise counsel. You represented us well as President and Deputy President, and we will certainly miss your warm hospitality on Monday nights. I wish you and your family all the best and I am sure you will all enjoy the holiday you are about to embark on.

Julian, you win some; you lose some. Perhaps that investment in the DLP was not so profitable in the end. You always managed to add colour and movement to any debate. You have an ability to espouse a view on almost anything, coupled with a ready wit and much gesticulation. Your speeches not only made good listening but were entertaining viewing, and tonight was a fitting finale.

Nick, you have been friend and mentor to so many of the next generation of conservatives. I thank you for the years of support, especially through the years I struggled to get to this place. Indeed, even when I was finally selected, you were berated for having been the cause of my selection. As the leader of the national conservatives, you have always stood up for our cause and have not been afraid to do so. Some who shall remain nameless could never quite work out the strength of our factional cause and our dedication to it, but you always wore your power with humility and the great respect of both friend and foe.

Many in the Liberal Party seek to deny the existence of factions; they are, however, a fact of life in the Liberal Party. Indeed, we were born with the Liberal and conservative philosophies. You often repeated that we should formalise our factions. I agree. We could have saved ourselves a lot of angst along the way.

On behalf of your many mainstream conservative friends and supporters in New South Wales, I wish you all the very best for the future. Who knows? You may one day return to your old stomping ground on the northern beaches of Sydney. But rest assured that you leave a conservative legacy that I and many in this place are proud to follow. To all three of our colleagues I say: you will be missed.