Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

My contribution will be brief, because there are so many other speakers, but I do want to make the point that the length of my contribution is inversely proportional to the regard I have for the two senators who are leaving this place. Firstly, in relation to Senator Gary Humphries, it was a magnificent, inspiring and moving speech, not just by the benchmark of valedictories. It was a great speech that I will be keeping for years to come. It was a benchmark of a great speech. Thank you for that inspiring contribution. I wish you and your family well for the future, but I get the feeling that your contribution to public life is not yet over. I am sure we will see you popping up making a contribution to public life in another forum and I look forward to that.

In relation to Senator Barnaby Joyce, I say this: Bill Hayden once said something along the lines that there is no such thing as a friendship in politics, just passing acquaint­ances. Well, he is not right. I regard Senator Joyce as a mate. He was one of the first people who contacted me after I was elected, along with Senator Williams. Senator Joyce flew over to Adelaide to talk shop with me, to talk about issues, to talk about the Birdsville amendment, to talk about competition law and to talk about common ground. I think that was the beginning of a good friendship that I hope will continue if he goes to the other place, which I think many expect now. If he is elected as the member for New England, hopefully he will not pass me in the corridor and sneer and say something like 'unrepresentative swill' to me!

I got some perverse satisfaction having Senator Joyce and Senator Bob Brown co-sponsoring bills I put up on country-of-origin food labelling and on palm oil labelling. It was a wonderful thing to see both Bob Brown and Barnaby Joyce co-sponsoring legislation together. The legislation did not get up, but nevertheless it indicated his commitment to issues beyond those of ideology about farmers getting a fair say and about consumers getting a fair say in relation to country of origin.

I also want to say that I was lucky enough about four and a half years ago now to go to St George to see Barnaby and his family there. I got to know his wife, Natalie—Saint Nat I call her—of St George, and his wonderful family. That was a privilege indeed.

I will finish off by making this final observation, which just struck me recently: Senator Joyce can count himself as part of an exclusive, elite group internationally, along with Madonna, Britney, Kylie, Cher and of course Kevin. He is instantly recognisable by his first name only. For almost all Australians there is only one Barnaby, and I warmly wish him well and all the best in the next exciting chapter of his life.