John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Can I just pay tribute to Senator Mark Bishop, who has chaired the current inquiry into ASIC, which will report next week. Senator Bishop has done a magnificent job. He really got his teeth into it. He has done an amazing job in righting a lot of wrongs, to make things better for each and every Australian in the future. I wish Mark all the best in his travels and his new life. There is no doubt that he has made a great contribution in this place in the 18 years he has spent here.

To you, Senator Boswell: what an inspiration you have been. I had only been here for about three weeks of a sitting of parliament and I was made whip. I said to Bozzie, 'Bozzie, how long did it take you to learn the running of the Senate?' He said, 'I've been here 25 years and I still don't understand how it runs.' Those were great words of advice and it really filled me with confidence to take on the whip's job.

Senator Abetz made a point about when Bozzie wanted a question up. I was the whip and had to go to question time meetings. There was many a time that we had to jump the list and do what we could do for Bozzie to get his question up. And Bozzie was often very forceful when he requested a question. Others would agree.

He had some great sayings. One day, I was sitting on the opposition bench and he said to me, 'Listen here, Wacka, you've got to lift your game. I've carried you longer than your mother has carried you.' I turned around and said, 'That is absolutely wrong. I've been here eight months and my mother carried me for nine months.'

To sum up Bozzie: true grit. He is like a bull terrier when he sees a problem. He takes it in his teeth and he will not let it go until that problem has disappeared for those people in rural Australia, whom he has represented so strongly. He is a man of morals and principles. All I can say, Bozzie, is I wish you and Leita and your family well. Thanks for your great contribution to this nation. The first thing I am going to do, Mr Acting Deputy President, is change my mobile phone number because I think that, when Bozzie gets out of here, I will still get plenty of phone calls. Good luck, Mate, and congratulations on a wonderful career.