Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy President, today we are farewelling three senators who are actually leaving of their own volition. Not many of us get that luxury.

First to our President. He has served his party, his state and the Senate with absolute distinction. He is a person who is highly regarded on all sides of this chamber and in this building and he is especially regarded as a man of integrity. It is a mark of Mr President's style that his demeanour in the chair on the last day of the previous parliament was exactly the same as it was on the first day of the new parliament. He has treated all senators fairly. On those rare occasions when, especially in opposition, I was not always fully attuned to the methodology of his rulings, I nevertheless always knew and understood that his rulings, even if I disagreed with them, were never based on any malice or any partisanship but because he believed that that ruling was right. He had a great professional relationship and indeed friendship with former Presidents Calvert and Ferguson and, if I might say, with all colleagues. The President made a very notable contribution to the smooth running of the Senate and Parliament House more generally and especially in his involvement with the setting up of the Parliamentary Budget Office.

When Mr President was re-elected three or so years ago, I indicated to him on behalf of the coalition—and we were still in opposition at that stage—that he had had our support previously, he had it in the ballot on that day and he would continue to have it into the future. I am pleased to say that is one promise I have been able to live up to, with my colleagues. The reason Mr President has continued to enjoy that support is that he is a person of quality and fairness.

On a personal note, I appreciated his basic world view. But, for someone charged with keeping order and decorum in this place, I did find it passing strange that he should script a report, indeed a tome, entitled 'The F-word is not a dirty word in politics'. It was a report that he outlined in a supporting speech to the Senate on 10 May 2006; and, of course, the 'F-word' refers to the role of 'faith' in politics. I commend the report to colleagues, especially the conclusions that he drew. On behalf of the government, and personally, I wish the President, his wife and family all the very best for the future. In conclusion, I thought it was a big call for him to assert that he was making not a valedictory but, in fact, a final statement. I defy anybody to raise a point of order or refer anything for privilege over the next few days—because that might require him to break his promise that it was his final statement to the Senate!

Senator Sue Boyce was appointed to the Senate in April 2007 and elected that same year. Sue came to the Senate with a wealth of experience and a varied background, including as a journalist and as an advocate for vulnerable children and adults—built from personal experience—with a family business background and a party organisational background. She represented the people of Queensland, and issues nationally, in a very forthright manner. That has been a hallmark of her many contributions. Her strong voice for those who cannot always speak up for themselves has been very important, especially through the Standing Committee on Community Affairs. She has promised us that she will continue to be a strong advocate for family businesses—and they are a vital part not only of our economy but also of our society and have a very important role to play. Sue will continue to be a very strong advocate for people with disabilities. The experience and wealth of knowledge you have brought to the party room has been of great benefit to all of your colleagues.

Sue was formerly a journalist, but I have not heard that she will be going back to that profession. If she were to apply for a job with the ABC or Fairfax, I think she would get a reference from all of us on this side—and that would be the kiss of death for her! When Senator Boyce has on rare occasion found herself at variance with her colleagues, she has always spoken passionately and her advocacy has been powerful; but it has always been done in a very respectful manner to her colleagues, myself included, who have often found themselves on the other side of the debate. The way you presented yourself and your arguments on those occasions added to your advocacy and also gained you the deserved respect of your colleagues, even if we did not necessarily agree on the issues. I think Senator Boyce is a very hard marker. Her KPIs, and then the marks she allocated herself, were not the results that I think an objective observer would have given her. Your contribution has been outstanding in all fields, and even in some of those areas where you have quite rightly said we have not achieved as we should have—for example, female representation on our side of politics and in the ministry. You should not mark yourself down in relation to that. You have helped as a trailblazer in that area—regrettably, others have let the side down—and I am sure that you will continue to be a very strong advocate. As you leave this place, Senator Boyce, you can feel very satisfied with the considerable role you have played, with your colleagues and in this chamber, in a relatively short period of time. We wish you well in the future and look forward to ongoing interaction with you.

Senator Eggleston has been a valued colleague and I have known him for many years. He has been here some 18 years. He particularly endeared himself to me when, in his first speech, he happened to mention me when referring to a forebear of his who came from King Island, in my home state of Tasmania. I always knew there was something good about him: it was that Tasmanian Heritage—a maternal grandmother if I recall correctly. Senator Eggleston had a distinguished career before entering the Senate. He qualified as a medical practitioner and undertook further studies in obstetrics. He practised at Port Hedland and immersed himself in community life. He served as a councillor and a mayor, and then on the Pilbara Development Corporation. It was appropriate that you should be so passionate, in your first speech and in your last speech, about the Pilbara and the north of Western Australia. You did train in obstetrics, and I remember that, on one tour, you took me around and everyone said that you had delivered them as a baby. You said to me that that was not quite correct—but we have always accepted that it was the case!

Senator Eggleston was well known, well loved and highly regarded in the area that he served, especially in the northern part of Australia.

I will briefly turn to what I consider was a very important speech, delivered in this place on 14 May 2013. I know you ulcerated about giving this speech for quite some time, Senator Eggleston, but might I say, in your very understated yet highly powerful contribution, you will have been an inspiration to many. Senator Eggleston spoke about a condition that I will not even try to pronounce. But, with his medical training, Senator Eggleston was able to tell us about his cartilaginous condition, which causes short stature. Can I say, Eggie: you might have been short on stature, but you were not short on character, on integrity, on advocacy or on commitment.

In that speech, what you told us was that, no matter what the barriers were in your life, you simply got on with it. Even when you confronted that situation at the university and questioned whether or not you should tell your parents, you decided not to and just got on with life. Indeed, that speech that you gave on 14 May 2013 concluded with these words:

I thought I should record this story—

which was Senator Eggleston's experience—

because, as some people have said, it might provide some inspiration to somebody who feels that, because of some physical abnormality, they are being held back. I think the answer is just to keep on going, and you will succeed in the long run.

Senator Eggleston, your life is a testament to the fact of what can happen if you keep on going, and there is no doubt that, as you leave this place, people can and will say of you that your life has been a great success in the long run.

Your medical career, your local government career and your Senate career speak volumes and are a great inspiration for many more people with issues of short stature to make the sort of full contribution you have made to your community and to public life in this country. I am sure that that will be one of the stand-out speeches—and it should be one of the stand-out speeches—that has been delivered in this Senate. Senator Eggleston, on behalf of all of your colleagues, we wish you very well and look forward to your academic career. All the best.