Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on behalf of the opposition to congratulate you on your election to the position of President. At the outset, I note that the opposition does take the view that the government of the day has the right to nominate the President of the Senate. I note that there were some comments made—disappointingly in what is generally a ceremonial part of these proceedings—about that convention. We take that view because we do regard the functioning of this chamber as important to our democracy and, in a chamber where no one party has a majority, we think conventions such as these—that the two parties of government have the President and the Deputy President—assist in the stability and effective functioning of the chamber. That is our view.

I would also make this point: that convention is not a blank cheque. It is always the expectation of any opposition, and I'm sure of any government, that whoever is nominated for President or Deputy President is someone who is appropriately qualified and suited to the significant responsibility that comes with this position. I am pleased that the government has nominated a senator who has those appropriate qualities and that the opposition is in a position to support you. Senator Ryan has, as the Leader of the Government in the Senate has said, been a senator for Victoria since 2008, twice re-elected.

I would refer—just so the President does recall this—to one of the things he has spoken about, which is the role of a bicameral parliament in the nation's democracy. I'm proud to describe myself as a federalist. It is entirely consistent with liberalism that power should be divided and kept as close as possible to the people. This chamber itself reflects that fact. This Senate is granted a mandate by the people to review, reject or amend legislation. It is an explicit and intentional check on the domination of the other place by the executive. I thank Senator Ryan, the President, for those commitments. I thank him for his commitment to the place of the Senate in our constitutional system of government. He is right to reflect that this is the chamber in which executive government is held to account in a way which rarely occurs in the House of Representatives, and this, of course, demonstrates the importance of fairness and impartiality being brought to the position of President. I have no doubt that the President's first statements in this place will be an ongoing guide to him as he undertakes his role as President.

I make a few other points. I did raise when I saw your name in the paper, Mr President, the fact that you'd been a prior minister. I understand in fact the last former minister to serve as President of the Senate was Doug McClelland, who served in the Whitlam ministry—also, coincidentally, as the Special Minister of State—and one of my staff tells me that the last bearded President was also a Labor Senator, Senator Beahan. So there you are! You reflect two very good, strong and competent Labor Presidents. We hope you do that tradition well.

I want to make some very brief comments about Senator Parry, given that the Leader of the Government in the Senate has done so. The opposition retains concerns about the circumstances of Senator Parry's departure and we will, I'm sure, in subsequent debates put those views about who knew what and when, but now is not the time. I would make this point: in my dealings with him, I found him competent and decent. I think he was a fair President, I think he was a defender of the role of this chamber, and, on behalf of the opposition, I thank him for his service.

Once again, I congratulate you, Mr President, and we look forward to working with you.

Honourable senators: Hear, hear!