Stirling Griff (SA, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to make a short contribution to the chorus of congratulatory comments acknowledging Senator Brandis's time in public life.

My experience of Senator Brandis has only been during this 45th Parliament. There have, as others have mentioned, actually been two significant moments during this parliament where I was pleased to see Senator Brandis rise above, to use his own words, the 'tawdry, day-to-day politics' and the 'ephemera' of debates about the economy and political intrigues and instead show the courage and conviction of his strongly-held liberal views. Senator Brandis, your thundering rebuke of Senator Hanson over the burqa stunt revealed in an unscripted moment your most authentic self. It was not only a moment of fine moral clarity but also demonstrated your compassion, intelligence and true liberal ideals.

That impassioned speech will forever be part of your legacy—and many speakers here tonight have mentioned that as well. You earned a standing ovation from your political opponents on that occasion and with good cause. It will live as a moment, frozen in time, when the Senate stood up against bigotry, stood up against ignorance and stood with you.

You've always been a fearless champion and defender of free speech. In your first speech to this chamber, you said, quoting John Stuart Mill:

… that a liberal society is only worthy of the name if its citizens enjoy an absolute right to hold, and to express, opinions which other members of society find outrageous. Any attempt to limit that right … is a fundamental violation of a free society.

You assured the chamber that as long as you sat in this place you would defend the absolute right of all citizens to the free expression of their opinions, no matter how unfashionable, ignorant or offensive those opinions may seem to others. That moment following Senator Hanson's stunt in the chamber exemplified your steadfast belief in free speech and, similarly, the right to challenge such comments and motivations for being ignorant and offensive.

I also thank you for your instrumental facilitation of cooperation between the government and former senators Xenophon and Kakoschke-Moore to ensure that Carly's Law could finally be realised. I have no doubt that Australian children are safer following the passage of Carly's Law. In August 2017, as you would be aware, a convicted paedophile in South Australia was the first person ever to be charged with an offence under Carly's Law—and that was only weeks after the bill's passage. If you had not taken a genuine interest to ensure the policy intent behind the Nick Xenophon Team's bill became law then there is no doubt it would have languished like so many other private senators' bills.

Finally, I thank you for your unwavering support of marriage equality and the critical support you provided to Senator Dean Smith during the deliberation on the bill. Your staunch support and authoritative voice ensured the bill was debated and ultimately passed in a respectful manner. On behalf of the Nick Xenophon Team, I wish you every success as the UK High Commissioner. It was a pleasure to have worked with you.