Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

but also when I was shadow cabinet secretary, as well as in the education portfolio and many other roles over the years. My period has had too few years in government, but I love to share my passion for the Australian democracy, where so much can be achieved from opposition, especially through Senate estimates—and I wish my colleagues well for next week.

A good example of effective opposition is the work I was involved in investigating the establishment of a National Integrity Commission, which Labor has now adopted as a policy to establish in its first year of government. Indeed, the government has now conceded what I would call a pale imitation following these endeavours.

Before signing off, I want to debunk one myth: I do not represent a dying breed in the Labor Party. Those who come to our great party or broad church from a base of Christian social principles are not disappearing. In some respects we are stronger now than during some other periods over which I've served over the last two decades: just look at the recent euthanasia debate. It serves the interests of some on the far Left and the Far right of politics to dismiss and diminish us, but I thank the many people across a wide spectrum who do not.

The current example of this concerns religious freedom. On this issue, the Australian Labor Party has a strong, clear and long-standing policy position that others seek to deny. Labor's national platform clearly states the principle that Labor supports the appropriate protection of religious freedom of all people. Senators Keneally and Pratt moved a resolution at our recent national conference which was carried, and I'll quote a few sections of it. It affirmed:

… the Australian Labor Party stands for recognition and protection of fundamental political and civil rights, including religious freedom.

It also affirmed that the Labor Party:

Finally, and significantly, the motion affirmed that the Australian Labor Party would:

Before concluding, may I make a few brief remarks about this week's decision on refugee medical transfers, because it is satisfying to me to see a small step forward in respecting and upholding the dignity of those perilous people who have been incarcerated indefinitely on Manus Island and Nauru. I believe Australians are fair and decent people, and that has come through, ultimately, in spades over my two decades here. Australians do not want to see refugees languishing forever. While we all endorse the policy objective of deterrence, it is abhorrent to use people's lives to achieve such a goal. I regret that officials did not alert Labor when we were in government that boat interceptions or turnbacks could safely occur. Much of what followed might not have subsequently occurred. In my view, the coalition's record on this issue is shameful. I was reminded of what they did in opposition in relation to the Malaysia solution when we had a delegation from Malaysia here earlier this week. The position on the Malaysian solution was reprehensible.

It's time now to say goodbye. To those who remain in this federal parliament, I wish you all the courage to speak out on issues that matter to Australian families, the wisdom to carefully consider policies and ideas, and the calm in achieving consensus outcomes. This is not to say I don't thrive in an adversarial system, but I think some calm and some focus on consensus may serve the Australian public more broadly. I wish you all well, particularly my good friend Senator Gavin Marshall on the Victorian Senate ticket. Thank you.