Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) Share this | Hansard source

I think 2019 has been a big year. The last couple of weeks have been a big couple of weeks. I think all of us in this chamber, right across the chamber, are looking forward to a good and well-earned break. I haven't prepared any particular remarks, but this is always a good time to reflect on the year that has been and to say thank you to all the very many people who support and sustain us in this job.

On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the clerks and clerk assistants and all of their teams, the attendants in the chamber, the Hansard staff, Comcar, security, cleaners—all of the people who make this place tick all year round and help us do the job that we do on behalf of the Australian people. I'd also, of course, like to thank all our staff, right across the chamber. We are only able to do what we do because of the hard work of our staff. This is not always a very family friendly business; I think that everyone around the chamber knows that only too well. Our staff, very much, share that particular burden with us all year round. So to all of our staff—from all of us, all around the chamber—thank you very much for what you do to support us.

I guess that gets me to the broader point: a particular thank you on behalf of all of us to our families. We live in a big continent. Australia's a big country, and whether we come from North Queensland, from Adelaide, from Perth in Western Australia or from Victoria, which is a bit closer, wherever we come from we spend a lot of time away from our families, and our families are very, very important supporters.

Senator Gallagher interjecting—

Perhaps Senator Gallagher doesn't have quite those same challenges! I say that with great generosity!