Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to associate myself with the comments made by my colleagues in relation to Richard's departure today. I'm sad that Richard is not here to experience it in person and to give his valedictory in this place. Having said that, of course, Richard has always been somebody who hasn't let his technophobia get in the way of being able to do his job. I think that this particular contribution and his valedictory are testimony to that.

Richard, I first met you of course in the 2007 election campaign. We don't have to go into all the gory details, but I was a brand-new mum with a baby in my arms who was five weeks old. We were in Tasmania at a crash course on Senate election campaigning and you were very helpful. It was one of those things where travelling around this country with kids is really difficult, and that was my first experience—having to manage that five weeks on as a new mum. But you were right there, helping all the way. I think that is testimony to how you have approached all of your time in this place, serving not just your community but serving us as a party. And I know the contribution that you made to the Australian Greens beyond the official leadership requirements has been enormous and very, very longstanding.

Of course, Richard first ran for the seat of Melbourne long before he ran for the Senate. He ran in election after election until he got here. He was determined to get to this place. He missed out in the Senate race in 2007 by a whisker. He knows what it's like to get very close, to work very hard and to not get the prize at the end of it. But once he was here, in 2010, one of his proudest moments, I know, was experiencing the passage of that clean energy legislation. I remember how ecstatic Richard was—we all were—that we were finally getting climate action delivered in this place. It's a testament to the fact that we did very well in that election campaign that we were in that position to share in some of those decisions of the Gillard government and that we were actually able to make those changes. Richard has always remained committed to that—that if you come to this place, if you work really hard as part of a political party to get yourself elected, you've got to be able to be practical and you've got to be able to look for the right outcomes. The balance with all of that, of course, is maintaining your principles and maintaining your commitment to the people who put you here. I think Richard has always spoken very well about the need to be pragmatic and the need to get outcomes but also not forgetting why you're here and the real core reason for the change that you want to make.

Richard, thank you for your service. Thank you for your leadership. It's been an absolute hoot at times; it's been intense at others. But your ability to go with it and keep going until the job is done is, I think, a testament to your character and the type of man that you are. Just briefly, before you go, I've got to say sorry that the AFL grand final won't be held in Melbourne this year! Let's bring it to Adelaide and the Adelaide Oval. I'm happy for you to sleep in the spare room at the house if you are so desperate to watch you'll go into quarantine! It's been a wonderful journey working alongside you, with your leadership, and I'm sorry you're not here now for us to celebrate with a couple of drinks.