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

What lovely comments and reflection on the contribution you've made in this place, Rach. It must be really weird sitting here and listening to everybody piling on their love and admiration and respect.

Firstly, I want to say that you've been a fierce whip. I've only missed three votes in the 13 years you've been whip. I want to put that on the record. I learnt very early that you don't mess up when Rachel is in charge. You have kept us running a tight ship. We are a much better party room and a much better green force in this place because of the leadership you've shown. It hasn't always been easy. We've had changes of leaders; you've had to train each one of them, and you've done it just beautifully. You've trained new senators who have come on board. Everybody's had the experience where they've shown up late to something or missed a vote or didn't jump to speak when they should have, and I think all of our colleagues know that you don't do it again. Rachel makes sure you learn your lesson—and you learn it once!

But your passion, your empathy, your strength—I think in politics we often get categorised as being either pragmatic and strong or emotional and bleeding heart. You have proven that that is utter rubbish and that you can be both empathetic and compassionate—that you can come to an issue with pure emotion and integrity but be ruthless and pragmatic about how you you're going to get it done. It's harder for women, too, to do that. You've proven time and time and time again that those stereotypes are just rubbish, so thank you. I think we have to pay testament to your leadership as a woman in this place. With the approach you bring to the debates, internally and externally, you've been an absolute role model. Over the years, when things have happened in this place—I remember you were here when Kora was thrown out of the chamber; that was a baptism of fire for me and you were right there, by my side, as a mum, and I'll never forget that. Thank you.

The testament of your approach is clearly reflected in this place tonight, with people of all sides respecting the way you engage and your commitment. We've heard the words 'honesty' and 'integrity', but you know what? I think that, more than all of those things, everyone knows you are the hardest worker in this place. Everyone knows that. You never miss. You're always across your brief. You've chaired the community affairs committee even though it has one of the biggest workloads, if not the biggest, in this place in terms of legislation coming forward. The issues that you deal with take such a toll. You have never wavered in your commitment to that work, and that is incredibly inspiring and a model for all of us.

I also want to say that we've now got Senator Thorpe as our first First Nations woman in our team and the first First Nations representative from Victoria. I don't think we would have Senator Thorpe—Lydia—in this team, necessarily, without your leadership internally in our party as well as in the chamber. The fact that you've committed so much of your life's work and your work in this place to giving First Nations a voice, and a voice for themselves, is just incredible. It's all summed up by the fact that Dorinda Cox is coming in to replace you. You were determined that a strong Aboriginal woman, a First Nations leader, would come in after you, and you've done it. Others may have aims and aspirations to do things like that, but you've actually delivered it. I think that is a wonderful testament to you, so thank you.

Others have already mentioned the adoptions inquiry. The emotion as that inquiry, which you led, did its work was incredible. The emotion in this place on the day was incredible, but, from talking to you over the months and years as the evidence was being gathered, I know the toll that that was taking—hearing people's stories, feeling them deeply and having that sense of responsibility that you had to do something with them. We can set up inquiries and have people come and tell their stories, and we can give them a sense of trust, but you took it on with the pure responsibility that you knew something had to come from it. This wasn't just about a tick-and-flick process, and I think many, many people are indebted to you because of that. On behalf of all of them, thank you.

We are going to miss you. Senator McKim has big shoes to fill, and I'll put it here first: I reckon it will be a bit rough in the beginning. I think there'll be a bit of mess as we muddle through, but that's because no-one can replace you. No-one is going to be able to do the job the way you do it. Good luck, Nick!

It's very hard to find anybody in this place who can match the care and the absolute understanding that you have for the dignity of people who are vulnerable, Rachel. You don't look down your nose, ever, at people. You've never made people feel less than they are because of the position that you hold. The parliament can be a pretty overwhelming place at times. In inviting people in to give evidence or offering support to them or saying that you're going to work in the parliament for them, you haven't just taken their stories and given them a voice; you've welcomed them into this institution with open arms. You have made that connection between us as a parliament, you as a legislator and them as the people that we are here for. This door might close, but, in your heart and your mind, it's never closed. I think that's the great service that you've brought to this place, to the people of Australia and to the most vulnerable in our community. I'm going to miss you a lot, Rachel. Thank you.