Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Siewert—Rachel—as whips I know that the brevity of my remarks won't be taken as disinterest, but as whips in this Senate, and no-one knows this more than you as a result of the length of service that you have given as the whip for the Australian Greens, our job is to make it work for everybody else. Often that means sacrificing the things that are important to us and sacrificing the contributions that we might like to make. I will make my comments brief in order to allow the many others that are still to make their contributions to have an opportunity.

In your contribution you talked about being disappointed and frustrated with the action on climate matters. But I think by any measure your contribution on so many issues leaves no space for disappointment, no space for frustration. I just want to reflect on one. I don't expect you to remember the time that you first met me, but I certainly remember the time that I first met you. We were in Alice Springs doing a committee inquiry into low-aromatic fuel. Your contribution in keeping young Indigenous people safe in remote communities across our country has not had the heraldry that I think it deserves. That private senator's bill that you brought to this place—and which was agreed to and which was sent to the other place and was agreed to—is one of just 30 private senators' bills or private members' bills that have made it into law in the history of this country since 1901. That is a remarkable achievement on an issue that has absolutely gone a long way to ensuring that young people, not just Indigenous but predominantly Indigenous, are kept from harm's way.

I have admired the way that you have worked and your conviction. Your integrity is a model that senators in this place and senators who are yet to come can style themselves on. You reflected quite accurately that there's not enough talk about all the things that we do agree on and all the things that we work so constructively on and that have changed the lived experience for so many people in our country. Our names will not be remembered in the future, but the legacy some of us have been able to deliver for other people will be felt. It's hard to imagine someone who has made a more lasting contribution to improving the lived experience of so many people. One of the things I have observed when working closely with you is how important it is for people to have a voice on issues and how empowering it is for those people when they get heard by senators, through the parliamentary committee process or through other means.

You drive a hard bargain as the whip, but I have always enjoyed that yesterday's challenges are not carried over to today or to tomorrow. That's a real testimony to your graciousness and your decency as a person. You mentioned that you came to this place having followed other Greens senators. As significant as their contributions were in their own way, your contribution is the force from the west. Your contribution is the one that I think many people should style themselves upon, because it has been so significant.

I've enjoyed working with you on grandparent carers. I've enjoyed working with you on the important issues around the National Redress Scheme. I've enjoyed hearing in the adjournment debates your contributions about the Kimberley, even though we might disagree on the right way to improve Indigenous disadvantage in this country and to preserve the Kimberley's wonderful environment.

Congratulations. It is a remarkable achievement. I'm sure there are more things for you to do. I look forward to supporting you in whatever way I can in the future. Congratulations to you. Best wishes to you and your family for the future.