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

Firstly, I would like to associate myself and my colleagues with the comments already made by Senator Farrell and Senator Birmingham. Marise, what an incredible contribution you have made to this place, to this country and, frankly, to the globe.

When I first came into the parliament as a young woman in this place—not so young anymore!—I was told right up front that there was one woman who I needed to make friends with, one person who knew how to work across the chamber. As a crossbencher, and a woman, that was the person I needed to get to know. That came from all sides of politics, the very strong advice to get to know Marise and understand how she worked.

Right from the beginning, it was clear to me that Senator Payne was able to work across party lines. We've seen over and over again—and it's funny how, at these moments, when we think about when the parliament is at its best, it's always when people are working across party lines, when we get out of the trenches. We might not always all be working in the same way, by the way, but it is that cross-party support on an issue that you're passionate about, that you know is fundamentally right, that view you want to be able to ensure is heard. Of course, for Marise women's equality has been front and centre, and I really thank you for that. Your leadership in this place and in this building and the country has been phenomenal, and don't ever forget that. And we hear now today, in your valedictory speech, you end your career with the very same passion and value for looking after women wherever they are, whether they are young women in Australia wanting an ability to control our bodies how we like or women in Afghanistan who are facing the most treacherous, horrific, inhumane torture that you've described.

I remember working across party lines on marriage equality with Marise Payne. I think I put up nine private members' bills for marriage equality before it all happened, and, each time, Marise would give me a smile. In those last few, of course, we saw the numbers really start to change. You were on the right side of history then, and I think that will forever be an important moment. Change doesn't happen overnight, and it certainly doesn't happen overnight in this place, but honesty and collaboration is what drives real change. It doesn't matter what side of politics you're on; we can't achieve anything—any of us—on our own, or our parties cannot achieve anything on their own. It's this place and collaboration that makes the real difference.

Senator Payne has been a trailblazer: the longest serving woman in the Senate—a pretty incredible effort. I did say to Marise earlier this week, after hearing her announcement of retirement, that she's seen some stuff! It wasn't quite the word I used, but in her time she's certainly seen some stuff. I would like to think that, over that time, particularly for women in this building, things have gotten better. I think we talk about this issue in a way that we never would have before. It doesn't matter what side of politics you're on; as women we're empowered more than ever by each other to speak up and call out bad behaviour, to call each other up, to hold each other to account. Because of that, this place is getting better. Marise was there for me when I had to call out bad behaviour, particularly of the former senator David Leyonhjelm. Thank you, Marise. I remember those moments.

And, of course, one of the things that I've always appreciated is that, when you have the late-night debates and the issues are sometimes very dry or sometimes very passionate, Marise always has this way—it doesn't matter how late it is at night in the debates—to deliver her humour in such a dry, witty way. We will miss that, particularly in the late-night sessions.

But it's not just dry wit that Senator Payne has. You have a very incredible—through you, Mr Deputy President. I'm just correcting myself! Senator Payne has an ability to be very direct in her communication as well, and that serves us all well because we can only get things done when you actually are able to trust what the person opposite you is saying. So much of the way we operate in this chamber is knowing where you stand, and you always know where you stand with Senator Payne. You know when she's not happy with you and you know when she thinks you're doing alright. So, that direct communication is something I have always valued from you, Marise.

The third ingredient to the longstanding, incredible contribution Marise Payne has given in this chamber to her country is—beyond the dry wit, beyond the direct communication—the ability for empathy. And your empathy still shines through, and we saw that again this afternoon: your ability to have an understanding for somebody else's perspective and to listen and to feel what they feel. We could all learn a bit more about that.

Thank you so much for your contribution, for your amazing trailblazing in this place, for the leadership, particularly from one female senator to another. Good luck. Enjoy the next adventure. And we hope you don't keep hearing those phantom bells ringing! Thank you.