Ross Cadell (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am relatively unable to speak of the fabulous achievements of Senator Payne down here, because, until I was joined by Senator Kovacic, I was the new kid on the block. But, unfortunately for Marise, I can talk about our time in the Young Liberal Movement in New South Wales! I was a little conservative country boy—a Hunter boy, let's say—in the Young Liberal Movement, and I came down to Sydney and was instantly intimidated by this very liberal, strong-willed lady who'd come through MLC, Methodist Ladies College, in southern Sydney but, much to my astonishment, could speak fluent bogan with me! She understood too many things for my comfort, and I found a wing for myself. I found a caring arm—I wouldn't say it was loving, but it was certainly a caring arm. I'm starting to feel, People of Australia, that I've cost you the chance of this woman staying on and looking out for you and fighting for you, because every time I go somewhere she leaves! Marise, I remember coming to the central council of the Young Libs in 1993, only for you to leave in 1994. I joined here in 2022, only for you to leave in 2023.

There's always been that heart, but something that's coming through today—and the word hasn't been there—is the authenticity. Many people talk about 'wearing your heart on your sleeve'. I know that figuratively you're wearing hearts everywhere at the moment. It has always been refreshing to see someone that I knew and grew up with. I saw your empathy even with that fashion faux pas when Stuart and all of us went to a Sydney Kings game and I wore the entire Charlotte Hornets outfit, purple from top to bottom. You had the ability to say, 'Potentially, don't wear that again.'

It's always those words. They're very proper, distinct words but there's an anvil behind them. You never offend anyone, but we can hear your strength all of the time. It's a strength that I think has been reflected throughout the world and the region, where some of our relationships may have been a little bit strained because people knew they couldn't push you around. Strength respects strength, and they saw it in you. Australia has been well represented, because to have that strength with a good, loving and caring heart is rare.

I go back to those days with Don and Tony Chappel and Ben and all those guys in the Young Liberal Movement. I go back to meeting in the president of the upper house's room for white-smoke meetings about who would be the next Young Liberal president. There were always the quiet words. You speak very rarely but you speak well. I thank you for the role you've had in making me a better person. I thank you for the role you've had in the Young Libs.

I moved to the Cessnock electorate, and then, just like everything happens, the Liberals stopped contesting Cessnock and left me a year after I did that, so it became a National Party seat. Even the other day I was checking my punting record on my TAB app to make sure the punters of Australia had someone who would represent them in this place, and I think I met the standard for turnover for your thing. On a very selfish note, I can no longer rely on the senator for my excuse to Open Politics for why I accept tickets to Everest and Melbourne Cup festivals: 'because Senator Payne did'. I'll be on my Pat Malone now on that one, but I'll still go, and I'll hold my head up high. I do note the number of horseraces where you've had tips and haven't let me know which one was going to win. I will hold that against you for some time.

The Hunter is not a place that suffers fools and disingenuous people. You have never been that. Western Sydney, Parramatta and Penrith are very much the same. There's that authenticity with the people who've worked with you there. The things you have achieved don't get done by someone who's not real. You have always been real. You have always been honest. You have always been a person I could look up to. I will never be as good as you, but I might be able to steal one little asset or something like that and try to be a better person here for the people of Australia because of the lessons you have taught me. Thank you very much.