Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Hansard source

It gives me great pleasure to be able to stand up and speak on this Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs report, not because I want to speak on the committee report but because I want to say something about one of the true gentlemen that have been in this place. It has been a real honour to have served in this place with Senator Dodson for the time that he has been here. You've been an amazing representative of your people, not just your people from your Indigenous family but also the people of Western Australia.

One of the things I think you can walk out of here with your head held high about, with that hat on it—that hat that we're all going to miss, because it's become such a part of this place—is that you never played the politics; you always played the policy. Every time you stood and made a contribution in this place, every time I've heard you speak, you've always spoken from the heart and you've always spoken about how policy is going to make a difference. You always looked to the outcome; you never looked for the game. I think your old-school approach to politics and this place is going to be absolutely missed. I think you have been an example to many of us of how you can proudly represent a difference of opinion across the aisle, whether it's across this side to that side, or down to the other end of the chamber. You always did it with extraordinary dignity, and I think this place is going to be absolutely the worse for not having you around.

It's always very sad when you see somebody leave, but there's something about Western Australians. There are a couple of Western Australians that have, I suppose, been true to the spirit of how you've operated in this place. It reminded me back to another amazing Western Australian, Joe Bullock, who I think represented his state in the same way that you did. He came in here with true conviction. He came in here because he truly believed. He was always consistent in everything he did. He was never convenient and never took a line just because it was convenient to do so for a short-term gain. He always played the long game. Senator Dodson, that's how I've always viewed you. It's been a great honour to have served with you.