Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

Whilst all the hugs and congratulations to Linda are still going on, it is an honour, I have to say, to rise and pay tribute to my friend—a very long time friend—and colleague from Western Australia, and indeed senatorial colleague, Senator Linda Reynolds. Linda and I have, of course, worked together in this place since 2014, when Linda first arrived, but, like so many of us, Linda and I go back a lot further than that.

Linda, I am often known in this place for ad-libbing my speeches; however, tonight I am actually going to read, because you have such an outstanding record of service, as a senator but also prior to being in this place, that when people looked at your valedictory and the contributions in many years to come I want to make sure that that outstanding service to our country is properly recorded.

Linda and I actually met as Young Liberals in Western Australia in what is now way back, the 1980s. In fact your partner, Robert Reid, who is with us tonight—hello Robert—was with us back then. In fact, it's almost scary, when I look at it now, to do the maths, because, as much as I still feel like I'm a 17- or 18-year-old, that was actually 35 years ago now, Linda. So, over three decades ago, we were working together in the Young Liberals.

I have to say that when I first met you back then—you are slightly older than me, and I used to very much look up to you—even back in the late eighties, when I was still a teenager, I recognised that you had a strong sense of duty and, without a doubt, a desire to serve our nation. Linda joined the Army Reserve in 1984. Linda was just 19 when she decided to embark upon that journey to serve our country, and she found what she has subsequently described on so many occasions: her first great passion in life. What came of that passion can only be described as an extremely impressive and stellar career in the military—I don't think, Linda, too many people know this—for over 30 years.

Linda served in various roles—again, as I said, I'm going to read, because they need to be properly recorded—including officer cadet, regional logistics officer, training development officer and military instructor at the Army Command and Staff College, before rising to be commanding officer of the 5th Combat Service Support Battalion, directing the Accountability Model Implementation Project and being director of the Army Strategic Reform Program. People sometimes say to me when they see Linda's name, Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds, with letters after it, 'Why are there letters after Linda's name?' Well, there's a very good reason for that. In the 2011 Australia Day Honours, Linda was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross. Linda was awarded that for this reason:

For outstanding achievement as the Director of Army Strategic Reform Program coordination.

Congratulations, Linda. She was also the adjutant general of the Army Reserve from 2012 to 2013.

But I think this is a little-known fact. When we talk in this place about celebrating women, this is something that I don't think too many people actually know. On attaining the rank of brigadier in 2012, Linda became the first woman in the Australian Army Reserve to be promoted to a star rank. I will say that again because I don't think too many people understand (a) what that means and (b) that it is Senator Linda Reynolds. On attaining the rank of brigadier in 2012, Linda became the first woman in the Australian Army Reserve to be promoted to a star rank. That, Linda, cannot ever be taken away from you. This achievement, as we all know, should not be underestimated, and without a doubt it places Linda as a true trailblazer in the Australian Army Reserve. Linda has often commented that her service to the nation was something that she loved more than anything, and, Linda, I say on behalf of each and every one of us that that service of over 30 years, and also being the first woman in the Australian Army Reserve to be promoted to a star rank, as I said, is something that should be acknowledged and is certainly something that should be celebrated.

Linda, you have often commented, and others have observed, that your ethos of service to the nation was something that no doubt drove you to seek office in this place. As I said, Linda had been involved in the Young Liberals in our home state of Western Australia, joining the Liberal Party in 1987. Again, a little-known fact about Linda: she was very active in our party in Western Australia over many years, holding many positions not just at a state level but also at a national level, which has also served us well in subsequent elections in Western Australia. Linda was the Deputy Director of the Federal Liberal Party from 2006 to 2008 and Manager of the Federal Liberal Party Campaign Committee in 2007. Whilst Linda has served in this place as a senator, she had, prior to that, worked in this place for many years, including as chief of staff to then justice minister Chris Ellison.

But, as Linda also acknowledged, her path to get here as an elected senator was not a completely smooth one, and I have to say, unless you were a Western Australian senator at the time, you probably have no idea what that felt like. Linda was elected as a senator, as she said, from third place on the Liberal ticket in 2013 federal election. But I have to say, again, unless you were a person who was on that ticket at that time, you would have to imagine how you felt when the Western Australian election for the Senate was declared void by the High Court. No other election for the Senate was at that time; it was just the Western Australian election. The High Court was then acting as the court of disputed returns after—as Linda said, it was quite extraordinary—ballot papers were actually lost, and, fortunately, they found a lot of them afterwards in places they should never have been. This meant they had to re-run the WA election for the Senate, and we had to campaign again as if it was a full campaign.

Linda was, again, successful in the re-run election, and her Senate term commenced on 1 July 2014. But there are not many in this place who can say that they sit in this place for the first time having been elected not once but actually twice. An indication of Linda Reynolds's decency was very evident in some of the observations that you made in your first speech, Linda. I went back, and I looked at that speech. In thanking the mentors that you had been lucky to have who had encouraged you to pursue the many opportunities, you acknowledged that you had much to pay forward. By any measure, Linda, you have succeeded in paying forward the kindness shown to you by so many of your mentors.

In fact, Linda started mentoring many women, in particular, before she even arrived in this place. Linda mentored political leaders from new and troubled democracies, including Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Again, this is a little-known fact about her. Linda remarked in her first speech that she had been inspired and forever changed by their stories and their courage in fighting for what we take for granted in Australia. Linda also acknowledged that she had performed extensive committee service over her 11 years in this place, and, Linda, without a doubt—and it's been acknowledged by many and will be acknowledged—you have always done so with diligence and a dedication to the task at hand.

Your first ministerial appointment was as the Assistant Minister for Home Affairs in 2018. You then went on to serve as the Minister for Defence Industry and the Minister for Emergency Management and North Queensland Recovery, but it was in 2019 that you were appointed as Australia's Minister for Defence. It was acknowledged at the time that your many years of military experience were put to good use in that portfolio. Your admiration, respect for and understanding of those who serve in our military were a real strength that you brought to the Defence portfolio. After that, you became the Minister for Government Services and then the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

As well as the hard work that you undertook in those portfolios, I think one of the passions that you have always had—and I know that you will continue to have well after you leave this place—was your advocacy against modern slavery and the international child exploitation industry. It has actually been second to none—again, potentially a little-known fact about Linda Reynolds. Linda has spent time overseas investigating and advocating against modern slavery, and indeed, as the Assistant Minister for Home Affairs, Linda was responsible for taking the Modern Slavery Act through the parliament. Linda, you have every right to be extremely proud of the work you have done in this area but, more than that, of taking a bill through the parliament that has made a difference.

You've also been passionate about the mining and resources industry in Western Australia and of course its contribution to the national economy. You've also been a fierce advocate for technology and innovation in Western Australia, and you understand that our state often leads the nation in technological innovation, particularly in the mining industry. The WA team were united at the time when we fought together for our state's fair share of the GST. And I think something that is well and truly acknowledged in this place is that the WA team hunt together as a pack. We put all our differences aside. WA is always our main focus in this place—and achieving what is best for Western Australia. Certainly, that achievement by the federal Liberal coalition Senate team, working with our House of Reps colleagues, has ensured that WA now does receive its fair share of GST. It was delivered by the former coalition government and it remains a priority for us today.

Linda, you can be extremely proud of your more than 10-year service to the Senate and the outstanding contribution you have without a doubt made to our nation. As I said, your service to the nation really did commence back in 1984, when you were but a teenager and you first joined the Army Reserve, and it has never stopped. I want people to read this in the future and understand that, on attaining the rank of brigadier in 2012, you became the first woman in the Australian Army Reserve to be promoted to a star rank.

You've outlined in your speech—and I'm not going to canvass it any further here—that working in this place is not always easy, and you outlined the share of challenges that you've faced along the way. But your resilience, your strength of character and your stoicism in the face of these challenges are things that I give you credit for.

On behalf of all of us, I want to thank you for not just your service to this place but your service to our country. As I said, you leave this place, but you go on to what I hope are bigger and better opportunities. To you and Rob, we wish you only the absolute very best. I know that you will succeed in anything that you do in the future.