The Clerk:

Senators, I lay on the table a letter from Senator the Hon. Paul Calvert to His Excellency the Governor-General, resigning from the office of President of the Senate. The letter was endorsed as received by His Excellency at 10.30 this morning.

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Clerk, as it is now necessary for the Senate to choose one of its members to be President, I propose to the Senate for its President Senator Alan Ferguson. I move:

That Senator Ferguson take the chair of the Senate as President.

The Clerk:

Are there any further nominations?

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I propose to the Senate for its President Senator Nettle. I move:

That Senator Nettle take the chair of the Senate as President.

In speaking to that—

The Clerk:

Senator, the candidates should address the Senate first.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And I may afterwards?

The Clerk:

Yes. There being two nominations, I invite the candidates to address the Senate.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I submit myself to the will of the Senate.

Kerry Nettle (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Parliaments around this country and around the world have recognised the importance, for good governance and for democracy, of having independent speakers and presidents of their parliaments. It is an important tradition that we can follow in this parliament as well. Today presents us with an opportunity to stand up for good governance and to stand up for democracy. I submit myself to the will of the Senate.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I put to the Senate that, firstly, there is a club arrangement in the Senate which means that the President automatically comes from the government and the Deputy President comes from the opposition. That is not an arrangement which the Greens support. It means, effectively, that the best person is not necessarily elected to the position. That is what we should be aspiring to, short of the ideal that Senator Nettle put forward—that there should be an independent President of the Senate and, indeed, Speaker of the House of Representatives. I ask: what is it about the four good, worthy and capable Democrat senators, those on the Green benches or Family First which should exclude them from this process?

Robert Ray (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

About 30 quotas.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ray says: ‘About 30 quotas.’ That is a club arrangement. A club arrangement between the two big parties excludes the alternative and, in this case, better candidate in Senator Nettle. Let me put this to the Senate: this year, Senator Ferguson—and I think he will make an admirable President—has made six submissions to this Senate. Senator Nettle has made 102 submissions to the Senate. So when you look at diligence, hard work and contribution, you see that Senator Nettle presents an option which ought to be favoured and is the better option. What is more, she is an intelligent, fair-minded senator who, in taking the chair, would give it the dignity it deserves.

Ross Lightfoot (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is appalling behaviour.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have an interjection from opposite, Clerk, which says it is appalling behaviour to be standing up in a democratic forum, taking part in a democratic debate about a democratic vote, and the government does not want it—appalling behaviour indeed! Anyway, this is a serious matter—the Greens providing democracy—because, if you have no contest, you have no democracy in this chamber, part of the fulcrum of democracy in this country. I am proud we are doing this, I am proud of Senator Nettle being presented here for this vote for the presidency, and I recommend her to thoughtful senators as the next President of the Senate.

The Clerk:

There being two nominations, in accordance with the standing orders the Senate will proceed to a ballot. The bells will be rung for four minutes before the ballot.

The bells having been rung—

The Clerk:

The Senate will now proceed to a ballot. Ballot papers will be distributed to honourable senators, who are requested to write upon the paper the name of the candidate for whom they wish to vote. The candidates are Senator Ferguson and Senator Nettle. I invite Senators Parry and Siewert to act as scrutineers.

A ballot having been taken—

The Clerk:

The result of the ballot is: Senator Ferguson, 67 votes; and Senator Nettle, five votes. Senator Ferguson is therefore elected as President of the Senate in accordance with the standing orders.

Senator Ferguson having been conducted to the dais—

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Senate for the honour it has bestowed upon me. Honourable senators, thank you for the enormous honour you have done me by electing me as your President. I will endeavour to repay the trust that you have placed in me. I could not be elected to this office without the support of my party and the people of South Australia, and I express my thanks to the South Australian division of the Liberal Party for their faith in endorsing me and to the voters for electing me to this place. I also wish to thank my Liberal Party colleagues in the Senate for their unanimous support for this position.

I pay tribute to my predecessor in the chair, my close friend Senator Calvert, who has been an excellent President of the Senate for the last five years and who did much to reform the bureaucracy of the parliament. Senator Calvert has chosen his own time to retire—something not everyone in this building has the chance to do—and I know all honourable senators will wish him well for the future. It was a South Australian, Sir Richard Baker, who was the first President of the Senate at Federation; and six senators for South Australia have now occupied the President’s office—more than from any other state. We also claim Senator Margaret Reid, who spent all of her formative years in South Australia. If my memory is correct, she was the first president of the Young Liberals in South Australia. I do not know why my state has this statistic—maybe there is something in the water.

Apart from the support from my party and my colleagues, the greater personal debt of gratitude I owe is to my wife Anne and my family. They have been a continual source of support during my political career. It is a career which I know comes at a personal cost to all households that contain a politician. I cannot express my gratitude enough for that support. Together with Anne and other family friends in the gallery, two of our three daughters are here—along with Grace Heaslip and Jim Le Messurier, two of our five grandchildren. As President, I aim to continue the unbroken tradition of my predecessors to endeavour to treat every senator equally, and I hope all honourable senators will play their part in helping in that endeavour—and those who assist the President in the chair.

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on behalf of all government senators, I warmly congratulate you on your election as President of the Senate. We wish you every success in your new and very demanding role. We are sure that you will bring wisdom, balance and independence to your duties as President and, with 15 years of great service as a senator and as chairman of various Senate and joint parliamentary committees, you bring considerable experience to the job of President.

As you noted yourself, you have very large shoes to fill in succeeding Senator Calvert, but I am sure that all senators have confidence in your capacity to maintain the high standards set by your predecessor. On behalf of all coalition senators, I assure you of our willingness to cooperate with you to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the Senate and to support you fully in your new and important role. Mr President, it has been my privilege to share a house with you in Canberra for some 14 years and, while you have now achieved this new and august role, I still expect you to do your own washing-up!

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on behalf of the Labor opposition, I congratulate you on your election to the office of President of the Senate. I am sure you will conduct your duties with dignity, fairness and impartiality. We think that, if the President has to be a government senator, you are a good choice. I point out that Labor did not support you in the election because we are part of a club but because we hold to the principle that the President ought to be provided by the government of the day. It is a principle we hope that the coalition would support were a Labor government to be elected. We wish you well in your role. We think you will bring your sense of humour to your role in the chair, which is always an advantage. I am sure the opposition will test your patience. That is part of our function in applying pressure on the government. We wish you well in your role and look forward to your term as President.

Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, what a great honour it is that the Senate has given you today. I know that you are very proud and I know that your wife and grandchildren and also the people who have been supporting you over many years will be so proud of you too. Fergie, you have a great reputation for fairness and honesty and for being a really decent bloke. I wish you well on behalf of my National Party colleagues. I know that you will be fair and responsible, just as your predecessor was. I offer you the congratulations of the National Party.

Lyn Allison (Victoria, Australian Democrats) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I too wish to add words of congratulations to you on winning this election. We look forward to you presiding over this chamber with fairness and integrity and know that you will do this. I also acknowledge your predecessor and indicate to Senator Calvert that we have appreciated his presidency in this place too. One final word: if you would not mind, bear in mind that there is a crossbench down the end of the chamber and that it will occasionally need your attention. Good luck, Mr President, and we welcome you to this position.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I congratulate you, Mr President, and wish you well. I hear your commitment to treating all senators equally. The Senate knows, of course, that it is the arbiter of its destiny, not the chair, but the chair is there to make decisions and guide the good governance, fair play and goodwill in this place. I wish you well in that task and I wish Senator Calvert great bounty and wellbeing in the years ahead and thank him for his time in the chair.

Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on behalf of Family First, I congratulate you on your election to President. We know that you will serve the role with fairness and without fear or favour. We will probably say more later this week about Senator Calvert. It is very sad to see him leave, but I am sure you will do a sterling job.

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I congratulate you on your election as the 22nd President of the Australian Senate. As a colleague and a very good friend over the last 15 years, I know that you have all the qualities that are needed to make an excellent President; particularly important are fair-mindedness and a good sense of humour. I was privileged to have the goodwill of senators in carrying out my role in the chair over the last five years and I trust that senators will extend to you the same courtesy. It will be a pleasure to sit back here and watch you in the chair at question time!

Thank you, Senator Calvert.

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to inform honourable senators that the Governor-General will be pleased to receive Mr President and such honourable senators as desire to accompany him in the Members Hall immediately.

The PRESIDENT (Senator the Hon. Alan Ferguson) took the chair at 2 pm and read prayers.

Paul Calvert (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have to report that, accompanied by honourable senators, today I presented myself to the Governor-General as the choice of the Senate as President. The Governor-General congratulated me upon my election and presented me with a commission to administer to senators the oath or affirmation of allegiance. I table the commission.