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

Mr President, I remind the Senate that it should now choose one of its members to be Deputy President and Chair of Committees.

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I propose to the Senate for its Deputy President and Chair of Committees Senator Ferguson, and I move:

That Senator Ferguson be appointed Deputy President and Chair of Committees.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Are there any further nominations? There being no further nominations, I declare Senator Ferguson elected Deputy President and Chair of Committees in accordance with the standing orders.

Honourable Senators:

Hear, hear!

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You got an easier ride than I did, Senator Ferguson, so you must be better looking or more popular or whatever it might be! I congratulate you on your election as Deputy President and Chair of Committees. It is an honour that you deserve and it is a reflection of your ability to know the tone and tenor of this place from your time as President and from your long service and long standing as a member of this Senate. I congratulate you and I wish you all the best. I look forward to working together harmoniously, as we have done now over a long period of time.

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

On behalf of government senators, I congratulate Senator Ferguson on his election as Deputy President. I am sure he will carry out the duties with the same level of professionalism he did as President. I think it best not to say anything further nice about him—before I ruin both our reputations! Congratulations, Senator.

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of opposition senators, I warmly congratulate Senator Ferguson on his unopposed election as Deputy President. I should note for the record that it reflects well on Senator Ferguson and the stature that he has in this chamber that he was unopposed as both the Liberal nominee for the position of Deputy President and indeed, I am pleased to say, as the chamber nominee for Deputy President. I thank the government for respecting the convention to which we earlier referred that has as its flipside that the opposition nominates the person for the deputy chair. We thank the Labor Party for respecting that convention.

Of course, we are on our side, as I said in June, disappointed that Senator Ferguson was not able to continue in the position of President. He had but 12 months in that high office in which he demonstrated great dignity, impartiality and presence. He has of course been superbly trained for the position of Deputy President, having served as President. Indeed, as I understand it, there are only four senators in the history of this chamber who have served in both positions, and Senator Ferguson creates history today by being the first to go from President to Deputy President! So your name will be in the history books, Senator Ferguson. I have no doubt that across the chamber we all understand and expect that he will serve with great dignity and professionalism in the position of deputy chair.

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

Mr President, first let me thank you for acknowledging the crossbench. There is a little bit of history there, and I think that is a very positive start to your period as President—and I congratulate you on that. On that matter, I also congratulate Senator Ferguson on being elected Deputy President. Senator Minchin, however, tempts me to comment on this so-called convention: it is nothing of the sort. It is a cosy arrangement between the two big parties and—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

let me just say this—if we do not have an open vote on the best people to be elected to these important chairs, we are devaluing the currency of those positions. If the first act of a Senate is to make an arrangement in party rooms, behind closed doors, between the two big parties—

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

then it does not bode—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Bob Brown is entitled to be heard in silence. I call those interjecting to order.

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

It is a very important and grievous matter that I am discussing here. This is not a ‘convention’. There are other words I could use. It is a matter of convenience between the big parties, to the exclusion of the best interests of the Senate and the Australian people, and it ought to be stopped. There ought to be more judicious and sensible thinking coming from the leaders of both the big parties so that, in future, we get a fair and proper and individually based assessment of who will make the best President and Deputy President.

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

On behalf of Family First, I congratulate Senator Ferguson on his election to Deputy President and Chairman of Committees. It is the tag team of Senator Hogg and Senator Ferguson—just a change in roles.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President, for your good wishes. Thank you also to Senator Evans and Senator Minchin. I think, Senator Brown, that yours was a congratulation.

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

It was.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not quite sure. Thank you, Senator Fielding. I look forward to sharing in this role. As I said earlier today, I have worked closely with Senator Hogg now for a number of years, both prior to me becoming President and since that time. I will enjoy working with Senator Hogg in the future for the betterment of this chamber, Senator Brown. I think that anyone who is elected to the position of a presiding officer or a deputy presiding officer does have the interests of this chamber at heart. I certainly have, as I hope I displayed when I was President. When we talk about a convention or, as you choose to use the term, a ‘cosy arrangement’, it represents the strength of the various parties in this chamber.

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

It does not.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It does represent the strength of the various parties in this chamber. Senator Hogg was elected on a vote based on merit. I certainly voted for Senator Hogg because I thought he was the best man for the job, and I think many people over here did as well. I look forward to working with Senator Hogg. I look forward to working with the members of the Greens party, with Senator Xenophon and with Senator Fielding, and I will do so in the same manner as I have in the past.