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

At the conclusion of an extraordinary and very busy year, I take this opportunity—

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Joyce interjecting—

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

Order! Senator Joyce, I am on my feet. I take this opportunity at the end of the 2010 sittings to acknowledge and express my personal gratitude to the following: firstly, the Clerk of the Senate, Rosemary Laing—I would like to thank her for the dedication and professionalism she has shown in her first year as Clerk; the Acting Deputy Clerk, Cleaver Elliott, and the other clerks at the table. I thank all the senior officers of the Department of the Senate for their ongoing support and advice.

I thank all senators, and I would like to make special note of the Deputy President and Chair of Committees, Senator Alan Ferguson. I especially wish to acknowledge the close cooperation between the Deputy President and me throughout the year. I thank the temporary chairs of committees who, on a daily basis, run this chamber.

I wish to thank the Usher of the Black Rod, Brien Hallett, the Deputy Black Rod, and those others who have occupied that position this year—Nick Tate, Glenn Krause, Anthony Szell—as well as the staff of the Black Rod’s Office. I thank the chamber support staff and, in particular, the attendants and mail attendants; you do a marvellous job for all of us. The Table Office and the Procedure Office provide efficient and professional support to make for the smooth running of the Senate. I thank the staff of the committee office who consistently produce substantial and timely reports. I thank all other staff of the Department of the Senate.

I thank those in the Department of Parliamentary Services, led by Alan Thompson, including the Landscape Services staff in particular who, in looking after the courtyards and gardens, make this place such a showpiece for the nation. I also thank those in Art Services; Facilities Management; the guide service; and IT, broadcasting and Hansard staff; the Parliamentary Library and the research service under the direction of the Parliamentary Librarian, Roxanne Missingham; the International and Community Relations Office, formerly PRO, for their tremendous work with outgoing and incoming delegations and in managing parliament’s international relations and assistance program; the Parliamentary Education Office who, this year, in this building, taught over 90,000 young Australians from 1,577 schools about our parliament; those who work in security and for the protective services at Parliament House; Health and Recreation Centre staff; and the Speaker, his staff and other officers of the Department of the House of Representatives.

Finally, I thank the staff of my own office, as well as my electorate office staff in Queensland and all those other people who work in Parliament House and electorate offices right around Australia.

In conclusion, I extend my best wishes to all staff and colleagues for the upcoming festive season. I look forward to seeing all of you back here in 2011. I thank the Senate.

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

Firstly, I endorse your remarks and, on behalf of the government, wish all senators, their staff and all employees of the parliament a merry Christmas and a peaceful and restful break over the Christmas-New Year period.

I think we are all cognisant of the fact that it has been a pretty tough year for all those involved in federal politics. Win, lose or draw, it has been a hard, long year and I think everyone is looking forward to a break. I think signs of that tiredness were exhibited today as people maybe got a little on the testy side as the wear and tear of the year hit home. The reality, though, is that generally there is goodwill and positive relationships among senators and staff and people who serve the parliament. We all share a broad objective in the interests of Australia and the proper functioning of its democracy and, as I say, most of the time we enjoy good, positive relationships. It is also the case that we do care for and support each other, and I am sure all Labor senators are very glad to see Senator Ferguson back in ruddy good health after his scare this year, so we are all pleased to see him back. Also, we are very glad to see Senator Minchin’s son come through what was obviously a horrific experience. So I do wish all senators and their staff a merry Christmas. Like the President, I also want to acknowledge all those who serve the Senate. They are too numerous to mention but they include the clerks, the attendants and everyone in the parliament. I was walking through the gardens today actually contemplating what a great job the gardeners do, what a beautiful job they do for what is a great national institution.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for the Murray Darling Basin) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Time to smell the roses!

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

I was on my way to a division. The only fresh air you get is if you walk across the courtyard on the way to a division and the only exercise I get is carrying the ministerial files to question time, but I hope to fix that over the break. So to all those who work here, thank you for all your support. We know that once we leave the place runs much better—it is like a hospital without patients—and the clerks will be much happier running the show without us.

To my senators and their staff, thanks for the tremendous work effort this year and the support you have given to me and to the ministers and to the Prime Minister. Even though we make unreasonable demands of you, we really do appreciate how you people take on those demands. I would particularly like to acknowledge the whip, Anne McEwen, who has done a fantastic job after having been dropped in the deep end, and also Senator Ludwig, who continues as Manager of Government Business in the Senate. So to them and their staff, I say thank you for your support.

I conclude by saying we think everyone will be all the better for a rest and we look forward to the parliament resuming in early February. Of course, the work does not stop for members of parliament or their staff, but I think it will be at an easier pace. So I say thank you to everyone for their help during the year and I wish a merry Christmas and a restful break to all involved.

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

I call Senator Brandis.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. On behalf of the opposition, may I join with Senator Evans in wishing you and all senators the compliments of the season and best wishes for a restful summer break. It is a 10-week break this year, a little longer than usual. Perhaps after the tumultuous year that we have all experienced a long break is needed. I was just observing to Senator Fifield that the circumstances in which the Senate adjourns at the end of this year are very different from the circumstances, at least from my side’s point of view, in which we adjourned last year. This has been a very good year from the point of view of the coalition and a very tumultuous year for everyone involved in politics.

It has been, from the point of view of the Senate, the first year in which we have not had Harry Evans here as the Clerk of the Senate and I want to begin by sending thanks, on behalf of the coalition, to Rosemary Laing, who has filled those big shoes in a very accomplished manner, and to the other clerks, Black Rod, committee staff, the Table Office, chamber attendants, Hansard and those who look after us including the Senate transport office, Ian and Peter, Comcar, the other parliamentary staff, the Parliamentary Library and the other staff too numerous to name. We all stand in your debt and we all wish you a restful and happy Christmas.

Can I make mention of some of my senior colleagues. This is a year which saw the retirement from the leadership of the coalition in the Senate of Senator Nick Minchin. Thank you very much, Senator Evans, for your expression of good wishes particularly for the happy recovery of his son, Oliver, from a terrible accident earlier in the year. Senator Minchin has been a marvellous leader for my side and a marvellous mentor to all coalition senators, and the appropriate statements at greater length will be made next year. We have welcomed a new leader, Senator Abetz, who has taken to the role, if I may say so, with great aplomb. I extend my thanks, my great gratitude and my best wishes for the festive season to him, to the Leader of the National Party, Senator Joyce, to Senator Parry, the Chief Whip, to the other whips and to Senator Fifield, the Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate. As for all of the coalition staff, both those in the electorate offices and those who work with us here in Canberra, all of us know just how important they are to making this place work.

I mention my own staff: Travis, James, Peter, Tanya, Liam and Verity. I am very proud of them and I could not do what I do without them. I am sure we would all have that to say about our own staff in our own office.

In closing, after two days of very willing and vigorous parliamentary battle, it is a great thing to be able to end the year in the best spirit of Australian democracy on a note of good wishes, goodwill and happy Christmas.

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

On behalf of the Australian Greens I also extend season’s greetings to all our fellow senators, all the officers and all the staff of this great building, who give service to this nation, and to all the people of Australia. I hope that it is a wonderful summer. I wish everybody a great deal of happiness.

I also think of those around the world who are not having the happiness that we have and who will face daunting circumstances in the coming times. It is a time to think about how we human beings interact with each other and how we can best gift each other in sharing the great plenitude of this fantastic nation, one of the four oldest continuous democracies on the face of the planet. As we move into this season thinking about goodwill to all people who on earth do dwell I wish all of you, both here and those listening, a marvellous summer, good tidings, a great time with friends, families and loved ones and a bountiful 2011.

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

First of all, Mr President, I would like to apologise for not recognising your ruling and sitting down when you were standing up, but I could not see you because you were behind me!

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

You should get eyes in the back of your head, Senator Joyce! It might help you!

Barnaby Joyce (Queensland, National Party, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will fix it up!

It has been an interesting year. As one of my friends who has nothing to do with politics said: ‘How long have you been in politics for?’ I said, ‘About six years,’ and he said, ‘Mate, you have aged about 15.’ And I think this year is responsible for five of them.

I would like to thank the attendants for putting up with us. You have done a great job and you are always polite. We might get a bit doughy but they never seem to fall asleep on us, which is great. I would like to thank the cleaners, especially the one who was still cleaning my room at around seven o’clock the other morning after you good people came round for a party and did not leave.

I would like to thank the people of the fourth estate, the good people in the media who convey this message out to the Australian people. It was interesting the other day when I was down at a function and a person snuck up on me who I realised was not from the media but from a very edgy group. I thought the person behind the camera was from his organisation, one that seems to blame Prince Philip and one-world government for basically everything. I said, ‘Mate, are you from the fourth estate?’ and he said, ‘No, no, I am normal; I am from the ABC.’

I would like to thank Rosemary Laing for the great work she has done, especially since Harry left the building. I would like to thank the beavering Cleaver for all the work he does and all the other people who have done so much work. I thank Ian and Peter, who have diligently made sure we arrived here and have also made sure that we get away in comcars. From my own side I would like to thank my friend, guide, confidant and philosopher Senator Nash, who is a tower of strength in the work that we do. And I am sure everybody else would like to thank their deputies for the power of work they do. I would like to thank Wacka, just for being here, for the grace of having an ex-shearer as a whip, and for the work he does. I would like to thank Senator Fifield for the work he does managing business. Good on you, Mitch. You have done a great job. I would also like to thank George, Eric, Chris, Bob—make the most of it, mate—Steve, Nick Xenophon and the retiring other Nick: Minchin. Most importantly I would like to thank our spouses and partners, the ever patient people who put up with this very peculiar life that we live down here. I would like to thank our children for the sacrifices they make. They have to put up with almost living in single-parent families, whether they like it or not, because they have people in their family involved in politics. I would like to thank Dougie Cameron for making the whole place entertaining! People do not understand it, but in here it is a lot like the football paddock. Once you get outside the door it is the changing room, and no-one plays football in the changing room. Although everybody might think that everyone is a partisan animal, people are actually quite good natured once they get out the door. I thank them all. I wish you all a safe and blessed Christmas. May you have a great Christmas with your family or whoever is special to you. If not, maybe you can come up to our place and we will look after you. Thank you and God bless.

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

On behalf of Family First I wish all Australians a very merry Christmas and a very safe and happy new year. We have a great democracy in Australia. Some days it looks better than others, but it works well because the people in Parliament House—the staff in the chamber, the committees, security, the guards, the cleaners and the whole place—work extremely well. It is a credit to them also that we do have such a great democracy. They make sure that this place does work so well. A special thanks to Richard Pye and their team and also Cleaver Elliott, the chamber staff and Hansard, who always fix up a lot of my grammatical issues. I also want to wish all my colleagues a merry Christmas and a happy and safe new year.