Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It was a nice suggestion.

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

Hear, hear.

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

by leave—I congratulate Senator Arbib for a great speech and it does great justice to his time in the Senate and to his passions. I have worked with Mark since he came into the Senate. While I am terribly regretful that he is leaving, I understand very much his reasons. He has made an enormous contribution to the parliament and to the government in his various portfolios. I think his speech today highlighted the issues that have motivated him.

What we should take from today's contribution from Mark is that it actually challenges the public persona that many in the media try to create about Mark Arbib. The speech today reinforced the fact—and all his colleagues understand—of his great passion for issues, his great passion for Indigenous people, for those with disability and for the homeless. His commitment to those issues and those people has been profound, and he has worked away at trying to make the conditions for those people, for whom he has had some responsibility, better. He has done that in a very dedicated and passionate way. That is a side of him that is not broadly understood and, unfortunately, not represented well in some of the public commentary. His commitment to programs like KickStart, which saw many apprentices helped during the global financial crisis and his commitment, which he talked about, to the Learn Earn Legend! program for Indigenous young people have been exemplary, and he has made a huge contribution to the Labor Party.

I also note his long service as assistant general secretary and general secretary of the New South Wales Labor Party. There is much commentary in the press that somehow seeks to denigrate the role of party officials. Party officials from all parties play an important role in our democracy these days. Parties are a central part of the way our democracy operates and the officials are important to that process. I know Mark was an outstanding general secretary of the New South Wales branch and made a huge contribution in his period there as well to the success of our party and the New South Wales branch in particular.

I would also like to acknowledge the fact that he has provided strong leadership on social issues inside the Labor Party. Despite his association with a rather conservative wing of the Labor Party, he has shown really strong leadership in a way that has often surprised people on issues such as gay marriage. In a whole range of ways his talk about work and family balance has been a key defining element of his engagement in politics. I pay great respect to him for the constancy of that contribution. I think Mark has suffered from the fact that the public portrayal of him—the public characterisation of him—actually bears no resembles to the real man. As I said, his speech today told you a lot more about Mark Arbib than much of what you will read in the papers. His thoughtfulness and his measured and persistent pursuit of Labor policy—of good public policy—has been a real mark of him and a real mark of his time here.

As he referred to, I know that there has been some commentary about why he resigned. All I can say is that the comments Mark made on his retirement reflect conversations I have had with him over the last two or three years. They reflect the fact that he was feeling the stress of balancing work and family. His commitment to his family was paramount in his mind, and he was under the same pressures that we all suffer about balancing those two commitments. I have also always known him to put the interests of the Labor Party first in the way that he engages inside the party. I think that his decision to resign reflects those two priorities: those of his family and what he sees as the best interests of the party.

While I did not agree with his decision, that is partly motivated by self-interest: Mark was an important member of our team and someone I did not want to lose. We had plans for him to play a leading role for the Labor Party in the Senate for many years to come. But I understand the reasons for his decision, and accept them.

Can I just say, though, that this is not an obituary! Mark is actually a young man, and probably the time to leave the Senate is when you are young enough to have another career—some of us run out of options as we age! Mark has many options because he has many abilities and many interests, and I am sure that he will succeed in whatever he does following his time in the Senate, although I am not sure that I can approve of running marathons as being one of his priorities. I just do not get that, I am afraid. No-one has accused me of showing any interest in running marathons! But I wish him well in that endeavour as well.

Finally, as Senator Fierravanti-Wells and others have pointed out, the suggestion that Mark Arbib is a faceless man is, of course, a nonsense. But he does have an alias: his close friends call him Freddie because, of course, he was a star of Home and Away, and his character was Freddie. Someone showed me the footage today, it is on YouTube—

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Here it is!

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

Yes! I actually watched the whole scene; the hand movements—the guy was a natural! And I just do not understand why he did not get a call from Hollywood! Why did it not develop for him? Method acting was clearly his calling. But when that career did not take off I am happy to say that he chose a career in politics.

I know that others want to speak, and that we are short of time, so I say to Mark: thank you very much for your contribution. If I had known that it was going to have this impact I would not have supported you becoming Manager of Government Business. I thought that it was a good decision at the time, but the fact that it drove you over the edge is a regret of mine. But best of luck for the future from all your colleagues. We have appreciated your contribution, and we look forward to watching whatever you do in the future with great admiration. All the best.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—As a marathon runner, Senator Arbib has returned a most impressive result with his sprint in the Senate: from backbencher to parliamentary secretary to minister to Manager of Government Business and the finish line, all in less than four years. It took me well over double that time, but I would argue that there was more talent in my way. But, along the way, Senator Arbib became instantly recognisable as Labor's most faceless man. By engineering the timing of his own exit from the Senate he has pulled off the ultimate feat for a faceless man.

From the coalition's perspective, Senator Arbib's arrival in the Senate in 2008 was marginally welcome as it was at the expense of a Greens senator. But given the Green-Labor alliance after the 2010 election, it really makes little difference. Shortly after the senator's arrival, I recall receiving from an attendant in the chamber a folder headed 'Coalition quotes'. I worked my way through the quotes during another boring question time, but as I started reading I realised that they were quotes that could be classified as not necessarily helpful to the cause of the coalition. Finally, the penny dropped: chances were it was a folder meant for Senator Arbib not Senator Abetz. I wonder how many documents destined for me ended up with Senator Arbib? Alas, any hope that my dining room bills might have ended up with Senator Arbib were forlorn.

We all come into this place with varied backgrounds. Senator Arbib brought with him a skill which will come as a surprise to many, not only on this side but also on his side. I am sure Mr Rudd and his backers will be bemused to learn that one of the senator's skills is that of lifesaver. Possibly his lifesaving skills were swamped in June 2010 by his other skill set, that of a very capable political operative.

Another skill the senator has is as a cook. Rumour has it that books are not his speciality: for the record, he was with the liquor trades and transport workers, not the HSU—although, he has a fearsome reputation, rightly or wrongly, as a successful fundraiser.

A would-be replacement of Senator Arbib's is on record as saying that he is 'one of the best campaigners in the business.' Just in case you do not know, that was said by Bob Carr. On that basis alone, we will not miss him. He was a very good campaigner.

One's first speech is often an insight. Senator Arbib's was no different. Family and Indigenous welfare both were given generous time and sensitive treatment. His love of family spoke for itself. On Indigenous welfare he said:

However, to achieve real results Indigenous welfare must be reconsidered. The Indigenous welfare model of the past has failed by inadvertently creating a cycle of dependence and despondency resulting in disincentives to Indigenous job seekers. If we are serious about breaking the cycle we must provide real incentives to break through these structural barriers. It is a big task, but with the community united and working to a common goal it is possible. Bridging the gap on Indigenous inequality is something I feel deeply about, and today and in the future I commit myself to playing a role in meeting this goal.

We on this side also note his position as an ambassador of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation. His short but genuine input in matters Indigenous deserves recognition and saluting, and we do so.

His reputation as a numbers man took a bit of a hit with the World Cup but was handsomely restored just last Monday. Whilst on matters sport, can I also recognise the minister's attempts with me to resolve matters Taekwondo. My interactions with his office were always professional and courteous.

This is Labor's day to farewell one of their faithful servants and so I will not delay. Suffice to say, on behalf of all the coalition, we wish Senator Arbib and his family all the best for the future.

Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I too join in to unambiguously wish Senator Arbib all the very best. We were in Senate school together just 3½ years ago. I know he came to this place with a fearsome reputation, but I found him a bit of a pussycat really to deal with. He was always incredibly decent to deal with. He kept his word with me. He worked with me very constructively on a whole range of issues. It says something about the man that during a debate a year or two ago I was berating the government for not doing enough for asbestos victims and not understanding the suffering of asbestos victims. Senator Arbib was the minister with carriage of the bill and he got up and said, 'I do know a little bit about asbestos, because my father died of an asbestos related disease.' He said it quietly and with enormous dignity. He could have made a real point to dress me down, but he did not. That says something about his dignity.

I pay tribute to his work on homelessness, Indigenous employment and education. There is no question about his genuineness in the work he has done. These will be his lasting legacies. I am sure that what he has put in place will build momentum. On an issue dear to my heart, the impact of gambling on match-fixing and corruption in sport, I think the best testament, the best credit, comes from sports administrators who say that in the last few months Senator Arbib has gone a long way in dealing with issues of match-fixing. They have been extremely impressed with Senator Arbib as Minister for Sport in dealing with this pernicious issue of match-fixing. I pay tribute to him on that and I hope that his successor will deal with those reforms.

I finish by repeating something I said in the media a year ago. It may cause some rancour amongst some of my colleagues, but I meant it when I said it a year ago and I mean it now. I said I had heard about how Senator Arbib was a hard political operator, and I suppose he is one of the hard men of politics, but he is also like a one-man Greek chorus. He is a person who has had to tell the hard, unpalatable truths and I think he has been unfairly maligned because of this. I wondered aloud back then and I wonder now: if the Liberal Party had a Mark Arbib, who knows this may have been the second term of a Costello government. I wish Mark Arbib all the very best.

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

by leave—Let me add a few words while Senator Arbib is in the chamber. My colleague Senator Hanson-Young will follow. We have not had a great deal of intercommunication in political life, but after Senator Arbib came to this chamber I have to return the compliment. It has been nothing but a pleasant working relationship, and it has been friendly and constructive on all occasions. I recollect in particular speaking to Senator Arbib about the potential for a great healing outcome in the Tasmanian forests issue, which would be a win-win for the forest industry, the forests, environmentalists and the Tasmanian community. There is quite a way to go there, but what I can say is that he was very constructive in helping me to speak to other ministers about this potential. This was well nigh on two years ago now. He had no reason to be involved and he had no reason to take up a Tasmanian issue, but he did because he could see the merits in it.

I also note Senator Arbib's reason for wanting to spend more time with his family. I am totally on side with that. Let me say, as an observer of many people in this chamber and elsewhere in politics, that it is very, very tough on families. That particular connection with kids gets bulldozed by the demands of politics, media, community—everything that is involved with it. There is all sorts of advice about how to overcome that, but the only way ultimately of overcoming it is by not being here. I can sympathise a great deal with Senator Arbib on that. I congratulate him for his contribution to this chamber and to government in the federal arena. Through you, Mr President, I wish Senator Arbib a great, long and productive life and many happy returns for this decision.

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave for statements to be continued after 4:30 and that leave be granted for those wanting to make statements.

Leave granted.

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

I want to add a few remarks of my own of good wishes to Senator Arbib. It is a sad occasion when a very talented man, at the young age of only 40, brings down the curtain on a political career which has already been a very substantial career both in organisational affairs and as a senator and minister—and, had he chosen to stay, would no doubt one day have been a member of a Labor cabinet in the, I would hope, very distant future.

Senator Arbib came to this place less than four years ago with a ferocious—even demonic—reputation. When one encounters for the first time someone whose reputation precedes him like that, one feels almost cheated to discover that he actually turned out to be a very nice fellow. One wishes one's political opponents were as wicked as their reputation suggests—but I hasten to add that I am sure that was a reputation conferred upon you by some in the Labor Party, Senator Arbib—but, in my dealings with Senator Mark Arbib, I have always found him an extremely agreeable and pleasant person.

We have not had a lot to do with one another, although we are the two people in the Senate who share the joy of having held the best job in Australia. I did get to know him a little better when, earlier this year, we travelled to Israel. As is the nature of parliamentary visits overseas, the party barricades come down and one gets to talking, and we found ourselves in enthusiastic agreement about many things. We found ourselves in enthusiastic agreement about Israel. We found ourselves in enthusiastic agreement about the US alliance—although I suspect Senator Arbib was rather closer to the Americans than I was. But, in particular, we found ourselves in more than enthusiastic agreement about the Australian Greens.

When Senator Arbib made his astonishing announcement on Monday afternoon that he was going to resign shortly from the Senate and from the ministry, I could barely believe it. I could in particular barely believe that a minister for sport would choose to resign less than four months from the Olympic Games. Senator Arbib, you have made a very great sacrifice indeed for your family, which we all respect.

Inevitably, because of the disobliging names which some in the Labor Party have conferred upon him, Senator Arbib became almost emblematic of the 'faceless man'. But it had this benefit for you Senator Arbib: some political cartoonists took to drawing you without face. Indeed, at least the implication was that the person depicted in the political cartoon was you. But that had the benefit that, unlike the rest of us, the political cartoonists did not have the opportunity, through the self-denying ordinance, to dwell on the less than classical features which all of us in politics share.

Your role in the famous events of 23 and 24 June 2010 has become the stuff of legend and will no doubt be written about for as long as Australian political history is written about. The internal affairs of the Australian Labor Party are none of my business, but of you I am sure it can be said that you have always acted by your best lights and in the best interests, as you saw them, of the Australian Labor Party. When you were involved in those events I was reminded of a remark by Winston Churchill about leadership. It is a reasonably well-known remark but let me remind you of it. He said of a leader:

If he trips he must be sustained. If he make mistakes, they must be covered. If he sleeps, he must not be wantonly disturbed. If he is no good, he must be pole-axed.

That is the judgment that you came to about the former Prime Minister. I have no doubt that you did so because in good faith you had reached that sorry conclusion and that you acted as you did in what you saw—and those who collaborated with you acted as they did in what they saw—to be in the best interests of the Australian Labor Party.

Let me conclude on this note, Senator Arbib: you have been a fierce partisan, and I admire that. I am always deeply suspicious of those who, in a weasel-like way, implore us to be bipartisan, because what that is code for is that we pretend that legitimate differences do not exist. Our democratic process depends upon there being the free and robust expression of contending points of view. And when I see in a political opponent a fierce and committed partisan I admire that because our system depends upon people being partisans for the causes in which they believe. As a person who has served your cause, your party, in the effective and sincere way you have, you have contributed to that process in an important way, and for that I will always admire you. I have enjoyed our brief association and I wish you all the best for the future.

Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise briefly to add my congratulations to Senator Arbib for getting out of the mad house. Senator Arbib and I, just like Senator Xenophon, were part of the class of 08. When we came in here together, Senator Arbib, I did not think that you would be leaving before the rest of us. I actually thought that you would be one of these blokes who stuck around forever. Thankfully you are a bit wiser than that—that you have other things to take on and other challenges that await you.

I have always had a lot of respect for Senator Arbib's commitment to family life and to his children, his daughters. I have a young daughter and we have often shared laughs about what our kids have been up to lately and the next cheeky adventures that they are into. In this place, I think that is such an important element of the lives that we live. When we do leave our families a lot of the time, it is important to know that the rest of us are all thinking about what we would be doing if we were not here. My daughter has upset the security guards in this place, too, but it happened that we got a bit more coverage than perhaps you did on that night—and I am sure you are probably thankful for that. I particularly want to pay credit to Senator Arbib for his commitment to equal marriage. He was one of the first on the other side of the chamber to raise his voice on this publicly. I think that went a long way to pushing this issue onto the political stage, bringing the Labor Party along with him. It was very important. I am sad that Senator Arbib is not going to be able to vote on that legislation; obviously, it was important to you. Commitment to paid parental leave is another issue that Senator Arbib has spoken about.

As Senator Bob Brown said, all of my colleagues in the Greens have always had very positive dealings with Senator Arbib. We have said how pleasant it was to be able to work with him in whatever capacity. I wish Senator Arbib good luck. I am not sure you are going to make ironman of the year, but I wish you good luck in your endeavours and into the future.

Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a pleasure to add my comments to those that have been made already in recognition of Senator Arbib's contribution to the federal parliament. I remember his first speech. I sat here listening and was impressed, but a couple of things made me turn around and look. One of them was his quoting of Moore's Law. Another was his statements recognising that information technology and new technologies are the platform for future growth and the kind of investment we need in this country to help our economy develop and diversify in the 21st century. The other thing—and no-one will be surprised at this—was his reference right at the end of his speech to sport. He evoked the characterisation of the Australian hero as being the mums and dads who sustain our sporting clubs through their commitment to their children and their volunteer effort, and he likened them to our Olympic heroes.

These sentiments struck a chord with me. When you look at the issues that Senator Arbib committed to in his first speech in this place, you can see that, systematically, he has made a substantial contribution to each and every one of them. There was some mention of those efforts and those contributions, and I would like to mention a couple as well. First is the Apprenticeship Kickstart program, which gave so many young people an opportunity for employment where there could have been none. It was an extraordinary period in the global financial crisis, and federal Labor was doing everything to save jobs to keep our economy on the rails. We did this with enormous success, now recognised around the world, with our Treasurer having been cited as the world's best finance minister for his leadership and guidance through that difficult period.

It is programs like Apprenticeship Kickstart that made surviving the GFC very real this country. I believe that the younger people that have benefited from that program have a chance at a life that they would otherwise not have had. Coming to this as a young person who left school at the age of 16 and was given my chance in the building industry—although not quite lucky enough to land an apprenticeship, I did work as a labourer for some years—I know that gave me my whole life. It gave me the opportunities I subsequently experienced, and I understand the importance of Apprenticeship Kickstart in difficult economic times. I would like to take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge Senator Arbib for his vision, foresight and effort in putting that into place.

I would also like to acknowledge his work in the sports portfolio. I am also very passionate about sport, and there is nothing more gratifying than being part of a government with a sports minister who is doing a fantastic job and, most importantly—and I heard these words again today—understands that sport is far more than the sum of its parts. It is an area of social policy and is often the glue in communities where none other exists. It is often the link between generations of families and across extended families. It is one thing that can bind us. If you have a look at how people choose to spend their personal time and associate themselves with their given team, it is more often than not what gives them a sense of identity, again perhaps when nothing else does.

I also acknowledge the role that sport plays in my portfolio of multicultural affairs by providing a platform for people newly arrived in Australia, be they migrants, humanitarian entrants or refugees. Sport is often the place where they make their first friend. They make friends for life, and sport becomes the platform for developing a sense of self and a sense of belonging in their new home of Australia. All of these things are important. Senator Arbib is right in that they are worthy of recognition beyond that which people traditionally associate with the sports portfolio. Again, I take this opportunity to commend Senator Arbib for his devotion to the good public policy of sports and recreation in Australia.

I would like to say a few personal things as well. Senator Arbib plays a mean game of chess. Three hours and eight minutes is an extraordinary time for running a marathon, and I wish you all the best with your upcoming ironman commitment. It demonstrates that Senator Arbib is a man of many talents, and no small physical talent as well. When he turns his mind to something, he is an exceptional performer. We got to know each other a bit playing soccer, although he has way more talent than I will ever have. It shows the wonderful character and spirit of the federal parliament that sport in itself has become a platform where friendships are made and time is spent together. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for so many colleagues to get together through the parliamentary organisation and informal sports.

Finally, I thank Senator Arbib for his friendship. I have had a wonderful time seeing your contribution. While I knew your reputation before you came here, I only met you on your first day here, when you gave your first speech, which had such an impact on me. Thank you for your friendship. You will be sorely missed. We all have a duty to honour the legacy you have left with the policy achievements you made as a minister across a range of portfolios. I, for one, undertake to do that.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I first came to awareness of Senator Arbib before he entered the Senate. Like most people on this side of the chamber, that awareness came through newspaper references to the then general secretary of the New South Wales ALP as a powerbroker. Those of us who have been in politics for a while know that those described as powerbrokers are seldom as omnipotent as their reputations, desired or not, would have one believe. So-called powerbrokers are often fitted up for deeds not of their doing, and credited with influence and success beyond the reality. So often the truth lies between those two points, and I suspect that Senator Arbib may well have had this experience over his time in the public eye.

As Senator Arbib mentioned, he and I first crossed swords during the 2007 election campaign. We spent most Saturday afternoons in Sky TV studios in different cities. I suspect the only people watching us were those at the respective campaign headquarters, but we had a good time anyway. Subsequently, we spent every Monday morning together on Sky TV for the best part of a year, sparring. Mark was promoted rapidly, and once he became a minister he abandoned me. I felt a little bereft at the time, but I was very pleased that we were reunited when Senator Arbib was appointed manager of government business, brief though that stint has been. I will quote Yes, Minister, and please do not take this the wrong way. In the words of Jim Hacker, in the role of manager of government business, Senator Arbib has been 'a pleasure to deal with'. Do not take that the wrong way, and I hope it continues in the future.

Whether you agree or disagree with the nature and the substance of Senator Arbib's contribution to public life, it cannot be argued that he is and has been anything other than an integral and important figure in this government. For the sake of history, he has a share in both the successes and the failures of this government, but there is no doubt that he has made a significant, a serious and a worthy contribution in sport, in Indigenous affairs and on the issue of homelessness. There is one very positive point for Senator Arbib leaving now, as he does, and that is that he will never serve a day in opposition. There are many positive things about leaving this place, and his timing, and that is certainly one of them.

In this place and in the wider community in general there is often denigration of those who hear the political calling early in their professional lives. I, for one, am someone who does not share that view, possibly for the reason that I have spent 24 years working in full-time professional politics. A political calling early in one's professional life is a noble thing. I might argue that perhaps there are a few too many people on the other side who have heard that calling too early, but it is indeed a noble calling and I acknowledge that. Senator Arbib has pursued what he has thought to be good politics, good policy and good government. We may disagree as to what constitutes good politics, good policy and good government, but I have no doubt that Senator Arbib has always pursued what he thought that to be.

I am someone who firmly believes that those who have served in public life are entitled to make a contribution and earn a living in their post-political lives. We are in a partisan environment and we fight hard. We play hard and we play to win, but once someone leaves this place they are entitled to pursue their own endeavours. I guess the level of attention that they receive beyond these walls is partly a function of whether they continue to engage in the partisan fray. I wish Senator Arbib and his family well. He has served his state, he has served his party and he has served the nation, and that should be recognised.

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is my great pleasure to rise and wish Senator Arbib and his family very well for his and their future. I will resist the temptation to provide commentary on Senator Arbib's analysis of the government's performance on matters of economic and fiscal policy—today is not the occasion for that—except to observe that, listening to his speech to us this afternoon, in which with great passion he advocated across a whole range of policy issues, it is really very hard to understand why it is that he is leaving.

I have always found Senator Arbib to be someone who argued strongly, passionately and with a great sense of humour for the things that he believed in. He has given us two reasons as to why he is leaving and, as somebody who also operates in the broader context of organisational politics, I have to say that if Senator Arbib has to leave to help healing within the Labor Party because of a decision he made which he felt was right at the time for the Labor Party and for the country then that is a very high price to pay.

All of us know, though, that the price that our families pay and the price paid by the people we leave behind when we come to this place is a very high price indeed. Given the extent to which he articulated his care for his family as the reason he found it too hard to stay, we all have a great amount of sympathy for that. Like Senator Arbib I find it very hard, and I am sure that all of us find it very hard on Sunday afternoons to leave our loved ones behind and come here to do what we think is the right thing for our country.

Senator Arbib and I found ourselves on opposite sides in two portfolio areas over the past three years, first in employment participation in the lead-up to the last election and now, for a somewhat shorter period, in the Assistant Treasurer portfolio. While we had some spirited debates on policy matters, particularly in the employment participation portfolio, our interactions were always very courteous, very professional and very friendly. It is true; he is truly a nice guy. When you look at the smiling face of this faceless man it is very hard to imagine that this is the hard man of Labor Party politics. It is very hard to imagine that he rose to be the tough, hard-nosed, most senior factional operator in the toughest Labor faction of them all, the New South Wales Labor Right, but there it is. As Senator Brandis said before, Senator Arbib has had a very distinguished and very senior career both in organisational politics and in our national parliament. It is hard to understand why somebody so young and with so much promise would leave so early, but having made the decision we wish him all the very best for his future. We wish him and his family all the best.

Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the fearsome reputation that Senator Arbib has developed in public, I put my name down on the list to speak because I did not think there would be that many people actually speaking in praise of him. Clearly I was wrong. I wanted to speak because my engagement with Senator Arbib has found him vastly different from what has been represented to the public or in the media. My engagement with him has been with a gentleman. It has been with a man who has had genuine concern for his portfolio and a very clear and deep love for his family. Quite frankly, I have dealt with a man I consider of great integrity, at least from my personal dealings. Your colleagues on the other side may indeed have different views on that, Senator Arbib.

We have a number of things in common, and Mark knows some of them. I am going to share a couple that perhaps he does know about. The first is that what our enemies say about us cannot be relied on to be factual and correct. I know you agree with that. At least, Senator Arbib, I can say that in my case that is exactly the truth.

Going back to that fearsome reputation, I remember when Senator Arbib first started here in the Senate he was in what is now known as my corridor, and it has never been busier. I have never seen quite the procession of ALP luminaries that were left waiting in the corridor for an audience with 'the great man' who could shape their destinies. It was a very peaceful place after you left, Mark, which we were all grateful for.

Senator Cormann touched on the fact that Senator Arbib has been characterised as a faceless man. I know he tried to label me with that tag yesterday.

Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know you withdrew. It would have only enhanced my reputation had you not withdrawn, Senator Arbib. Despite your very brief television acting career, which is something that we do have in common—and I will tell you about that privately afterwards—I would merely say that we probably both have a face for radio, and leave it at that.

Mark, your time here has been all too brief, and I say that genuinely because you are one of the people who has made an impact in this place. You have been very effective within your party in shaping how your party has developed, for good and for bad. You have also been very effective in your portfolios and you have taken them really seriously. In our conversations we have talked about a number of things, but we both have a passion for sport and I know the sporting bodies right around the country, both elite and grassroots sport, really appreciated you being their sports minister because they told me so. They said, 'Mark Arbib's not a bad fellow.' That is what I said, actually—that was as good as it got! No, they said you are a good sports minister. You have been a good sports minister, and sport appreciated it, so if you follow that path later on I know you will do a great job.

I will miss the engagement in question time—not that I interject in question time, of course, Mr President! It was always an effort to try and find a chink in that armour to get under your skin, Mark. Maybe once or twice I managed to do it, but you shrugged it off with good grace. You always laughed and you always had a smile. That was the best thing about it: you took your business here really seriously but you never took yourself too seriously, from our perspective. I admire that and I really appreciate it.

I wish you all the best, whatever you do. I hope you get to spend a lot more time with your family. I hope they are happy to have you home. Maybe you will want to make a comeback here—after four years or so they might want you to make a comeback, Mark, you never know! Honestly, I wish you every success. I thank you for your contribution to the parliament. We have had lots of arguments over many things but we share many things in common as well, and a commitment to the betterment of Australia. Good luck!

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is with pleasure I rise to say a few words about Senator Arbib. We come from the class of 2008. I remember the first time that Mark came up to speak to me and he said, 'Johnno Johnson sends his regards.' Johnno Johnson is one of those old Labor stalwarts and a very decent man.

There are just a few things I would like to say about Mark. When I got onto a Senate inquiry on a health issue I was amazed to find that the average lifespan of a man at Wilcannia was just 33 years. I thought: where else in the world would you find men with an average life span of 33 years? Would it be worse in Ethiopia? I do not think you could find a country in the world where it would be worse. I spoke to Senator Arbib and said, 'Can we do something about this?' He did not hesitate to hop in a plane and go out to Wilcannia and try to address the issues there. Wilcannia has picked up and is very proud that last year it was second in the Tidy Towns awards for small towns. That says pride is returning there. There is a lot of work still to do, but Mark did not hesitate.

Can I wish your staff well. I hope they are retained for employment, and those that are not I hope get employed soon. Bryce Wilson has been very good to me—except on one day. We went to the cricket practice nets on a Saturday and he bowled like a champion. Next day we were playing against the press and he shot them all over the place like a machine-gun and I was wicket keeping. I couldn't walk for three days after that! I thought: you're a good man, Bryce, but you're a bit inconsistent; if you'd joined the National Party down at Wagga Wagga you could have been more consistent. Senator Arbib, your staff are very good and you can be very proud of them.

I note, Senator Arbib, you just joined the riders on the hill. You got all the equipment handed over to you and now you are doing a bolt! My chief of staff, Greg, just brought that to my attention. I was shocked when I heard of your resignation on Monday. I thought: this can't be right. Senator Fierravanti-Wells was making a speech in the chamber and Senator Brandis walked in with a bit of paper and said, 'Senator Arbib has resigned from the Senate.' I thought: why—he's younger than us old ones here? But when people say to me, 'What's it like being a senator?' I say, 'I'm very glad my children have grown up, because if you have young children you rarely see them.' So I understand. But, Mark, what can I say? You are going too quick. You should have hung around for a while. I think you are taking one for the team. We wish you well. To Kelli, Alexandra and Charlotte: all the best.

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I made my valedictory contribution yesterday—I got in early, Senator Arbib. I note your indication, Minister, that you are not going back to Summer Bay, but as a memento I am going to give you a copy of this photograph of you in Home and Away. I am really pleased that you will forevermore be remembered as Freddie Hudson!

On a more serious note, I recognise that at times, Senator, our exchanges have been tense. But, as someone who understands factional politics, I have always respected your role as a factional warrior of the New South Wales Right. Delivering hard messages does not always win you friends—I understand that well. When all else fails and you have to deliver the difficult messages, you always lose some political skin. You have certainly done that over the years, Mark.

In your press conference the other evening you made some comments about factions. I agree with you that factions are an effective management tool: they keep order and make organisational matters easier. They are a fact of life in so many areas—in community life, on boards, and in all sorts of other areas. Regrettably, when they are referred to in political life, they take on a different dimension, but for your opinion about factions I cannot fault your reasoning; I agree with you.

Coming as I do from New South Wales, I understand that you have sought to do what you have done professionally, believing that what you were doing was in the best interests of your tribe, the New South Wales Right. As your mentor Richo said, 'The real enemy is the Left, and every so often we take time to fight the conservatives.' I am sure that you and I can share in the sentiment behind that remark.

I wish you well. No doubt we shall see you in the next phase of your life, whatever it may be.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I too rise to pay tribute to Senator Arbib. Senator Arbib, I will be a little bit cheeky and say to you: you always remember your first. The reason I say that is I, like you, am one of the class of 2008, and tonight is a significant night for our class: you are the first of our class to depart the Australian Senate. Based on the statements that you have made, however, you are departing on your own terms and in your own time. I think we all know as senators that that is the greatest gift that a politician can give himself or herself, and for that I congratulate you.

Mark, throughout your time in the Senate you have worked diligently and with great distinction. I listened carefully tonight to your valedictory speech, in the course of which you referred to your maiden speech and to the issues that you raised then. There is no doubt about the fact that, in the 3½ years in which you have been in this place, you have pursued the issues which you yourself put on the agenda when you first stood in this place and you have pursued them with passion. For that I give you great credit.

I echo the statements of Senator Brandis and so many on this side that you were a tough opponent; you were not afraid to play hard or to put some blood on the floor. Quite frankly I would expect nothing less from a good opponent in politics. You were without a doubt a worthy opponent. Your reputation—and you do have this reputation—is as a hard man of politics, and I think that deep down we all envy you for that reputation. You were however in all of my dealings with you an absolute gentleman.

Above all what I like about you is that you understand numbers. You understand the currency of politics, and for that you have my utmost respect. Whilst your retirement will be a gain to your wife and to your children, it will be a loss to both sides in this place and in particular to the Labor Party, because you would have made a very, very good cabinet minister. As the first of 2008 to leave this place, please go with my very best wishes.

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I associate myself with all those positive comments, in particular those on two issues of great importance: homelessness and sport. It is not about how long you are in this place; it is about whether you leave your footprint, and Mark has done that.

I now ask leave to incorporate a speech on behalf of Senator Feeney.

Leave granted.

The speech read as follows—

Like all Senators on this side of the Chamber, I was surprised and saddened to learn of Senator Mark Arbib's decision to resign as a minister and to leave the Senate. Many people here to talk about putting their families first, but when the crunch comes they actually put their careers and their ambition first. Senator Arbib has decided that being a husband and father is more important than being a politician, and he deserves our respect for that choice.

Senator Arbib and I came into the Senate together in July 2008. It's hard to believe that was less than four years ago. In that time he has had a meteoric career: a parliamentary secretary in February 2009, a minister in June 2009, Assistant Treasurer last December. He is obviously a man of great ability, great energy, great commitment and great passion.

In a very short period of time, Senator Arbib has made a powerful impact on Australian politics, particularly in the policy areas he feels strongly about, such as employment, social inclusion, youth affairs and Indigenous affairs. As Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development and as Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness, he showed himself to be a politician who really cares about the people who send us—and by us I mean Senators on this side of the chamber—to Parliament: the working families of Australia.

But although Senator Arbib was only 37 when he was elected to the Senate, he had already had a substantial political career, and it's that career that I want to say something about. He was President of NSW Young Labor in 1995, when he was 24. He became a State Organiser in 1996, Assistant General Secretary in 1999 and General Secretary of the NSW ALP in 2004. He was also a member of the ALP National Executive from 2004.

In those days he was what is generally known as a "machine man". This is a species to which I myself, as a former state secretary and campaign director, also belong, and I'm proud to do so. No political party can win elections without capable organisers, state secretaries or campaign directors. That's as true for the parties opposite as it is for my party. Our former colleague Senator Nick Minchin, for example, a highly respected former state and federal director of the Liberal Party, is a political professional to his fingertips, and so is Senator Arbib.

We've seen and heard a lot of commentary about the faceless men in recent weeks, and Senator Arbib and I have figured prominently in this coverage. In relation to Senator Arbib, at any rate, much of this commentary has been singularly ill-informed. Far from being faceless, he has been one of the most prominent people in Australian politics since 2007. He has always understood that the point of party organisation is to win elections, and the point of winning elections is to put in place good Labor policy. It was thanks to the work of Senator Arbib and many others like him that Labor won government in 2007 and retained it in 2010. That's why it was so fitting that Senator Arbib as a minister was able to put in place some of the policy goals he cares so strongly about.

I greatly regret that Senator Arbib has decided to leave politics. He's been a good friend and a good colleague, and a great contributor to the work of this government. His departure is a loss to the Labor Party, to the government and to the Senate. But I don't believe for a minute that Senator Arbib's talents will be lost to Australian public life for long. At 40, he has many years of active life ahead of him to make further contributions to his country. Whatever field he chooses to devote his great abilities to, I'm sure he will excel. I wish him and Kelli and their family all the best for the future.

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

It befalls me to wrap up this series of speeches. I think it has been very impressive indeed. I do not intend to canvass all the issues, Mark; you and I have known each other for a long time. I am very proud of what you have done in putting your family first. It is such a difficult decision to take, and it is not really understood how your children and your wife miss your company and your input to their lives. I admire you for what you have done, I admire what you have done in politics, I associate myself with all the other comments and I wish you all the best in the future.