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

Order! Before I call Senator Dastyari, I remind honourable senators that this is his first speech; therefore, I ask that the usual courtesies be extended to him.

Sam Dastyari (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With humility and sincerity, I offer my respects to the traditional owners of this land, the first people who made their homes here and raised their families here, long before others discovered what a wonderful country this is. I acknowledge and honour their journey as custodians of the oldest surviving culture on earth.

Nobody can make the journey to this chamber alone. I am here because of the unfailing support of my family, my friends, my party and our movement. To family, who travelled across the world to come to this great nation; to the members of the Australian Labor Party; and to the people of my home state of New South Wales, I say thank you. Thank you also to the very many people who have travelled from afar to join us in the chamber today. I also pay my respects to my elders in this parliament, both the wonderful public servants and the elected representatives. Some of you are my team mates; some of you will be my sparring partners; but we are all here to serve the same great nation, and I thank all of you for the warm welcome I have received.

I arrived in Australia from Iran the year the Senate first met in this building. My parents, Naser and Ella, packed our suitcases in the middle of the freezing Iranian winter and left our tight-knit family, to bring my sister and me to Australia. They shared the dreams of opportunity that every parent has, but, more than that, they recognised that only by coming to this great country could they be certain that their children would grow up facing choices, rather than barriers. They were driven to their brave decision by an overwhelming commitment to their children. In so many ways, I owe this day to them.

My parents met as young student activists, studying civil engineering. But they never completed university in Iran. They were expelled from university for joining the Iranian revolution, along with many of their friends, some of whom were imprisoned, tortured and even killed. For most of us it is difficult to imagine living with such fear and uncertainty. For my parents, it was a daily ordeal. The Shah of Iran fell in 1979. But when Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile, my parents found themselves confronted by an equally repressive regime. A secular political tyranny had been replaced by a religious one. My Uncle Kamal and Aunt Nina, who are in the gallery today, fled across the border into Turkey, beginning a perilous journey that would eventually bring them to Australia. Fighting erupted along the border with Iraq in 1980, and three years later I was born into a country at war.

I was born in Sari, a small town in northern Iran, near the Caspian Sea. Funnily enough, my memories of childhood are all peaceful ones, of playing soccer, or football as we called it, in the street with the neighbourhood children, much in the same way as I would have been playing cricket had I been born in Australia. But what I did not know as a child was that my parents were consumed by fear of what the future would hold. I can only imagine their relief when, after years of anxiety, they learnt that they had been granted visas to migrate to Australia. I remember, as a five-year-old, boarding the train to Tehran from our small town in January 1988 and turning to my nine-year-old sister and asking if she thought we were still going to be back to see my grandparents on weekends. 'I mean, how far could Sydney really be?' It took us two days of continuous travel to reach Sydney. But the physical distance was nothing compared to the culture shock we were about to experience.

Just as it is today, Australia in the 1980s was a place of hope and tremendous opportunities, an island of peace and prosperity and a far cry from the war that had consumed our lives in Iran. Our plane landed in Sydney a fortnight before Australia's bicentenary celebrations. My father often reminds me of those first few days in the hot summer of 1988, when Australia was consumed by a nationwide bicentenary party. While the years ahead would involve a great deal of hard work, angst and sacrifice, my parents were celebrating too, for they had made it to a safe and just place and could focus on raising their family. Addressing the nation on that Australia Day, Bob Hawke, as the then Prime Minister, could have been speaking directly to this five-year-old boy when he said:

In Australia, there is no hierarchy of descent; there must be no privilege of origin. The commitment is all.

Like all of you in this chamber, I have made my commitment very clear. Like all of you, my commitment is to Australia's future. I cannot think of anywhere else I would rather live. I cannot thank my family enough for their struggle to make it happen. They sacrificed their dreams, their aspirations and their careers so that my sister and I could have the life that we have been able to lead. My sister, Azadeh, is the star of the family. I could not be more proud of her—a Fulbright scholar, an accomplished lawyer and a respected academic, but, perhaps more importantly to me, a big sister who has always looked out for and believed in me. While Mum and Dad surely never imagined that I would have the great privilege of standing before you here today, the fact that it is possible is a testament to why they, and so many others, took that leap into the unknown. In words that every parent longs to hear: Mum and Dad, you were right all along.

I started my schooling in Blacktown in Western Sydney without being able to speak a word of English. Blacktown is the heart of Sydney's migrant hub, so I certainly was not the only immigrant in the class. My first best friend was a young Greek boy who unfortunately could not speak a word of Farsi. I could not speak a word of Greek. Nobody could speak any English. Yet they were some of the best conversations I ever had, until I came to this chamber: two kids from the other side of the world united in Blacktown by the aspirations of their parents.

While I was enjoying a fantastic public education, my parents worked tirelessly. Dad drove a taxi, and the entire family worked in a small cake shop. You know, there is no better way to learn about hard work and commitment than to work in a small family business. I would go there every day after school and work alongside my parents, my aunties and my uncle. They are here today, and I am sure they will happily recall that I was consistently fired on a weekly basis from a business that we all ran together, but I was nonetheless still expected to show up to work the next day—perhaps, just perhaps, igniting an early passion for workers' rights and the trade union movement.

I know I am extremely fortunate not just to be standing here today, but to be in Australia at all. It is not a story that is unique to me. There are thousands of Australians who have taken a journey similar to mine. None of us in this chamber should ever forget that whatever our political differences, whatever the issues of the day, we are lucky to live in this great nation—a place that prides itself on pursuing opportunity and equality.

My own personal story has had a profound impact on my views and my aspirations for Australian society. I cannot help but feel for those who have not been so lucky. So let me put it plainly: I believe John Howard's calculated response to the Tampa affair appealed to the worst in us. It may have helped win an election but it hardened my resolve as a then 18-year-old living the Australian dream in Sydney's north-west.

Twelve years on and I believe we have not made nearly enough progress. The rhetoric of our national discussion about the so-called boat people still lacks a real sense of compassion. That is why I believe it is time for us to have a real conversation in this country about asylum seekers—a conversation that is not about the number of boats but about the names, the faces and the stories of the people they bring. A conversation that is not just about how we stop the boats but about what we can do to improve the situation of those so desperate that they would consider getting on those boats in the first place.

It is far too easy for us as politicians to exploit our community's natural fears of difference and change. I honestly believe we can do better than that. As politicians, we are privileged to be the voice of those who cannot always speak for themselves and we have a duty to do not just what is easy or popular but what is right—right for the weakest in our community, right for the hardest working and right for the long-term future of Australia. A better conversation about asylum seekers does not mean sacrificing our values or silencing honest criticism, but for the benefit of those who live here today and those who will live here tomorrow we need to take the politics out of this debate. That is what we need to do—stop the politics.

The Labor Party is not the reason people risk their lives to come to Australia. The coalition parties are not the reason people wait 20 years in refugee camps to come here. The reason is the hope of a better future this country has to offer for persecuted people and their children. The fact is this is an incredible country and a beacon to people everywhere. Surely we can not only understand that but in fact feel a sense of pride that people see us here in Australia as a place of hope.

Immigration is not just about providing a home for people fleeing persecution and violence, though that is the progressive and enlightened thing to do. It is not just about enjoying cultural differences from all over the world, although every Australian has those benefits too. It is a question of national prosperity and it involves both Australia's humanitarian intake and our general migrant intake. Friends, we should be honest: the journey has not always been easy. The passage has not always been smooth. Mistakes have been made along the way. There has been grandstanding by politicians and attempts to divide Australia, and it has been going on for over 100 years. My own party's history of support for the White Australia policy, right up to the 1960s, is part of that story.

But through all this we created a nation renowned for its safety, security and lifestyle. We should be proud that people want to live here and that our reputation across the globe is so strong. I challenge anyone in this chamber: come out to Granville, to Auburn, to Sydney's south-west and western suburbs. Visit our communities and deny that these new Australians are contributing to our economy and our culture. Overall, immigration adds to our national wealth. Immigration is nation-building. Immigration makes us strong. The people who come here will drive Australia's economic prosperity for years to come, and immigration is one of the great signs of optimism, of activism and of faith in the future of human history.

Friends, let me be clear: I unequivocally believe in a big Australia. My immigrant family put its faith and hope in a new land where they could give their children a new life. They were right to do so. Our immigrant nation puts its hope and faith in new people we know will make us stronger and fairer for decades to come. We are right to do so now. Our conversation about immigration should start from the same optimism, the same activism and the same faith in the future which has been the key to our success as a nation for over 200 years. But it does not, and I believe it is no coincidence that a country whose national conversation about immigration is so poor is also one where we are far too willing to predict hard times and focus on the negative.

Australia seems to be going through a period where we want to be down on ourselves. Our politics have become cynical and negative. Our media is too focused on our weaknesses rather than our strengths. There is no doubt in my mind that we can achieve far more as a nation by working together that we can against each other. Whenever possible, we must focus on the things that we have in common. We must stop letting the issues that divide us dominate our political landscape. It is not our role as politicians to focus on winning elections through cynical and negative politics. It is our role to be optimistic about Australia's future and to remind people what a great nation this is.

This is not to say that we do not face challenges, but I believe that there are no challenges too large for this nation to overcome. This is a country full of good people with a broad range of views. With bold leadership we can find compromise and consensus for the good of the nation. That is the best way forward. There is no reason that we cannot have the best hospitals, the best schools and the best economy in the world. There is no reason that Australian scientists cannot be at the forefront of the next big medical breakthroughs or that our entrepreneurs cannot be inventing the next big thing. But to achieve this we have to work together—the business community working hand in hand with the trade union movement, the wealthy and the privileged working hand in hand with those who are down on their luck, families who have lived here for generations working hand in hand with those who have just arrived here and, yes, from time to time, the Labor Party even working hand in hand with the coalition parties.

Australia is a great country. Indeed, this is the lucky country—not in the somewhat sarcastic sense that Donald Horne intended, but in the sincere sense in which Australians took up that phrase and made it our own. This is a great place to live and a great place to work. We are a nation of tremendous skills and natural resources. Friends, we are a nation whose best years are still ahead of us.

We are also a nation that has been very well served by the movement in politics that I represent. I joined the party that shared my optimism and my values. With inspiring national leaders like Whitlam, Hawke, Keating, Rudd and Gillard, it is little wonder that I was drawn to the Australian Labor Party. From a young age I was given an opportunity to get involved and be part of this movement. I am really proud to have played a role in reforming and revitalising the New South Wales branch of the Labor Party, the oldest branch of Australian Labor.

I will be forever grateful for the friendship and support of Jamie Clements, Michael Lee and Chris Minns during my time at the party office. Jamie, you are an extraordinary leader and you will take the New South Wales branch from strength to strength. I am so proud to have you as a close mate. Thank you to the amazing Kaila Murnain, who has become the first woman elected assistant secretary, the tenacious Courtney Roche and the ever-diligent Brendan Cavanagh. I could not have asked for a better team. I also want to thank John Graham for his enduring support. John, I have no doubt that the news that you were always prepared to cut a deal with me will do wonders for your own career!

There is another group of Labor people I want to thank. The eight-hour day which is now a standard for many workers throughout the world began in Sydney. This milestone was won by a group of stonemasons. These 19th century campaigners asked for eight hours of work, eight hours of recreation and eight hours of rest. This movement continues to seek improvements to our workplace safety conditions, hours of work and wages that benefit all of us in ways many of us rarely take pause to consider.

I have been fortunate to have had the invaluable friendship and guidance of many remarkable people. In particular I want to thank Mark Lennon, Gerard Dwyer, Barbara Nebart, Wayne Forno, Tony Sheldon—who is here with us today—Derrek Belan, Jim Metcher, Tara Moriarty, Mark Boyd, Graeme Kelly, Steve Butler, Tim Ayres, Jo-Anne Davidson and Alex Classens. Together we have not only reformed and rebuilt New South Wales Labor, but—let's face it—together we have we also kept half the Chinese restaurants in Sydney functioning!

I do not think it will come as a surprise to many that I married into a family as passionate about politics as I am. To my beautiful wife Helen, an independent woman who is both smarter and funnier than I am: you are an amazing mother to our two daughters, Hannah and Eloise, and the perfect partner in all that I do. I am truly thankful to share my life with someone as brilliant and supportive as you. Convincing you to marry me is the best campaign I have ever run. Helen's family has also become my own. Pat has welcomed me with open arms. Peter Barron, you are my father-in-law, my mentor and my friend. I cannot find the words to thank you, in no small part because you are the man I would usually turn to for a meaningful but witty one-liner.

In politics you are surrounded by friends when things are going well, but inevitably there are difficult days in this business, and I am lucky to have friends who support me in both the good times and the bad. My friend for life Sam Crosby and his amazing wife, Rose, have always been beside me and supported me from one crazy adventure to the next. To Josh McIntosh and his partner, Kate—Josh and I lived together for four years and I actually once calculated that I still owe him at least one year of rent—all I can say is, 'Unfortunately, once again, mate, the cheque is in the mail.' Sally Deans and Bob Nanva, you both have the amazing ability of being in politics but also being universally liked. Please, please, teach many of the people in this chamber how.

To Helen's many friends, in particular Chloe Bennett: you have become my friends too. Thank you for being there for Helen, especially for the long periods I have been away in the last job and in this one. To Prue Car, Damian Kassabgi, Paul Howes, Jim Chalmers, Walt Secord, Ernest Wong, George Wright, Anthony Chisholm, Daniel Mookhey, Gerard Gilchrist and Elizabeth Scully, who have shared my political journey with me, I will be forever indebted. I would not be here without your support.

I spoke earlier of my parents' belief in opportunity. It is also a belief that they have instilled in me. It is a part of my family story, and it will no doubt be part of my parliamentary story too. I am fully aware of the privilege I have been granted to stand here and will work hard every day to deliver better opportunities for all Australians. After all, that is the least that the people of this great country—the country of the 'fair go'—deserve from their politicians.

When I look back to my first few days in Australia, I recall a charismatic leader with his amazing silver hair and distinctive high-pitched voice speaking calmly and passionately about Australian ideals and our future. At the heart of Bob Hawke's speech was the idea of a modern, diverse nation, proud of its heritage and facing the future with confidence.

Friends, never forget where you came from. You will always be shaped by your story. No matter what I am able to achieve and contribute, no matter where my story goes from here, there will always be a part of me that remains a wide-eyed five-year-old boy excited to have arrived in the greatest country on earth. Thank you.

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

Order! Pursuant to order, I call Senator Tillem to make his first speech. I ask honourable senators that the usual courtesies be extended to him.

Mehmet Tillem (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. As I was making my way to the chamber last week—the bells were ringing, the lights were flashing and my pager was going off—I was asked by Senators Sterle and Gallacher why I always smile. I smile because it gives me great joy to be in this place representing the great state of Victoria. It is an honour and a privilege.

Representing Victoria is truly one of the highest honours I could aspire to. I love Victoria. I would like to take a moment to tell senators some of things I love about it. I love the smell of coffee as I walk through the Melbourne laneways in the morning and the pulse of excitement as the fans walk down Yarra Park to the MCG to watch my beloved Tigers play the greatest game in the world, AFL. I love driving down the many avenues of honour, with Bacchus Marsh being a particular favourite; the hustle and bustle of the Queen Victoria Market on a Saturday morning; the golden beaches stretching along the south coast, and the Great Ocean Road; and a pasta dish on Lygon St, fish and chips in Lorne or a noodle soup in Victoria Street.

But what really makes Victoria great are Victorians. When the crowd chants, 'We love you 'cause you’re a Victorian!' at the Boxing Day test match, I know what they mean.

I am here replacing Senator David Feeney, whom I congratulate for his six years of service in this place. Senator Feeney resigned to run for the seat of Batman, which he won. I congratulate him on that victory and on his election to the opposition front bench. I wish him well for the future.

The decisions we take in this place have a profound effect on the lives of our fellow Australians. One of the main reasons I am here is a government policy. The policy I refer to was that of the Fraser government. In 1976, the Liberal Party 'acted humanely' on asylum seekers and illegal immigrants; that was a quote from the then Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, the Hon. Michael MacKellar. It was that humane act of a Liberal government that allowed an illegal immigrant at the time to become a citizen and to bring his wife and child to make a life, a better life, for his family. That illegal immigrant is my father, Ramazan Tillem.

My father left the home which he built as a young man. The house was made of rocks carried from the banks of a nearby riverbed. The mortar was straw and mud. The walls were whitewashed with lime scraped from caves in the nearby mountains. He left his wife and newborn son in search of a better life. He found that life in Australia. His story is the same as many thousands that have made Australia home. He told me recently that one of the first words he learnt when he came to this country was 'job'. He came here for a job and that is what he found. He walked up onto the factory floor and said, 'Job,' and he got one. My, what different times they were! He began at Toyota and then did a short stint at Dunlop. Ford was looking for hardworking men, so he helped them out for a little bit. But he finally found his home at Holden, where he worked for most of his life.

On this journey with my dad was Fatma, my mum. Having arrived in an unfamiliar place and speaking not a word of English she too sought out work. She worked on an assembly line at a biscuit factory; she made shoes at a small factory in Collingwood; she made electronic components at a company called Wilco; she sewed clothes for the ADF; and finally did some outwork from home.

The term 'sweat equity' was coined for my parents and thousands of parents like them. Their hard work meant that we could move out of high-rise public housing, on the 16th floor in Richmond. Borrowing $36,000 in 1981, and earning $170 a week, they bought what was to be our family home in Glenroy, where my brother, my sister and I grew up. Having left their families in search of a better life, they found that better life in Australia, where they could provide for their new family, where their kids could get an education and where recently, when they needed to, they could get health care in their advancing years. And now I get to thank them as a senator in the Australian parliament: thank you mum and dad.

There have been many influences in my life that have led me here. We are all products of our cultures, our families, our friends, the people we come across, the struggles we have, the battles we fight, our successes and our failures. Every person adds a little bit to who we become. I firstly acknowledge my wife, whose greatest gift to me is the little man who is sitting next to her. She is a wonderful mother to our son and words of thanks can never be enough. My little sister, Derya, is also here, and her greatest contribution to my career has been to tell me to get a real job. My brother, Zafer, and my sister-in-law Tillem cannot be here today, because they are now the proud parents of their first child, my niece, Aylin Tillem, who came into this world on Sunday. I congratulate them and wish them all the best.

The Senate knows, I am sure, that I am the first person of Turkish origin and the second Muslim to serve in this parliament. In 1967 Australia signed an immigration treaty with Turkey, and today there are about 150,000 people of Turkish descent in Australia. Turkish Australians are very grateful for the opportunities this country has given them, for the freedom and the prosperity they have found here. Overwhelmingly, they have taken up Australian citizenship.

I am a proud product of the Victorian state education system. I went to Glenroy Primary School, University High School and RMIT. This upbringing, with a public school education and a hardworking family, instilled in me values that stay with me and will continue to do so—and one of them is the importance of community. I believe in strong community life. Although the world is growing ever smaller, many people are increasingly isolated from their communities. I hope in this place we can do something to change that.

In the Australian Turkish community, I was raised to believe in kindness, in charity and in faith. My faith, which I inherited from my parents, has guided me throughout my life. But I have learnt throughout my whole life that religious discrimination is not an answer; it is the problem. If I disagree with anyone in this chamber and in this place, it will be because of your political views and your poor argument.

Turkey and Australia have a longstanding relationship that was forged across battlelines. We stand as two nations that have grown from a beginning as enemies, when lots of lives were lost. In 1915 the Anzacs landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula, or Gelibolu Yarımadası, as the Turks call it. For eight months, Australians and Turks fought each other. There was grave loss of life, but from that loss came a bond and a friendship that has endured for 100 years. Every year thousands of Australians—and young Australians—venture to Gallipoli to see the places where their great-grandfathers fought, and the Turkish government welcomes them with open arms. They see the mass graves where more than 60,000 Turkish soldiers died and are buried, and the places where more than 8,700 Australians are buried. They also see the words of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who was the front-line commander at the time of Gallipoli. I am sure you have heard these words, but I will repeat them:

… you, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries, wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

Today Turkey is a nation of 75 million people, and an increasingly prosperous and important regional power, forming as it does a bridge between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The bond of shared sacrifice on the shores of Gallipoli is a valuable one, and honourable Senators Ronaldson and Farrell will have an important role to play in fostering a stronger diplomatic and economic relationship leading up to the 100th anniversary of the Anzacs. Australian exports to Turkey in 2011 were worth well over $600 million. We run a healthy trade surplus with Turkey, but investment and trade could be a lot more.

When I was sworn in a little while ago, I was struck by the fact that none of the four senators sworn in that day was from a traditional Anglo-Australian background. I was born in Turkey, Senator Seselja is the son of Croatian immigrants, Senator Peris is the first Indigenous woman to become a member of this parliament, and the junior senator on my left, Senator Dastyari, was born in Iran. We join a Senate which is increasingly multicultural—that is, a Senate which reflects a vibrant Australia. On this side, we have Senator Wong, who was born in Malaysia, while Senator Singh is of Fijian-Indian background. On the other side, Senator Abetz is German, and Senator Cormann is from Belgium. Senator Fierravanti-Wells is of Italian background, and Senator Sinodinos, a neighbour of mine, is from Greece. We have Senators Di Natale and Xenophon continuing the Mediterranean theme, and even Senator Bernardi has his origins in other parts. Yet we are all Australians, sharing common Australian values, sharing common civic responsibilities and all working for the benefit of our common homeland. That is one of the things that gives me faith in the future of this country.

I strongly believe that the best is yet to come for Australia, but if we are to achieve that we need a government that will be committed to the values that have brought us this far. I hope the current government is committed to those values, but they will be judged by their actions.

I joined the Labor Party 20 years ago, inspired by the leadership of Hawke and Keating. My values are Labor values: fairness, equality, solidarity, and an economy and a parliament that serve the people.

Victoria is Australia's manufacturing heartland. I will be an advocate in this Senate for Victorian jobs and—my speech was going to say we would be negligent if we let companies like Holden fall; so I guess we are negligent. Many thousands of people would be affected by the failure and collapse of manufacturing, and my home state of Victoria would be affected, I think, worst of all.

We have a shared a common responsibility to look after the citizens of this country and we cannot do that selectively. A job gives every Australian immense self-worth and dignity. I will fight for the rights of all Australians: to be able to work, to give our kids the opportunity for an education just like I got, to get health care and to look after those that need our help. These are Labor values and, I believe, the values of most Australians.

That is why I was proud to stand as a candidate in September for a party which had saved Australia from recession during the global financial crisis, which had built new school buildings across the country, which was rolling out the National Broadband Network, which had legislated for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and which was tackling climate change. But as a party we need to do some questioning about what went wrong, what happened. Despite the great legislative record we can point to, we lost that election.

I believe Labor has made a great start in regaining the confidence of the electorate. Opening up the election of our new federal parliamentary leader to the rank-and-file members of the party was a great innovation, and party members were lucky that we had two excellent candidates from which to choose. But we need to do a lot more to reform our party, to make it once again what it always should be: the natural voice for the great majority of Australians who want moderate, sensible, stable and progressive government; a government which works for the benefit of lower- and middle-income families; a government which plays an active role in the economy and in building national infrastructure; and a government which enhances the rights and freedoms of Australians.

I am a product of the rank and file of the ALP—from the grassroots, from the membership. I am proud of the role that I have played in the institution. The time for real reform within the ALP is overdue. We made great strides in electing our leader with real input from the ALP membership, and now it is time for state branches to do the same. Since the election, ALP membership across Australia has surged. If we are to retain those members and attract more, we have to give our members a real say in the way the party is run and the way it chooses its candidates. We need to rethink our relationship with stakeholders. I congratulate groups like Local Labor and Open Labor on the work they have done on this front. We have too often taken away the rights of members, and the membership are demanding we give it back to them. I will be a champion of this cause. I will make the argument at branch meetings. I will make the argument at our conferences. I will make the argument in every forum that I can.

There are many policy issues that I would like to talk about, but in the time available to me today I will limit them to two. The first is an important one, housing affordability, and where I come from, in Melbourne's north, it is a real problem. It is the dream of most Australians not to buy a house but to buy a home. The reality of homeownership in this country is that it is increasingly out of reach for most people. There are many reasons for that, but one important reason is negative gearing. The tax system currently provides incentives for investors to buy up residential properties and use them to reduce their tax bill. Not only does this divert investment from more productive purposes; it also drives up the price of housing, making it much more difficult for young families to buy their own homes. Negative gearing creates a transfer of wealth from low-income renters and homebuyers to high-income investors. This is not the way to encourage homeownership for low- and middle-income families, an objective which I believe is shared by both sides of the chamber. I believe it is time to once again have a debate about the effect of negative gearing on housing affordability in our cities.

The second issue I want to touch briefly on is organ donation. Despite the best efforts of successive governments in this country, Australia still has one of the lowest rates of organ donation in the developed world. For a country that leads in lots of areas, we are lagging behind in this one. We are lagging behind countries like Spain, Croatia and Belgium, and it is because of the system we have. Organ donation, what we can do after we have passed away, is something that we can hang our hats on as a legacy to those that come after us. We have an opt-in system, which means that a person must agree in advance that, in the event of their death, their organs can be used for transplantation. In other countries where they have an opt-out system, under which a deceased person's organs may be used unless they have previously refused permission, they are getting great results and huge numbers. We need to look at what we can do in this country to move to such a system. We could save many lives, young and old. There was recently the story of the young girl in Queensland who helped save a life, and she is a shining light to all of us, one we should follow. I will be using my time in the Senate to advocate for an opt-out system in Australia.

Before I finish, there are some people I want to thank for their efforts in making it possible for me to be here today. I will begin with a couple of Stephens. There is Senator Conroy, whom I know I will be friends with for a very long time, because I know too much. And there is my longest friend in politics, Stephen Newnham, who when we first met provided me with direction and support. From the other place there is Richard Marles, who provides me some balance and a positive view on things when I think the glass is half empty. There are my state parliamentary colleagues John Hamdi Eren, who has always been there when I needed support, and Telmo Languiller—'Hold your nerve,' he told me, and I did. Thanks, Telmo.

I would like to make special mention of Wayne Mader, the secretary of the Victorian branch of the Transport Workers Union, without whose support I would not be here. A more genuine person I will not meet. I am also grateful for the support I received from Tim Kennedy, Michael Donovan, Kevin Bracken and Joan Doyle during my preselection. My thanks to Noah Carroll, the State Secretary of the Victorian branch of the ALP, and a friend, for the great work he is doing in Victoria. My thanks to Cesar Piperno, who has always been there in support of our work on a local level, and to Steve Le for his insights into the world of sport.

My heartfelt thanks and gratitude go to Ella George and Samuel Thomas Ray for their hard work over the years and for putting up with me. And I am grateful for the local support I receive from councillors Oscar Yildiz and Michael Teti, and for the steady hand of Ali Ouaida and the whole Ouaida family locally.

I would like to make special mention of the Turkish community, where I come from, and in particular the Denizli community, which is the homeland of my parents, and their president, Mr Sadik Sozer, who cannot be here with us today because last week we lost a much-loved member of our community in a tragic and brutal act of violence. My thoughts are with the family of Mr Omer Ali Aysel.

Before I forget, I will thank my staff, who I know I have been riding pretty hard recently: Hashem, Alfred, Ritvan, Susan—and I know I am going to forget someone, so I do apologise. But I am not going to forget Bridget—thank you for reminding me, Sam—because today is Bridget's birthday, and I wish her a happy one.

While I am in the Senate, I will be working every day to repay their faith, to argue the case for Labor and to represent the voices of Victorians.

I would like to finish off by talking about someone who I have not spoken about so far. At this point I want to talk about my son, Mikael, who asked me if he could stand up when I talked about him, and he duly has. When I got appointed to the Senate I was driving him to school one day, having explained to him what the Senate does, and he asked me if I had 'made any laws yet, Dad?' I said no, I had not. He went, 'Well, what're you going to do?' I said, 'Well, do you have any suggestions?' Thoughtfully, he put his hand to his cheek and said: 'You know what, Dad? You should make a law where you make more schools, because not all the kids can fit on the mat.' And for that policy suggestion I thank him. Son, I am proud of you every single day.

Thank you, Mr President.