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

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

As we break to celebrate Christmas and the New Year, it is my prayer and wish that all Australians might enjoy the true blessings of Christmas.

As we reflect on 2014, we have much to be thankful for: the largest contingent of crossbenchers in the Senate since Federation; the certainty of courteous and professional staff who maintain this building and this institution in every respect—from the physical needs of the building to the specialist advice of the Clerk and her staff. I note that today marks the Clerk's halfway mark in her 10-year term. Another certainty, unfortunately, is leaving us and that is Alan Porritt, a photographer at Parliament House since 1976. We wish him well.

Can I especially thank our families who put up with so much—the hours we keep, the travel and all the interruptions in family life. I particularly want to thank our spouses and families for their forbearance. I would also like to thank the Chaplain of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship, the Reverend Peter Rose, who has a great heart for our nation, for his support of all parliamentarians. Can I personally thank you, Mr President and your deputy and if I might say—without saying too much more—that I think the Senate chose exceptionally wisely in appointing you and the deputy. Can I personally thank the leadership team on my side—my deputy Senator George Brandis, the Leader of the Nationals Senator Scullion, the Manager of Government Business Senator Fifield, the whips team of Senators Bushby, Ruston and Fawcett, the Nationals' whip Senator O'Sullivan and our two previous whips, Senators McKenzie and Kroger.

Can I also thank the opposition for keeping me and the government on our toes. As we prepare for 2015 we should remember that 2015 will be the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta. So we are part of a very rich tradition of parliamentary processes that we should never forget. As the hour is late, can I thank everybody for their cooperation with the government throughout the year; and I wish all the colleagues on all sides of the chamber a very happy and blessed Christmas. God bless.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

I would like to associate myself and the opposition with Senator Abetz's good wishes and goodwill for a safe and happy Christmas to all in Australia.

I would also like to thank the President, Senator Parry, who is approaching six months in the role. The role of the President is challenging but is one that is essential to the operation of the chamber. We appreciate your good humour in conducting the role—

Opposition senators interjecting—

especially today! We congratulate the Deputy President, Senator Marshall, on his election and thank him for his role in the chair in fulfilling the responsibilities that fall to the Deputy President. He is of course known for his sense of humour. To the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Abetz, it has not been an easy year for the government; he continues to be a worthy adversary in the chamber, and we wish him a very happy Christmas.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Senate is unfortunately not present as she is attending a meeting of the Australia Indonesia Business Council; we thank her for her work during the year. To the other leaders of parties and independent senators, while I am sure we have all enjoyed each other's company over the past year—or six months for the newer ones—I am sure we would agree that a break from each other is a good thing! Unlike some of you, I have not been on the receiving end of Christopher Pyne's Christmas SMSs—

An honourable senator: There is still time!

There is still time. We can all share the joy, Senator Lazarus.

To the Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate, Senator Moore, and her staff, particularly Clare Nairn: a hard job done superbly, and always keeping ministers relevant at question time. To the Opposition Whip, Senator McEwen, and staff of the whip's office and the deputy opposition whips, Senator Bilyk and Senator Urquhart, no-one would deny that the whips and their staff are among the hardest working people in this place. They above all others deserve the coming break.

To the Clerk, Rosemary Laing; the Deputy Clerk, Richard Pye; the Clerk Assistant, Brien Hallett; the Clerk Assistant (Table), Chris Reid; the Clerk Assistant (Procedure), Maureen Weeks; the Usher of the Black Rod, Rachel Callinan; and all the staff of the Department of the Senate, the Clerk leads an outstanding team. We are exceptionally well served by the Department of the Senate, whether it be in chamber management, procedural advice, services to senators, committee support or in other ways.

Thanks of course to the Department of Parliamentary Services, especially the Parliamentary Library, the Parliamentary Budget Office, Hansard, security, maintenance and ancillary staff that do so much to ensure the smooth running of Parliament House.

To the Labor Senate team, I want to thank my colleagues for their efforts this year, particularly the Senate team post 1 July. Our team has both advanced Labor's agenda and held the government to account. I wish you all a happy and safe break and look forward to seeing you all in the new year. To the staff of Labor senators, many staff are coming to the end of their first year or part thereof in opposition. I want to thank all of them, but particularly those who signed up to serve the new opposition. In all things we do, we rely on the assistance and counsel of our staff, and I thank them for their service on behalf of all the Labor senators.

Let me conclude by thanking all those Labor members and supporters throughout Australia who continue to maintain their rage and enthusiasm. Merry Christmas to all and have a great break.

Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I would like to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

I too want to thank the Clerk and the Clerk's office, all of the Senate staff, the Hansard staff, the Comcar drivers and, in particular, the gardeners. I really enjoy the gardens in this building. As you walk around during the year, being out there is something that brings joy to our lives. I want to thank them particularly. Of course, I want to thank all my colleagues and their staff, particularly my whip, Rachel Siewert, who has done a great job.

I want to wish everyone from all political parties and their staff a happy Christmas, and peace and goodwill. But I have to say I am struggling with the upbeat mood that has suddenly come over the chamber because, as we extend the compliments of the season to one another—and so we should—I struggle with the fact that we have denied peace and goodwill to some 30,000 people, and I feel very sad about that.

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

I would just like to add my thanks to the leaders around the room and particularly to the parliamentary staff, from the Comcar drivers, who pick us up in the morning and then return us in various states in the evening, to the full spectrum of parliamentary staff that just make our life livable in a sense. They are almost like a second family to us, and my thanks go out to them. Again, a recognition to our families: it is a very special time. We are often separated for long periods of time. This is probably the time of the year where we spend some significant time with our families, so I take this opportunity to ensure that you all go home to your families and have a very special time celebrating Christmas. I am really looking forward to seeing you all back here again next year.

Glenn Lazarus (Queensland, Palmer United Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

Firstly, I just want to thank everybody for their well wishes. I got into a bit of trouble on Monday, and I diced with death. I thank everybody for their well wishes. No, I am only kidding; it was only a kidney stone, so I am fine! Everyone is happy.

I would just like to wish everybody a merry Christmas. I would like to thank you, Mr President, and of course the Clerk and the Senate team for your patience with us newbies. I am here standing up and representing Palmer United but also all of us newbies. We do appreciate your patience. It is six months into the job, and I think we have done okay, guys.

We look forward to next year, and I just want to thank everybody associated with this place. It is a big organisation, and it is a well-run machine. I would just like to wish them all a very merry Christmas and wish everybody here a happy new year. Thank you all, particularly from me and Dio, for making us feel very welcome in this place. Thank you very much.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, senators. I am not going to repeat all the fantastic statements that all the leaders have made and that Senator Lazarus has made on behalf of the crossbench, but I do not want that in any way to diminish my heartfelt thanks to all those that were mentioned. I sincerely think this place is run very well, and all the people who were thanked deserve those thanks.

Could I thank you, my colleagues, for your patience and your contribution. I feel as though I should give some senators a Christmas present—it would be the standing orders wrapped up in a suitable paper with certain annotations to certain pages and, in particular, standing order 203, Senator Conroy. You might need to study that over the break!

Please go home to your families and to your friends and to your states, your electorates, and enjoy what break you can have. We use this word 'break' often, and quite often we go home to do a lot of work and we get a minimum time down. So please enjoy. Come back refreshed.

Senator Lazarus, we will start a bit sharper next year, and the latitude from the chair might diminish a little bit. I am sure you have had your good six months of training.

But thank you all. It has been very good, and I know you all put some tremendous work into this place and representing your home states. Whilst it has been a bit of a battle here in the last week or two, I think we have ended on a slightly better note, and I am sure we will all go away as friends.

The chamber attendants I think were thanked, but thank you, Clerk. I do particularly thank the chamber attendants again—but they were thanked, I believe, in the earlier statements. Have a very safe and happy Christmas.

Senate adjourned at 00:38 (Friday)