Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It would be absolutely remiss of me not to say a few remarks about Senator Fifield in this adjournment debate. Unfortunately, I've only had the privilege of serving in the Senate with Senator Fifield for two years—something that I do sincerely regret. I was a staffer here in a previous life, and one thing always stood out to me about Senator Fifield as he and Senator Cormann undertook some of their journeys through the Senate Select Committee on Scrutiny of New Taxes. An essential quality of Mitch was that he treated everyone equally. Whether you were, as I was then, a humble staffer or whether you were someone aspiring to a senior ministerial role, Mitch took everyone on the same basis. He treated you with courtesy and respect and always listened to what you had to say, which is something I, as a very new and inexperienced staffer, always respected greatly.

Mitch, I've always thought of you as being the reasonable man. My wife, Rebecca, asked me once, not long after we had just met, 'Apart from Mathias, who would you work for in parliament?'

I thought for a long time. And this is no reflection on anybody else on this side of the chamber, but the only name I could come up with was Mitch Fifield. Mitch, you are the quintessential reasonable man. You have values, you have views. You prosecute them, but you always do so with a very good heart. I thank you for your service.