AustralianPolitics.com View RSS

Albanese Statement on Iran’s Attack on Israel 14 Apr 2024 12:09 AM (last year)

The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has issued a statement on Iran’s attack on Israel.

The statement was supported by the Acting Foreign Minister, Senator Katy Gallagher.

BONDI ATTACK: 7 DEAD, INCLUDING KILLER; ALBANESE PRESS CONFERENCE 13 Apr 2024 2:09 AM (last year)

A knife attack at the Bondi Junction Westfield shopping centre in Sydney has resulted in the deaths of seven people, including the killer.

The dead include four women and one male who died at the shopping centre. The mother of a nine-month old baby subsequently died in hospital. The baby was also stabbed in the attack.

The killer, a lone 40-year-old male, known to police, was shot dead by a NSW Police Inspector who was the first police officer to arrive on the scene.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw held a press conference shortly after 7pm tonight.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb held a press briefing shortly after 8.30pm.

Watch PM Albanese and Federal Police Commission Kershaw’s press conference (8m):

Watch NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb’s press conference (11m):

Australian Parliamentary Leaders: April 10, 2024 10 Apr 2024 12:06 AM (last year)

This page shows the heads of government and opposition leaders in Australia from April 10, 2024.

There are nine parliaments in Australia. There is one Federal Parliament in Canberra, six State Parliaments (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia & Tasmania) and two Territory Parliaments (Northern Territory & Australian Capital Territory).

Each parliament has a lower house from which a government is formed. The Federal Government is led by the Prime Minister, State Governments have Premiers, and Territory Governments have Chief Ministers. There is an Opposition Leader in each Parliament.

Latest Changes

April 10, 2024: Dean Winter was elected unopposed as leader of the Tasmanian ALP, becoming Leader of the Opposition. He replaced Rebecca White, who resigned on March 26, 2024, following the ALP’s defeat in the state election.

Winter, 39, is now the youngest parliamentary leader in the nation, supplanting the Northern Territory’s Lia Finocchiaro, 40.

Note: In the table below, yellow shading indicates a Labor government. Light blue shading indicates a Liberal, LNP or CLP government.

Longest- and Shortest-Serving Leaders

The ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr, is the longest-serving head of government, having taken office on December 11, 2014.

The Northern Territory Chief Minister, Eva Lawler, is the shortest-serving head of government, having held the post since December 21, 2024.

The Northern Territory Opposition Leader, Lia Finocchiaro, is the longest continuously-serving opposition leader, having assumed the position on February 1, 2020.

The Tasmanian Opposition Leader, Dean Winter, is the shortest-serving Opposition Leader, having assumed the position on April 10, 2024.

Oldest and Youngest Leaders

The oldest leaders are both in Western Australia: Premier Roger Cook is 63 and Opposition Leader Shane Love is 58.

The youngest head of government is the South Australian Premier, Peter Malinauskas, 40.

The youngest Opposition Leader is Tasmania’s Dean Winter, 39.

See Also:

• Colour-coded table of Federal, State & Territory governments since 1930
• Complete lists of all living former Prime Ministers, Premiers and Chief Ministers
• Many Other Lists

Samantha Mostyn Appointed 28th Governor-General 2 Apr 2024 11:45 PM (last year)

Samantha Mostyn, a lawyer,business-woman and gender equality campaigner, has been appointed the 28th Governor-General of Australia.

The appointment was announced this morning by the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese. The vice-regal appointment is made by King Charles III on the advice of the prime minister.

Mostyn will take up the 5-year appointment on July 1, 2024.

Watch the Albanese-Mostyn press conference (26m):

Listen to the Albanese-Mostyn press conference (26m):

Mostyn will be the second woman appointed Governor-General by Labor prime ministers. The first was Quentin Bryce, appointed by Kevin Rudd in 2008.

• Full list of Governors-General since 1901

Sen. Dave Sharma (NSW-Lib) Maiden Speech 19 Mar 2024 11:03 PM (last year)

This is Senator Dave Sharma’s maiden speech to the Senate.

Sharma, a Liberal, assumed his NSW Senate position on November 30, 2023. He filled a casual vacancy created by the departure of Senator Marise Payne. At her retirement, Payne was the longest-serving female senator, having held her seat for 26 years, 5 months and 21 days since 1997.

Previously, as the member for Wentworth (2019-2022), Sharma delivered a first speech to the House of Representatives.

In 2018, Sharma contested the by-election for the Sydney electorate of Wentworth, occasioned by the departure of the former prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull. He was defeated by the independent candidate, Dr. Kerryn Phelps. Seven months later, Sharma defeated Phelps at the 2019 general election. He was again defeated at the 2022 general election by the teal/independent candidate Allegra Spender.

Sharma, now aged 48, had a career in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). He was Ambassador to Israel between 2013-2017.

Watch Sharma’s first speech to the Senate (27m)

Listen to Sharma’s speech (27m)

Hansard transcript of Senator Dave Sharma’s maiden speech to the Senate.

Senator SHARMA (New South Wales) (17:01): I’ve had the unique honour of representing Australia in a number of capacities: as a diplomat and ambassador, as a former member of the House of Representatives and now as a senator in the Senate, representing the people of New South Wales, the oldest state in our federation, and the place I’ve always been proud to call home. My political journey has involved a lot more twists and turns than I ever anticipated when embarking on this career. As a form of employment, it’s proven somewhat less secure than the diplomatic service! But what drew me back—why I am back—is because I care deeply for, and believe strongly in, our nation of Australia. Patriotism has become an unfashionable concept of late, but I am happy to describe myself as a patriot, because we should all be proud of Australia’s audacious success. We have forged a nation out of the most diverse group of people imaginable into one that is prosperous, secure, united and harmonious. The opportunities we provide our citizens are without parallel. Our freedoms are robust. Our institutions are strong. Our quality of life is the envy of the world.

We should never, however, make the mistake of assuming that Australia’s success is preordained—a birthright of our nation. Representing Australia as a diplomat overseas, I’ve seen how quickly countries can run aground by neglecting their fundamentals, by magnifying small differences, by indulging special interests, by allowing hubris to take hold. The biggest challenge we face in Australia is that born out of complacency. It’s complacent to assume we can focus on the small issues because the big issues will look after themselves. It’s complacent to assume that future prosperity is assured because the past has been kind to us. It’s complacent to assume that our security is safeguarded by powerful allies and remoteness. The truth is Australia faces significant tests, the likes of which we have not encountered for several decades.

When I delivered my first speech in the other chamber, almost five years ago, I warned that Australia’s strategic holiday was over, that the features of the international system and our own neighbourhood, which had largely underwritten peace and prosperity in the post-war era, were coming under strain and that we would need to rely more on ourselves and less on others in safeguarding our freedoms and independence as a nation. Since that time, the world has become only a less certain and more dangerous place.

Australia has enjoyed three great assets, and for most of our history these assets have kept the forces of chaos and danger safely at bay. The first is our geography. Being an island continent and relatively remote has insulated us from much turmoil and hostility. The second has been our partnerships: our alliances with the major naval power of the day, initially Great Britain and later the United States, have safeguarded the seas and our major trading routes, allowing us to trade freely and underwriting much of our prosperity. The third has been an international order that is rules based rather than power based. Australia has been an outsized beneficiary of this order where states are considered sovereign equals, where they enjoy the same rights regardless of size or strength and operate under the same agreed framework of international law.

These three assets, however, are now under threat. Longer-range weapon systems plus the ability to interfere from afar through digital and cyber tools means our geographic isolation no longer provides the measure of protection it once did. The US Navy no longer enjoys uncontested predominance on the high seas. The PLA Navy now has more battle force ships than the US Navy and is building new ships and combatant vessels at a higher rate. The liberal international order is under strain, with a distinct shift towards a power based rather than rules based order. If Australia is to remain a sovereign and independent nation enjoying freedom of action and making decisions in our own national interest, we must confront each of these challenges.

The erosion of our geographic advantage means we need to be better equipped to deter and defend against potential attacks on our sovereignty. This means greater surveillance and force projection capabilities in our defence forces and an ability to operate further from Australia’s shores. We also need to strengthen our defences against espionage, foreign influence operations and digital and cyber attacks.

The Royal Australian Navy is now operating the oldest surface fleet in our nation’s history, and the time line for an upgrade in our capabilities is too slow. Australia must embrace new technologies and doctrines, from longer-range missiles to armed drones and uncrewed platforms that can quickly boost our power projection capabilities.

Lastly, the challenge to the liberal international order means Australia must do more to defend the principles that underpin that order rather than rely on the efforts of others. In today’s world there are currently two significant conflicts underway involving major powers. They are testing two important, foundational principles that have underpinned the post-World War II settlement and are articulated in the UN charter. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is testing the principle that one sovereign state cannot use force against another or acquire territory by force, and Hamas’s terrorist attack of 7 October against Israel and Israel’s legitimate military response are testing the principle of the right to self-defence. Both conflicts have the potential to spill beyond their current theatres and escalate into larger wars with global implications for peace and security. Both wars are exacting a heavy human toll. In both wars there are loud voices growing louder, insisting that the costs have grown too high and demanding that a settlement be found on any terms.

The test we face today with these two conflicts is whether we are prepared to uphold the important principles at stake. It was Henry Kissinger, reflecting on the breakdown in peace in the interwar period, who counselled that peace was the by-product of an international system that was willing to use force if necessary to maintain its underlying principles. But he warned that, if these underlying principles were not enforced, the system would quickly fall victim to the most cynical and ruthless states and would lead to a greater breakdown in peace.

If we truly want an enduring peace then we need to defend the principles that deter aggressors, and Australia has to play a part in this defence. If Russia succeeds in extinguishing Ukrainian sovereignty, or Hamas is able to claim a meaningful victory, then we will have failed this test. Ruthless actors the world over will be emboldened and the conflicts we so desperately sought to avoid will be brought, instead, closer to our own shores. Australia must do more to help Ukraine resist Russia’s aggression, and Australia must insist that a durable peace in the Middle East is only possible with the removal of Hamas.

Domestically, our nation is struggling. The national accounts show that the Australian economy is anaemic. Without migration, our economy would not be growing at all. Real living standards are going backwards. Productivity growth is low, inflation is high, our population is ageing and the demands on government spending are growing massively. This is not just a post COVID blip but, as last year’s Intergenerational report makes clear, a taste of what our economic future may look like.

Left unchecked, Australia is headed for a high-tax future, national decline and stark choices about where to direct our shrinking national resources. We risk becoming this century’s Argentina, a promising nation that lost its way. And we are already seeing signs of Argentina syndrome here in Australia, where much of the national debate is focused on how to divide the spoils, how to reallocate the burdens, and how to insulate key industries and sectors from competition rather than how to grow the economy so that we are all better off.

The heart of our national economic challenge is threefold: to improve our demography, to boost our productivity and to rein in government spending. To support a larger elderly population in a sustainable way, we need a larger working-age population. Reversing the steady decline in our birthrate would lower Australia’s median age, help ensure we have a larger working-age population and deliver a more sustainable balance between immigration and Australian-born citizens. We need policies that increase support for families, including those having children later in life, that make our care and schooling systems more accommodating; that treat the household, rather than the individual, as the entity for tax purposes; and that make housing more affordable.

Our woeful productivity performance must also be addressed. In Australia, this challenge is exacerbated by two factors: an industrial relations system that is increasingly decoupled from productivity gains and a lack of competition.

Competitive pressures drive innovation, investment and productivity, but the Australian economy in key sectors—from banks to utilities, supermarkets to telecommunications, aviation to insurance—has too little competition. In addition to the drag on productivity this situation creates, this lack of competition has allowed aggressive pricing practices, especially in the wake of the pandemic, and has been a major contributor to recent inflation. Corporate gross operating profits have surged over the past three years, whilst the share of national income going to labour has shrunk, despite low unemployment, to its lowest level ever. What we have witnessed is a rapid redistribution of national income. Big businesses have gained; workers and small businesses have lost.

Australia now has one of the most concentrated economies in the developed world. We have two major supermarkets, three dominant energy retailers, three dominant telcos, four major banks, two major airlines, four major insurers. And the profit margins of all of these companies are generally higher than those of benchmarks overseas. Concentrated domestic industries with only a few dominant players have, as their main objective, the preservation of their cosy market structure with reduced incentive to improve productivity or compete on price. This is highly profitable for shareholders, but it comes at the expense of consumers and, ultimately, Australia’s economic performance. The way to solve this problem is not through more regulation. What we need is a renewed emphasis on competition policy and reform in Australia to lower the barriers to entry to reduce regulations that entrench the privileged positions of existing market players.

Lastly, as the blowing-out costs of the NDIS and the pressures on our aged-care sector illustrate, demand driven social services without strict eligibility criteria, caps on payments and a scaled user contribution can quickly balloon out of control. Such an approach to welfare is simply not sustainable.

One of our most pressing national challenges is that of housing affordability. Australia is a nation built on home ownership. Home ownership provides stability for families, creates stronger communities and provides security in retirement. Housing is not just an asset class; it is a social good. But today we are failing a whole generation of younger Australians by denying them the ability to buy their own homes. Forty years ago in my hometown of Sydney, the median house price was five times the average annual salary. Today the ratio is closer to 12 and it is a picture replicated to varying degrees across Australia.

Today’s younger Australians have done all that we have asked of them. They finished school, got a qualification, found a job, are paying taxes yet they find no matter how much they earn or how hard they save, home ownership is beyond their grasp. This is a breach of our social compact and, if left unaddressed, we are storing up massive problems for the future. We will undermine social mobility in Australia and entrench inequality. The failure here is overwhelmingly one of supply. Consistently, over two decades, we have simply failed to build enough new homes to meet the demands of Australia’s population, and this problem is especially acute in my home state of New South Wales. There are myriad reasons: slow and cumbersome approval and land release processes; too much bureaucracy and regulation, which add to cost and time for projects; workforce and skills shortages in the construction industry; and, sometimes, outright nimbyism, which privileges the rights of existing property owners over those who do ot yet own property.

New South Wales managed to build 40,000 homes per year at the end of World War II. Last year we managed just 32,000 new dwellings. We must do better. We must enable the building of more homes, more quickly, and more cheaply or we will fail Australia. The shortage of housing is being exacerbated by high immigration, which is fuelling demand for already limited supply. Until we are able to accelerate the pace of our home building, we need to reduce our immigration intake or else we will simply place further pressure on our housing market.

The challenge of housing affordability is not the only one being faced by the current working generation. They are also expected to pay for their own retirement through compulsory superannuation. Many of them carry sizeable debt from the studies they undertook to get a job, and increasingly they are being forced to pay through higher income taxes the lion’s share of our generous social services. This is not an equitable or a sustainable social compact.

Australia collects a greater share of tax revenue from personal income tax than almost any other advanced economy. Almost 50c in every tax dollar collected comes from personal income tax, roughly double the OECD average. This unhealthy dependence on income tax receipts is growing worse, spurred on by high inflation and bracket creep. Income tax collection has gone up 23 per cent in little under two years, as inflation pushes people into higher tax brackets. The number of Australians in the top tax bracket has doubled in the past decade and this shift has been mirrored right down the tax scale. People might be earning a higher nominal income, but high inflation means their purchasing power is actually reduced, and now their taxes have increased.

The changes to the stage 3 tax cuts made by the Labor government have only further entrenched bracket creep as a feature of our tax system. Australia’s unhealthy dependence on income tax places an unfair burden on many younger Australians. Most do not own any assets but they are seeing an increasing share of their income being transferred to people who do. Little wonder they are frustrated. While I appreciate the challenges of wholesale tax reform, at the very least we should put in some guardrails to stop this problem from getting worse. We must put an end to the government’s lazy reliance on bracket creep to magically fill revenue holes, put some discipline into government spending and force a conversation that we must have about a better tax mix.

Finally, let me address one of the most important responsibilities we all share: keeping our nation united. If you conducted a thought experiment and declared that you were going to people a new nation with individuals from all around the world with different ethnicities, languages, cultures, religions and value systems, put them all together, and overlay them on an existing civilisation and culture, most people would think you were creating a sure-fire path to civil strife, but that nation is Australia and the fact that we have been able to make such an experiment succeed and create a peaceful, prosperous and harmonious whole from many different parts is nothing short of astonishing.

We have achieved this through a shared sense of civic values, a respect for our institutions and, most fundamentally, a respect for each other as fellow Australians first and foremost. This is what has allowed us to escape the sorts of communal violence and sectarian tensions that often bedevil countries abroad. But, too frequently of late, our leaders have muted their voices and our institutions have neglected their duties in maintaining this compact. Discrimination, vilification, harassment and intimidation against the Jewish community in Australia have reached unprecedented levels. I understand that people in Australia feel strongly and differ widely in their views about the rights and wrongs of the current conflict in the Middle East and the terrible suffering and human tragedy that has accompanied it. But differing views is one thing. What we have seen in recent months has clearly crossed the Rubicon and resulted in one community and one community alone—the Australian Jewish community—being made to feel unwelcome in their own country, fearful in their own neighbourhoods and anxious about the future they face here. This is utterly unacceptable. It is also incredibly dangerous.

Jewish Australians are no more responsible for Israel’s conduct of this war than Palestinian Australians are responsible for Hamas’s terrorist attack that prompted it. Like all other Australians, they are entitled to their political freedoms and to voice their political opinions. We simply must not tolerate the mix of mob rule, lawlessness, anarchy and intimidation that has been allowed to flourish in Australia in these past several months. It is doing irreparable harm to a community, but it is also doing irreparable harm to the social fabric of Australia. Today it might be Jewish Australians, but tomorrow it will be another group or another minority against which the forces of the populist mob are unleashed. Down that road lies civil turmoil and national disunity. Staying quiet, sitting on the sidelines and hoping it will all go away is a complete failure of leadership.

I have a large number of people to thank tonight, many of whom are sitting in the gallery—more than I can possibly do justice to! It’s an honour to be filling the casual vacancy created by the retirement of Marise Payne, who devoted her professional career to public service and served with distinction in senior roles in government. It’s a source of pride to be here as a member of the Liberal Party, the political movement whose values are most relevant to modern Australia: a belief in the moral agency and freedom of the individual, a commitment to social mobility and a recognition that a thriving private sector is the best provider of opportunity. It’s a pleasure to serve under today’s leadership of Peter Dutton, Sussan Ley and Simon Birmingham in the Senate—all people whom I admire and respect.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate in the opportunities Australia has given me, from a quality public school education to the honour of representing our country overseas and now the people of New South Wales here in this chamber. But I would not have been able to grasp these opportunities without the support I’ve had from so many people: my close mates from school, who always keep me grounded and who threatened the disclosure of various youthful indiscretions if they did not get a special mention this evening; my two elder sisters and my mum’s family members, who have always looked out for me; and, most importantly, my own family members: my wife, Rachel, and our three daughters, Estella, Daphne, and Diana, who have always been a steadfast source of support, encouragement, humour and love.

Reserve Bank Leaves Cash Rate Unchanged at 4.35%, Says “The Outlook Is Highly Uncertain” 18 Mar 2024 7:42 PM (last year)

The Reserve Bank has left the cash rate unchanged at 4.35%, in a decision announced today.

The cash rate has now been held at 4.35% for the past four months.

In a statement released today, the RBA board says that inflation has moderated but is still high. It says the “outlook is highly uncertain”.

• Interest Rate Movements Since 1990

Watch RBA Governor Michele Bullock’s press conference (39m):

Listen to Michele Bullock’s press conference (39m):

The statement issued by the board is shown below.

Scott Morrison’s Valedictory Speech 26 Feb 2024 7:03 PM (last year)

Scott Morrison, the former Prime Minister (2018-22), has delivered his valedictory speech to the House of Representatives.

Morrison will resign as the Liberal member for Cook later this week.

First elected to parliament in 2007, Morrison was re-elected five more times. He served nearly six years in opposition before becoming a Cabinet minister upon election of the Abbott coalition government in 2013. Becoming prime minister on August 24, 2018, Morrison won the 2019 election, but was defeated at the election of May 21, 2022.

Morrison’s valedictory address was suffused with religious references. It was followed by speeches from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and former Nationals leader Michael McCormack.

Watch Morrison’s speech and the responses to it (69m):

Hansard transcript of Scott Morrison’s valedictory speech. Includes responses from Anthony Albanese, Peter Dutton, Michael McCormack and Scott Buchholz.

Mr MORRISON (Cook) (12:01): Thank you to all those who have joined us here in the chamber today. I am going to commence my final contribution to this place in the same way I began my first one, in acknowledging the Gweagal people of the Dharawal nation of southern Sydney—a very special people, because they were the first to engage with Lieutenant James Cook on 29 April 1770. That place in Kurnell is a very special place. We speak a lot about reconciliation in this place, as we should, and my experience of that place as each and every year we gather in a ceremony of reconciliation, I think, speaks to the best spirit of that. I also spoke about that place in my maiden speech in this place. I said that it was important that we recognise this site, and I am so pleased that over the time that I have been here, we were able to achieve that.

On that site now, there is—artists call it an installation, others would call it a monument, and some might call it a statue—call it whatever you like, but I know what it means. There is the totem of the Dharawal people, the whale, and it’s beautiful. There are many other installations around the shore, but the one which is most striking, as the tide comes in, laps on it and recedes, is the skeleton of a whale, but it is also the skeleton of a ship like the Endeavour. On each of the rings of that skeleton is inscribed the journals of Lieutenant James Cook. If you haven’t been there, go there. It is a wonderful place to reflect on how two stories become one. For me that’s what reconciliation with Indigenous people has always been about. We weave together the individual strands of individual Australians of so many different backgrounds and experiences, from our Indigenous peoples to the most recent citizens. Each strand unique, but together weaved as one. For me that site will always mean that, and it’s wonderful to acknowledge it here today, as well as the artists and the so many who made that possible.

As was my practice as Prime Minister, always, when acknowledging Indigenous Australians, I would also in the same breath acknowledge those men and women who served Australia in our defence forces, both those who served in the past and those who serve now, for the simple reason that they are the providers of our freedom. Everything we have in this country we owe to them. In one of my early days—the member for Blaxland is here—we trekked Kokoda together in the spirit of bipartisanship. He was a little quicker than me and still is. We trekked Sandakan, we trekked the Black Cat Track up there in northern Papua New Guinea and we also went on to Gallipoli. At the end of those treks we would stand together with the young people who were with us—whether it was at the Bomana cemetery or in Lae or Sandakan or elsewhere—and we would hold hands, look at those tombstones, thank them and commit ourselves to living lives that would be worthy of their sacrifice. It was incredibly moving. And we would say, ‘They gave their tomorrows for our today.’ So it is easy for us all in that spirit to acknowledge our defence forces, those who serve in them—and serve in them today, far from here and nearby—and simply say thank you for your service.

Today is not an opportunity to run through a bullet point list of things. It is, importantly, an opportunity for me to simply express my thanks and appreciation and admiration for those who have made my service here in this place possible and to pass on what I hope are some helpful reflections from my time here that may assist those who continue to serve. Let me begin with my thankyous.

Firstly and importantly, to my constituents in Cook: it has been my great privilege to have served you as your local member in this parliament for these past more than 16 years, where you have been kind enough to elect me on six separate—six successive—occasions. I thank you for the tremendous and steadfast support you’ve provided to me and my family, who join me here today, during this time. Whatever was going on at the time, whether it be success, failure and everything in between, when I returned to the electorate—and those who know the area will know what I’m talking about—and particularly as I went up the rise of the Captain Cook Bridge and descended into God’s country itself, the shire, I would feel a great sense of belonging. I would feel a great sense of reassurance and peace. All of us who live there know this. This is as much, though, about the people as it is the place. It is home and always will be.

Mine is a community that is unashamedly proud of our country, that deeply values family life and what it takes to live a life that keeps families together, that works hard. They take responsibility for themselves. They appreciate and respect both their own and others’ good fortune, and they are generous to those around them, celebrating their successes or providing a hand up whenever and wherever it is needed. It is also a community that enthusiastically shares and supports and maintains the important community and social infrastructure that preserves our way of life. It is a community that does not leave it to others, including the government. Mine is a community that does not look for what it is owed but what it can contribute, for how it can make a contribution, not take one, both nationally and locally. They are a community of patriots, and I am pleased to describe them as such in this place.

In both my local and my national roles, including as Prime Minister, I have always been guided by the strong local values of my community—family, community, small business—and what I describe as the fair go for those who have a go. This is what makes the shire and southern Sydney such a great place to live and raise a family. And there are plenty of quiet Australians who understand that as well. Ever since I was first elected, I have always seen it as my job to try and keep it that way, and I believe I have honoured that commitment.

I particularly thank the myriad of community organisations, sporting clubs, school communities, volunteers, small businesses, church and charitable groups that make our local community, as they do all of our communities, so great and so resilient, including my beloved Sharks. These groups and organisations are the heart of our community, and I’ve always enjoyed the role I have played to support and enable them in their efforts, and I’m proud of what we have been able to achieve altogether in our community over this time.

I also want to thank my many local Liberal Party supporters and members, in particular Mike Douglas; Louise De Domenico, who was also on my staff; and my conference chairman and great friend, Scott Briggs, for always keeping the local show on the road. A special thank you also to our neighbours and friends in Lilli Pilli, Port Hacking and Dolans Bay. You had to put up with more than most—cameras, security, traffic, the odd protest and home invader. To Jamie and Anna and to Joe, Chrissie and Stan, I look forward to continuing return the favour of mowing your lawns for years to come. It will be quite some time before I settle that debt! A big thank you also—I’m sure Jenny would agree—to Rob and everyone up at D’lish.

As politicians we know that we are the tip end of the spear. Yet, behind us, there are so many people who we are supported by. They are incredible, dedicated, professional, intelligent, loyal, good humoured, sacrificial and amazing people who, for reasons that I suspect will never cease to amaze all of us—and it certainly humbles us—choose to commit themselves to the causes that we have identified and we seek to champion as members of this place and, when we have the opportunity, in government. They become a family. They support one another. They form close and lasting relationships, together embarking on one of the great seasons of our lives.

I have been blessed in this area more than I could ever deserve. From my local office team in the shire, especially to Julie Adams; to the incredible professionals who headed up and worked in my prime ministerial and ministerial offices, especially Dr John Kunkel, Phil Gaetjens and Anne Duffield; and to my longstanding original staff Latisha Wenlock and Julian Leembruggen, who is here today: the journey would simply have been impossible without you all, all of those you ably led and all who worked together in these causes, so many of whom are here today—and I thank them for being here. There are too many of you to mention all by name, and nor do I wish to injure your reputations by doing so! But I hope you all feel the full partnership of our service together and what we were able to achieve and contribute. Thank you.

I also wish to thank all those who cared for me and my family over the years when I was Prime Minister, as the Prime Minister now would know. To our household staff at the Lodge and at Kirribilli, led by the beautiful Trina Barrie and the incomparable Adam Thomas: you provided a space for Jen, Abbey, Lily, Buddy, Charlie and I to be a family. Thank you.

To the members of my close protection team at the AFP over the years, who continue to look after us even on the odd occasion these days: thank you. I want to specially mention Travis Ford and Jen McRae, who were terribly injured in the line of duty, protecting me in a terrible car accident in Tasmania. I will always be grateful for your sacrifice. When their colleagues rushed to them at the scene, their first words—not knowing what had occurred—were: ‘Is the boss okay?’ Thank you. To Mick: I’ll be in touch about that fishing trip we talked about, as we promised each other on the road on so many occasions.

To my parliamentary, ministerial and cabinet colleagues with whom I served over the years, some gone from this place now and many still here: I want to thank you for your support and your dedication. As your leader, you gave me your best in some of Australia’s most difficult times. I asked you to follow and you did, and together we achieved an election victory that none thought possible, and we kept steady hands on the tiller during the greatest set of challenges that have confronted our nation since the Second World War. Thank you for your service.

For the opportunities afforded to me by my party leaders over this time—to Brendon Nelson, to Prime Minister Tony Abbott and to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull: thank you.

To my now party leader, Peter Dutton, with whom I served in cabinet through all the years of the coalition government: thank you for your respect, your loyalty, your support and your consideration, especially that which you’ve shown me as a ministerial colleague, as Prime Minister and as an ex-PM in your party room. Jen and I both appreciate the kindness and generosity you and Kirilly have shown to both of us and our family.

For the great friendship and encouragement afforded to me by some very special friends as colleagues, to Big Mac, my Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack; and Catherine: thank you. To Josh Frydenberg, who I was speaking with this morning, and my deputy leader and Treasurer: thank you, Josh. To Marise Payne, to Greg Hunt, to Michaelia Cash, to good old Benny Morton and to Alex Hawke, who sits with me here today and who keeps me entertained each question time still—there’s plenty to entertain us: thank you. And to those who’ve gone from here—to Steve Irons and Stuart Robert, who I flatted with for many years; to Lucy Wicks and the incomparable Bill Heffernan, who I flatted with for the first six years and survived; and Louise Markus—thank you. To the broader Liberal Party members and our supporters led by Andrew Hirst, John Olsen and Nick Greiner, thank you.

To those who supported me from the Public Service as a minister, Treasurer and Prime Minister, thank you, especially for your service during the pandemic, which I extend to everyone in the Public Service, who showed the true spirit of what public service was with sacrifice and dedication. Thank you to Phil Gaetjens, who was the head of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, but, particularly, thank you also to Professor Brendan Murphy and Professor Paul Kelly, who became well-known figures. To General JJ Frewen, thank you. To General Angus Campbell and Greg Moriarty, thank you for all you did to help me secure AUKUS. When I left the job after the last election, when we lost, I remember saying to them, ‘Now, please don’t stuff it up,’ which they are not, together with the Minister for Defence.

To the Prime Minister, to the Deputy Prime Minister, to the members of your government and to Bill Shorten, we have contested fiercely in this place. I’ve had my wins and I’ve had my losses, but I wish you all well in your service of the national interest. Too often in this place we confuse differences of policy with judgements about peoples’ intent and motives. This is not good for our polity. We may disagree but we need to honour the good intentions of all of us. I wish you well in your service, as I’ve said, and I especially want to thank you, Mr Speaker, for the special kindness and respect that you’ve shown to me in this place since the last election and here again today.

To the Prime Minister and your now new fiancee, Jodie, congratulations on your engagement. Jen and I wish you all the very best for your life together. At some point, this all ends and, while there are no hard feelings, I’ll obviously be supporting my colleagues and Peter Dutton to ensure that that day hastens sooner rather than later. But, when it does, you will look around and Jodie will be there, and I can assure you—as Jen has been to me—it makes a world of difference.

When I first entered politics, the former member for Parramatta, Julie Owens, who many of us remember well, gave new members some good advice at our orientation about making sure you do not neglect the friendships you had before you came. I took this advice very seriously. I’m even more pleased that my friends and family did. Thank you to our wonderful friends that are here today—to Karen and Adrian Harrington; to David Gazard, the ‘Gaza man’; to Arthur and Ingrid Ilias; to Bill and Anne Knock; to Peter Verwer; to Scott Briggs, who couldn’t be here today; and to Lynelle Stewart—we love you very much and appreciate you.

To my Christian pastors, Brad and Alison Bonhomme, to Mike and Val Murphy, to Joel and Julia A’bell, to Jock Cameron and to my brothers in Christ, Andrew Scipione, John Anderson and Lloyd Thomas, who’s here with his wife Fi today, thank you for your prayers, your counsel and your encouragement. I also especially want to thank Bishop Antoine Tarabay and all of our Maronite brothers and sisters—I’ve become an honorary Maronite, I think, in the years past—and especially our dear friends Danny and Leila Abdallah, Bridget Sakr and Craig McKenzie, who have taught us all what faith is really all about.

As most people know, subject only to God, my family is the centre of my life, and at the very centre of our family is Jen. I cannot imagine life without her. I love you, Jen, and always will—that is the cross you have to bear. Your love has been my stay and strength. You are the other half of our joined soul, who, by the grace of God, brought Abbey and Lily—our miracle girls—into our lives, who we celebrate and love. I thank Abbey and Lily for their own sacrifices as they have grown, necessitated by having a father in public life. They are beautiful girls in every way, as you can see, and I could not be more proud of them as a father. They are our joy and our delight, and I am so pleased that we can now have the time that was necessarily denied us for so long.

In preparing for this day, Abbey and Lily suggested that I should play a type of Taylor Swift bingo, and I’m wearing the bracelet, by the way—it has ‘ScoMo’ on it. They said to try to work the names of every single Taylor Swift album into my remarks. Well, what’s a dad to do? Here I go!

It is true that my political opponents have often made me see red. When subjected to the tortured poets who would rise to attack my reputation, in response I have always thought it important to be fearless and speak now or forever hold my silence and allow those attacks to become folklore. Ever since leaving university—in 1989!—this has always been my approach. My great consolation has always been my lover Jen, who has always been there for me whenever I need her, from dawn and beyond the many midnights we have shared together. See, I’m actually a true new romantic after all. I can assure you there is no bad blood, as I’ve always been someone who’s been able to shake it off!

Anything for my daughters.

I also want to thank, of course, Jen’s mum, Beth, who is looking after the cat and the dog today, and Jen’s late father, Roy, an amazing human being, for always being on my side; as well as Jen’s siblings, Gary and Cecily, and all their families.

Finally, I thank my mum, Marion, who is here with my late father, John, today together. I also want to thank my brother, Alan, of whom I am extremely proud. My family, growing up, were the dominant example for my life. They taught me that life is about what you contribute, not what you accumulate. They taught me about the duty and dignity of public service, but, beyond this, I would never have known God and my saviour, Jesus Christ, if it was not for them. I can think of no greater gift.

Okay, that’s the emotional stuff done! You’re not used to seeing that side of me. Having said my thankyous and expressed my appreciation, I would now like to reflect on just three things I have learned along the way that may help those dealing with the challenges of the future who continue in this place. The first of these is that, without a strong economy, you cannot achieve your goals as a nation. All good government must start with nurturing a strong, innovative, dynamic, entrepreneurial, market based economy. In the 1980s we threw off the shackles of the federation institutions that Paul Kelly, who is here today, wrote about in The End of Certainty as holding our economy back. This led my generation into 30 years of economic change that, despite some missteps along the way, including a recession we had to have, produced the longest period of continuing economic growth that any nation in the modern world has known. There have been strong contributions made to this achievement by both sides of politics, which I acknowledge—always, though, with Liberal and National support.

As we entered the pandemic, I was pleased that, after almost six years of painstaking fiscal effort, we had restored our budget to balance and maintained our AAA credit rating. This was achieved by focusing on economic growth and containing growth in public spending. At the time, our government had the lowest rate of growth in public spending of any Australian government for decades. This would prove vital in the years that followed. Having saved for a rainy day, it was now raining. It was pouring, and we had to respond. Australia would emerge with one of the lowest fatality rates from COVID in the developed world. When compared to the average fatality rates of OECD countries, Australia’s response saved more than 30,000 lives. We were described as the gold standard of COVID responses by Bill Gates at the Munich security conference and the second-most COVID prepared nation by the Johns Hopkins Institute. This will always be to Greg Hunt’s great credit and that of all those he worked with—his eternal credit.

It is also true that, during the pandemic, the rate of death by suicide actually fell and remained down in 2021. This was nothing short of an answer to prayer and the extraordinary efforts of our mental health workers, professionals and services, and I want to acknowledge Professor Pat McGorry and Christine Morgan, who were incredible supports to me during that time.

Our plan was not just about saving lives but about saving livelihoods as well. This was achieved with Australia emerging with one of the strongest economies through COVID. Our historic economic response kept 700,000 businesses in business, it kept more than a million Australians in work and, despite these unpredicted outlays, Australia was one of just nine countries to retain a AAA credit rating. Our response was timely, it was targeted and it was temporary. We responsibly retired measures as soon as it was prudent to do so, leading to a historic reduction in the actual budget deficit, with the budget even moving into structural surplus during COVID. As Josh asked me to remind everyone this morning, the unemployment rate had a ‘3’ in front of it when we left. JobKeeper and the myriad of economic supports—designed by Josh and me, with Mathias Cormann and later Simon Birmingham and the whole team at Treasury and the ATO—would have been fanciful had we not entered into this crisis with a tank that was full.

We cannot take our economy for granted. Employers and businesses creating jobs is how you run a strong economy and put a budget into structural balance and keep it there. During my time in this place I observed that many of the old partisan differences on economic policy have, regrettably, re-emerged. In 2019 we fought an election on this and we prevailed in our miracle election win. Looking forward, we must be careful not to reinstitutionalise our economy. Such an approach will only negate the capacity we have as a nation to deliver on the essentials that Australians rely on; it will crush entrepreneurial spirit and that wonderful spirit of small business, and leave us vulnerable in the face of new threats to our sovereignty.

That brings me to my second point. Those threats are there and they’re real. During my time in this place, and especially as Prime Minister, we have seen an end to the post-Cold War period of globalisation and the emergence of a new era of strategic competition, where our global rules based order is being challenged by a new arc of autocracy. This arc of autocracy, which I referred to as Prime Minister, ranges from Pyongyang to Beijing to Tehran and Moscow—a chord of would-be regional hegemons who would prefer power to freedom and care little for the price their own citizens pay to achieve their ends. For this reason our government stood firm against the bullying and coercion of an aggressive Chinese Communist Party government in Beijing who thought we would shrink when pressed. Indeed, we not only stood firm but worked with our allies, our partners and those in our region who wished to protect their own sovereignty to counter this threat to regional peace, prosperity and stability. AUKUS, the Quad, new trading and defence relationships, the first ever comprehensive strategic partnership of any nation with ASEAN and others including PNG, and the Pacific Step-up—all designed to protect our sovereignty and stand up for a global rules based order that favours freedom, especially here in our own region in the Indo-Pacific. In this respect, I pay tribute to the work of Marise Payne and Dan Tehan, as well as Simon Birmingham. I thank the Trump and Biden administrations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, my good friends Boris Johnson, James Marape, Mike Pence, Mike Pompeo and Robert O’Brien. I pay tribute to late and great Shinzo Abe and his successors, prime ministers Yoshi Suga and Fumio Kishida.

The 2022 election may have provided an opportunity for Beijing to step back from their failed attempts at coercion, but we must not be deluded: tactics change but their strategy remains the same. We are not alone in waking up to this threat. Investors are now, rightly, pricing the risk of their investments in an authoritative communist China, while consumer advocates are waking up to human rights abuses and the environmental degradation that infects these supply chains. This requires continued vigilance and the connection between all spheres of policy to create and protect supply chains and integrate and align our strategic and military capabilities so we can protect our sovereignty and counter the threat that is real and building.

In Tehran, we find the funders, trainers and apologists for terrorists, seeking to acquire the most deadly defence technology imaginable: nuclear weapons. Their green light for the Hamas terrorist attacks on innocents in Israel, on 7 October, is unforgiveable. In response to such overt attacks there can be no equivocation on where we stand as a representative democracy when another, who has been such a great friend of Australia, is under attack. There also can be no equivocation in calling out the anti-Semitism that has now occurred in this country, to our shame, and in other places across the Western Hemisphere in the wake of 7 October. To that end I am pleased to acknowledge the presence today of the Israeli ambassador, Amir Maimon, in the chamber today. Am Yisrael Chai. In Ukraine, fighting continues to rage two years after Russia’s illegal invasion. I’m proud of our swift response to support Ukraine. This must continue and is utilising every resource and capability we can reasonably provide. Ukraine may be a long way from Australia, but the implications of a Russian victory will reverberate just as quickly in our own hemisphere, emboldening again those who seek to challenge our region.

My third point is: how do we stand and on what ground? We stand on the very same ground that established our western civilisation and that inspired and enabled the modern, pluralist representative democracy we now enjoy. We stand on the values that build a successful, free society, like individual liberty, the rule of law, equality of opportunity, responsible citizenship, morality and liberty of speech, thought, religion and association. All of these stem from the core principle of respect for individual human dignity. So do representative democracy and even market based capitalism. This is a unique Judaeo-Christian principle. It is about respecting each other’s human dignity through our creation by God’s hand, in God’s image, for God’s glory, where each human life is eternally valued, unique, worthy, loved and capable. This is the very basis for our modern understanding of human rights.

With the advance of secularism in western society, we may wish to overlook these connections or even denounce them. But the truth remains. Human rights abuses were once called crimes against God, not just against humanity. They are, and they remain so. These truths are not self-evident, as some claim, as history and nature tells a very different story, though divinely inspired. You don’t need to share my Christian faith to appreciate the virtue of human rights. I’m not suggesting you do. But, equally, we should be careful about diminishing the influence and the voice of Judaeo-Christian faith in our western society, as doing so risks our society drifting into a valueless void. In that world, there is nothing to stand on, there is nothing to hold on to, and the authoritarians and autocrats win. In the increasing western embrace of secularism, let us be careful not to disconnect ourselves from what I would argue is our greatest gift and the most effective protector of our freedoms—the Judaeo-Christian values upon which our liberty in society was founded. Even if you may not believe, it would be wise to continue to understand, respect and appreciate this important link and foundation.

To conclude, you’ll be pleased to note a warning about politics, where I’ve spent most of my professional life, as most of us here have. I know that all political philosophies and ideologies, including my own, are imperfect and regularly confounded by events outside our control. I experienced this firsthand leading Australia through the global pandemic. In my experience, the practice of politics is largely about contesting which approaches are less imperfect than others—in my view, those are the approaches of the Liberal Party—and then trying to humbly appreciate and compensate for their imperfections. It’s like Winston Churchill’s famous line, and I paraphrase: ‘Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others.’

While a noble calling, politics can only take you so far, and government can only do so much. You can say the same thing about the market. You won’t find all the answers there, either, and you won’t find it in unrestricted libertarianism and more-command-and-control communism. In the Liberal Party, we have always believed in how great Australians rather than governments can be, with the true test being how we can enable Australians to realise their own aspirations. I suspect that much of our disillusion with politics and our institutions today is that we have put too much faith in them. At the end of the day, the state and the market are just run by imperfect people like all of us. While politics may be an important and necessary place for service, I would also warn against it being a surrogate for finding identity, ultimate meaning and purpose in life. There are far better options than politics. In The Dignity of Difference, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks wrote that the great tragedies of the 20th century came when politics was turned into a religion and when the nation, in the case of fascism, or the system in communism, was made absolute and turned into a god.

I leave this place not as one of those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. I leave having given all in that arena, and there are plenty of scars to show for it. While I left nothing of my contributions on that field, I do leave behind in that arena, where it will always remain, any bitterness, disappointments or offences that have occurred along the way.

I leave this place appreciative and thankful, unburdened by offences and released of any of the bitterness that can so often haunt post-political lives. This is due to my faith in Jesus Christ, which gives me the faith to both forgive and be honest about my own failings and shortcomings. During my time as Prime Minister, the power and necessity of forgiveness was demonstrated to me most profoundly by the Abdallah and Sakr families, whose children were taken from them, and they found the strength in their faith to forgive.

For those who perhaps may feel a bit uncomfortable with my Christian references and scripture references here or at other times, I can’t apologise for that. It says in Romans 1:16: ‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.’ It says in 2 Timothy 1:17: ‘I am not ashamed for I know what I believe and in whom and I am convinced that He is able to protect what I have entrusted to Him until that day.’ In that vein, let me quote one last scripture in this place as an encouragement to all who continue to serve. 2 Thessalonians 2:16 says: ‘Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God and our father, who has loved and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and deed.’

Thank you all those who join me here today or are listening elsewhere for your kind attention. As always, up, up Cronulla!

Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (12:38): on indulgence—I thank the member for Cook and the former Prime Minister for what was a very thoughtful, generous and warm final speech in this place. He has certainly left nothing on the field, and he can be proud of that fact. He has shown a real respect for this parliament in giving that speech here today and, importantly, a real respect for the people of his electorate, because none of us have other titles unless we have that very important one of MHR, member of the House of Representatives, for our particular electorates. I know that he is very passionate about and proud to represent the Sutherland shire for the electorate of Cook.

I also give my respect to the former Prime Minister for the public recognition that he gave that all of us in this place rely upon so many others—our electorate officers, our ministerial staff, public servants and, as he said, our CPT. I well remember the news of the accident in Tasmania on that day. I spoke with the then Prime Minister on that day to check that he was okay and to check that the police officers who serve us and protect us were okay as well. I confirm that the then Prime Minister was very emotional about feeling that other people had been hurt in protecting him. That was to his great credit, and I acknowledge that.

He has had so much support. We all ride on other people’s shoulders to get here, and more important than any of the paid staff in various roles are, of course, the unpaid staff and they’re sitting up there as well with you today.

I can say, on behalf of the Australian Labor Party, that Prime Minister Morrison was a truly formidable opponent, and that to win an election is a big deal. Not many people have done it. To be one of the 31 prime ministers is something that can never be taken away, and I know that when you leave this place, Mr Morrison, you’ll always be former prime minister Morrison.

In the United States, they acknowledge these things differently, of course, and I suspect you may go to the United States, as do other people afterwards, just so that you keep that title of Prime Minister! It’s an interesting tradition. When I was first called ‘Deputy Prime Minister’ when I was there after 2013, I hadn’t quite clicked at that tradition. It says something about the respect for the office, which is so important.

We always knew that, whatever the circumstances, this was a person who would bring 100 per cent of his energy and determination to the political contest. That was something that was acknowledged by Labor. It won you the admiration of your Liberal and National party colleagues. In 2019, that was very successful in your election at that time.

I also want to acknowledge the contribution that the member for Cook has made as a parliamentarian. Your first speech in this place was16 years and two weeks ago. More than half of that time was in government and indeed in cabinet, and, for nearly half of the time in government, you were serving as Prime Minister—as I said, one of only 31 people to know that incredible honour.

You and I have had our differences, but we have absolutely agreed—absolutely agreed, and I hope that you have the same view that I have, which is that we do not doubt for one second that this is the greatest country on Earth and that our job, wherever we come from in the political spectrum, is to try and make the greatest country on Earth that much greater by what we do each and every day.

As Prime Minister during a once-in-a-century pandemic, the member for Cook was confronted with a challenging set of circumstances and just so many unknowns. This was an unprecedented time. It was a time of real anxiety amongst so many Australians, especially in those early days. It required decisions to be made that, if you had said prior to 2019 that a government, with the support of the opposition, would literally work with states and territories to stop people leaving home, to stop social interaction, to stop the normal activity that we engage in in this great country, and that it would close borders, not just national borders but state and territory borders as well, you would have thought that was something of fiction—that that would not be possible. We shouldn’t take for granted the fact that those decisions were made and that that required leadership by yourself as Prime Minister and by the premiers and chief ministers working together across the political aisle. It required us, as the opposition, to sit in the cabinet room for some discussions, as well as in this place, and say what hasn’t often been said by an opposition, which is: ‘Regardless of what happens, we will vote for what is put forward.’ That is what we did, in order to provide not just political certainty but, critically, economic certainty and social certainty, and the confidence that the Australian public required of their political leaders at that time in order to make personal sacrifices. No-one had ever envisaged Australians being put in a position to make such sacrifices, whether as individuals, as businesses or through the family unit.

In your speech today, you spoke about good intentions. I don’t doubt that everyone at that time had good intentions. Not everything was perfect, but today is not a day to dwell on that. Today is a day to say that everyone went into those processes with good intentions, and I don’t doubt for one second that that was the case. So many of those decisions were critical, and it was important to project confidence. The nation needed that confidence. I’m sure that in the solitary moments, of which there were too many for all of us, due to the COVID restrictions, you must have gone through some really difficult times in trying to reassure yourself that the decisions that were being made—big decisions—were the right ones. I don’t doubt for one second that the motivation in that was absolutely right.

In your first speech you said, ‘Family is the stuff of life.’ All of us know that serving in this place takes a toll on family life, including during that period, of course. For the member for Cook, I imagine this will be a day of some mixed emotions, as farewells always are. For your daughters this will be a day of joy. And congratulations, Abbey and Lily, on encouraging your dad to work in that Taylor Swift reference! It was quite an achievement to go through all of those album titles and add in some song titles as well, just to complete the picture—to fill in the blank space, so to speak. It is fantastic that you’re joined by your beloved mum, Marion, and she is very welcome here. We’ve had private discussions—I’ll let the gallery in on a secret: even the toughest of political opponents can have private discussions—and I know that today you’ll be feeling a sense of loss for your father.

Jenny, I want to take this moment to acknowledge the dignity and diligence with which you have performed your role in public life. It is a difficult role. There’s no script or manual, unlike in the United States. It’s a very different system. And I thank you, Scott, for your personal wellwishes for myself and Jodie going forward. You’re right: you always think about the things that really matter and the people around you when you leave this place, which we all will—hopefully not for some time, but you do think about those things. Family is so important. I know how critical Jenny’s support was for you during your public life, particularly during what was an incredibly difficult period when you were Prime Minister during the pandemic. On behalf of the nation, thank you to the Morrison family. As Prime Minister, I will be so bold as to say I speak on behalf of the entire nation because I do believe in that respect. Scott—I’m going break with protocol there and not be pulled up with a point of order—I wish you every success for your future. Thank you for the service that you have given to this place, to your community in the great Sutherland Shire, to your party, the Liberal Party, of which you are a proud servant, and to your nation.

Mr DUTTON (Dickson—Leader of the Opposition) (12:50): I thank the Prime Minister for his fine and very heartfelt words in response to the contribution today. It’s a day of deep emotion right across the chamber. That was evidenced in the Prime Minister’s contribution. It was certainly evidenced in Scott’s speech as well. On behalf of our party, I want to extend our heartfelt thanks to our 30th Prime Minister and the 14th leader of our party. I thank him for the sacrifice that he made for our country and I thank him for the way in which he led our party. Sixteen years is a very significant contribution to public life. That period has a punctuation mark today, but I’m sure in many ways it will continue.

In his maiden speech, the member for Cook predominantly spoke about three issues: family, faith and the Australian vision. He also spoke about a fourth, which he spent a lot of time on today, which is forgiveness. There’s a consistency in Scott Morrison that we saw 16 years ago, and that was evidenced again today. I think that’s really what has been at the heart of Scott’s continued success as a leader, as a prime minister, as a local member, as a father and as a husband. He has endeared himself to many colleagues over the course of his journey for that very reason.

Scott was quite modest in his speech today, but we can go back through some of his significant achievements, not just as Prime Minister but as immigration minister and as Treasurer. He retained the AAA credit rating, presided over a series of decisions which were tough decisions but ultimately in the country’s best interests and delivered us back to a balanced budget position after a fairly precarious inherited position. He made decisions that ultimately, although not known at the time, put our country in the best possible position to deal with the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic. There were many of us who worked closely with Prime Minister Morrison at that time, and it was confronting, certainly from where I sat.

There were the initial briefings that we received from the Chief of the Defence Force, from the Chief Medical Officer and from the experts otherwise and there was the intelligence that we were receiving from Europe and about what was happening in North America and elsewhere. As the Prime Minister rightly pointed out, the decisions that Scott was able to take really steered us through a very difficult course and put our country onto a path that we should be very proud of. They were decisions in relation to the health portfolio, and the former Prime Minister rightly acknowledged Greg Hunt for the work that he did in literally saving lives. There are many things that you can hang your hat on after a 16-year career, but having had the leading role in saving tens of thousands of lives of fellow Australians who would not have survived otherwise has to be at the top of the tree. As Scott pointed out, they were not just lives but livelihoods.

To this very day, whenever we move around and speak to individual business owners or employees, countless people across the country cite the fact that their business would not have survived. There are 700,000 of them and over a million employees, a million Australians, who ultimately would not have been in the position that they were without the decisions taken by Prime Minister Morrison, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and others who sat around that National Security Committee decision-making body. That is one hell of a legacy.

But it didn’t stop there. I think Prime Minister Morrison’s crowning achievement has been the AUKUS deal that was struck between the United States and the United Kingdom. I can tell you it was no easy feat. The Americans had only shared their closest held secrets with the Brits in the 1950s, and, despite numerous requests from very close allies during the intervening period, they had not decided to share that secret and have that confidence in another leader up until their interaction with Prime Minister Morrison. It will be the underpinning of our security for decades to come in a very uncertain world. Scott Morrison has that as part of his legacy.

It doesn’t stop there. Scott was able to bring Japan and India together in the QUAD and form a very close relationship, as he said, with the then Japanese Prime Minister, who was tragically lost, but also Prime Minister Modi as well. They had a mutual respect for each other and they knew that it was in the best interests of our respective countries, but collectively, to be able to come together to provide support for each other, not just now but into the decades ahead. Again, that was a very significant achievement.

I think it’s true to say that the Prime Minister, as he then was, stood up immediately in a way that not many other world leaders did in relation to Ukraine. One of my proudest moments in this place, Scott, was seeing the decisions that you swiftly took to provide support to people, which ultimately went to your values of faith and family and your vision, particularly in relation to humanity. The decisions that you took and that we took in government supported the people of Ukraine and the bravery of President Zelenskyy and ultimately resulted in saving the lives of men, women and children to this very day.

You spoke very passionately about the rise and the unacceptable incidents of antisemitism that we see in our country today. It is endemic and it is shameful. You had the courage to stand up, consistent with your long-held values, to call that out, to be a friend of Israel and to provide support to people, who, on 7 October, had suffered the most horrific attack since the Holocaust, when six million people were gassed. You stand as a world leader, as a result of all of that combined, that we can be very proud of.

I want to say thank you, on a personal level. We did have an exchange in 2018, as I recall, but when we came out of the meeting that day you were gracious enough to extend the hand of friendship to me, and I pledged to you on that day that I would serve you loyally. Together, since that day, I think we’ve been able to bring our party together in a way that wasn’t possible for the period after 2007. I’m very grateful that that friendship continues today and long into the future. I wish you every success that you deserve into the future. I wish Jenny and the girls every success. The two beautiful young adults we see today, Abbey and Lily, were little girls, and we watched them grow up. They might watch the footage now and think, ‘Why did I wear that? Why did I say that? Why was my hair cut like that?’ as my kids often do. You have so much to be proud of.

In this place, as the Prime Minister rightly points out, family is often forgotten. There will be a lot of cynicism in some of the reporting of Scott’s speech, with its references to his faith and to his God. In this age of inclusion those people, who would normally parrot the fact that we need to be more inclusive and that our society needs to be more tolerant, will be the people who scribe tomorrow in a cynical way the words that Scott—in a very heartfelt way—conveyed to us today. There’s a significant amount of irony in that. It’s not going to change. That’s the reality of the world in which we live.

For Abbey and Lily, they know that they’ve been born into an amazing family, and Jenny is central to all of that. She’s been graceful, she has been supportive, she’s been generous and the country saw in her—at that time and since—somebody with a very big heart and somebody who loved her husband very dearly. So I want to say to the Morrison family, thank you for sacrifice and thank you very much for the contribution that you have given to our country. To Mrs Marion Morrison today and, in his absence, to John, thank you very much for the values you’ve instilled even to the current generation. The legacy that you have presided over is significant in itself.

My closing words are to Abbey and Lily. Thank you very much for facilitating that daggy dad moment, as well, where your father went through, at your wish, to detail the Taylor Swift songs. He got away with it and it shows the influence that you have on his life, which is a very special thing.

We wish him every success and good fortune and good health into the future. He has served our country with great distinction and we honour him today as a leader of our party and as a leader of our great country.

Mr McCORMACK (Riverina) (13:01): Jane McNamara is one of those rough-and-tumble, down-to-earth, say-it-as-it-is mayors we all know and love in regional Australia. She’s been mayor of Flinders Shire, centred on Hughenden in north-western Queensland, for eight years. Jane is someone who can see a fake, a fraud, a phony or someone who is insincere from a mile away. She rates highly one Scott Morrison, the outgoing member for Cook. ‘Give him my best,’ Jane said when I spoke to her last night. ‘Tell him I’m sending virtual hugs his way.’

Mayor McNamara well remembers the member for Cook’s visits to Cloncurry, Julia Creek and McKinlay during the terrible natural disaster that hit her region in early 2019. The people in those far-flung Queensland towns have not forgotten those visits and nor will they. The member for Cook as Prime Minister brought funding and, perhaps more importantly, hope to those flood affected communities and they appreciated it. It saved them. Not only did he stop by but he returned later to see how they were faring. That is the measure of the man and underlines the leadership he showed on that and many, many other issues.

I was there in February 2019 when the then Prime Minister told officials to get financial assistance in the bank accounts of devastated farmers within 24 hours. Those farmers had endured years of drought, but when the rain came it fell in biblical proportions and almost washed away the spirit of those hardy cattle producers. They were on the brink. Three years of rain had fallen in just 10 days. The Prime Minister was having nothing of bureaucratic delays and obfuscation. ‘Get the money to them and do it within 24 hours,’ he instructed. It was a decisive moment—stirring stuff, Morrison style.

On 24 August 2018, the day the member for Cook was elected Liberal leader and later Australia’s 30th prime minister, we had a meeting immediately after his party room ballot. I remember it clearly. As the Nationals leader at the time, I sat down with the Prime Minister designate to sort out the directions our parties—different but together—would go in on certain pressing issues. There are a number of them. I recall writing down two words, the member for Cook did the same, and then we showed each other. Both of us penned the same thing: ‘Drought visit.’ It was the start of our successful working relationship. We were different but we were together, and that’s the way it should be.

The following week the member for Cook and I found ourselves with Stephen and Annabel Tully at their 72,843-hectare Bunginderry Station at Quilpie, more than 200 kilometres west of Charleville—a long way from anywhere, you could say. It is in the electorate of Maranoa, represented by now Nationals leader David Littleproud. As the member for Maranoa said at the time, ‘they’re bred tough but no one is immune from this ongoing drought’. And he was right. Indeed, the Prime Minister saw the value of wild-dog fences, and other pest and weed management practices. They were valuable lessons for him to see firsthand and get a better understanding of farmers and regional, rural and remote Australians. Prime ministers of this country need to be the farmer’s friend. The member for Cook was, in his time in the top job. He and I had any number of serious matters to deal with as Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister between 2018 and 2021. As I told Q+A: ‘The golden age of Australian democracy’. Insert laughter here. But it was.

Drought, bushfires, floods and then a global pandemic. The worst of those COVID-19 times brought out the best in Scott Morrison. He went above and beyond, working incredible hours to save lives and protect livelihoods. He was calm, publicly confident and dedicated. He was unflappable.

I must say, our relationship survived some truly testing times for the nation and those even closer to home, such as the time when he stole one of my all-time favourite press secretaries, Dean Shachar, for his own office. Dean’s in the advisors box now, and I’m still dirty on you, Scott, for doing that. But, anyway, we’ll forgive and forget, as you’ve shown us the benefit of forgiveness today. Seriously, I do wish you, on behalf of the Nationals, all the very best, and I thank you for care, understanding of and delivery for those who lived beyond the bright city lights. Personally, on behalf of Catherine and I, and our family, thanks for your friendship, your support and your good humour. I’m not going to mention bad Santa, nor the census. Insert laughter here. May you, Jenny, your girls Abbey and Lily, and your mum, Marion, enjoy good health, happiness and every success in the future.

Finally, Jane McNamara has a Droughtmaster—an appropriately named breed—steer named ScoMo 2. This, now 800 kilogram, bullock was a mere poddy calf, you’ll remember, in the midst of the 2019 floods. And the Prime Minister gave it a feed as the cameras snapped happily away. Because of his fame from those photos, the calf got his name and a guarantee of a life of grazing. He won’t know his life of contentment and happiness is due to the PM’s intervention; he will not. In the same way, I guess, many Australians will never fully appreciate the efforts and work Scott Morrison put into ensuring that their lives, too, were better.

Ultimately I believe history will be far kinder to the Morrison years of government than some are now. In the words of St John, Scott, you have fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith. Thank you.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Mr Buchholz ) (13:08): As we look to conclude the member for Cook’s valedictory, I will just offer my brief comments. Thank you for your contribution to the community of Cook. Thank you for your contribution to the parliament. Thank you for your contribution to this nation. Go in peace as you embark on the next chapter of your life, my friend.

Marles Announces Expansion of Australian Navy 19 Feb 2024 5:12 PM (last year)

The Defence Minister, Richard Marles, has announced an upgrade and expansion of the Australian Navy to give it an “enhanced lethality surface combatant fleet”.

Flanked by the Pat Conroy, the Minister for Defence Industry, Marles announced an additional $11 billion over the next decade. The money will be used to expand the Navy’s fleet of warships to 26 vessels, an increase of 15 craft.

Commitments to the construction of naval vessels in South Australia and Western Australia were reiterated, with ship workers being promised work for deacdes.

The government also confirmed it would scrap an extension of the ANZAC-class fleet. HMAS Anzac will soon be decommissioned.

Documents issued by the government are shown below.

Watch the Marles-Conroy press conference (36m):

Listen to the press conference (36m):

Jeremy Rockliff To Call Early Tasmanian Election 12 Feb 2024 11:37 PM (last year)

Jeremy Rockliff, the Liberal Premier of Tasmania, has announced that negotiations with two former Liberal MPs have broken down and he will call an early election tomorrow.

Rockliff said John Tucker and Lara Alexander had “failed to commit to a new, enduring agreement”, following their resignations from the Liberal Party in May, 2023. The former Liberals had concerns relating to the proposed Macquarie Point Stadium project. Their resignations sent the government into minority status in the House of Assembly.

Alexander been in parliament since February 2022, whilst Tucker was elected on a countback to fill a vacancy in March 2019.

Today’s tweets from the Premier of Tasmania, Jeremy Rockliff.

Tweets from Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff

The current House of Assembly has 25 members. At the 2021 state election, the Liberals won 13 seats to the ALP’s 10 and the Greens 2. The departures of Tucker and Alexander leaves the Liberals with 11 seats.

The coming election will see the House of Assembly restored to 35 seats, the number that prevailed from 1959 until 1998. The Hare-Clark proportional voting system used in Tasmania means that the quota for election will be reduced from the current 16.7%.

Jeremy Rockliff has been Premier of Tasmania since April 2, 2022, following the resignation of Peter Gutwein. Prior to that, Rockliff had been Deputy Leader of the Liberals for 16 years.

The Liberal government will be seeking a fourth term in office at the election. It was first elected on March 15, 2014 under the leadership of Will Hodgman. Hodgman won a second term in 2018. He retired in 2020 after nearly six years as Premier. Gutwein won the government’s third term in 2021 and retired in 2022.

The election, rumoured to be called for March 23, will be held a year earlier than required.

Reserve Bank Leaves Rates Unchanged 5 Feb 2024 7:02 PM (last year)

The Reserve Bank of Australia today made no change to the cash rate, leaving it at 4.35%.

The 4.35% rate has been in force since November 2023.

The bank’s decision is its first in a restructured process. As part of the new processes, the Governor of the Reserve Bank, Michele Bullock, held a press conference an hour after the bank’s decision was announced.

Watch Michele Bullock’s press conference (45m)

• Interest Rate Movements Since 1990

The RBA’s statement is shown below, as is its latest Statement on Monetary Policy.

Dutton Confirms Coalition Will Support Albanese Tax Changes 5 Feb 2024 6:18 PM (last year)

The coalition will support the Albanese government’s tax cuts, the Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton, confirmed today.

Flanked by the Shadow Treasurer, Angus Taylor, and the Shadow Finance Minister, Senator Jane Hume, Dutton said “the coalition is not going to stand in the way of people who are doing it tough”.

With repeated references to “the liar in The Lodge” and the government’s “egregious lie”, Dutton said the coalition would take “a significant tax policy” to the next election.

Watch the Dutton-Taylor-Hume press conference (35m)

Listen to the press conference (35m)

Yang Hengjun Sentenced To Death In China – Wong 4 Feb 2024 6:31 PM (last year)

The Chinese Australian writer Yang Hengjun has been sentenced to death by a court in China.

Yang Hengjun

Yang Hengjun, a pro-democracy activist, has been detained for the past five years. His death sentence will likely be commuted to life imprisonment after two years of “good behaviour”.

The decision was announced by Senator Penny Wong, the Minister for Foreign Affairs. She described the news as “harrowing” and said the Chinese Ambassador had been summoned so that the government can protest the sentence, but that diplomatic relations would be maintained.

Watch Wong’s press conference (9m)

Listen to Wong’s press conference (9m)

Greg Combet Appointed Future Fund Chairman 28 Jan 2024 4:01 PM (last year)

Greg Combet, a former minister in the Rudd-Gillard governments, has been appointed Chairman of the Future Fund.

Greg Combet, new Chairman of the Future Fund

The Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, made the announcement at a press conference today.

Combet replaces Peter Costello, the Future Fund’s founder and current Chairman.

Combet was the Labor member for the NSW electorate of Charlton from 2007 until 2013. Amongst other portfolios, he was Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency between 2010 and 2013.

The Future Fund was established in 2006 by the Howard government, when Peter Costello was Treasurer. It is an independent sovereign wealth fund that makes provision for the superannuation liabilities for politicians and public servants. In December 2023, the fund had $272.3 billion in assets.

At his press conference, Chalmers was also queried about the government’s announcement of changes to the Stage 3 tax cuts, with a number of questions focussed on possible changes to negative gearing.

Watch Chalmers’ press conference (28m)

Listen to Chalmers’ press conference (28m)

Transcript of press conference with Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

Governor-General David Hurley’s 2024 Australia Day Address 27 Jan 2024 12:44 AM (last year)

This is the video of Governor-General David Hurley’s 2024 Australia Day Address.

The Address was shown on ABC television at 6.55pm on Australia Day.

Australia Day in 1973 Passed Almost Unnoticed But Whitlam Began Search For A New National Anthem 25 Jan 2024 4:32 PM (last year)

Australia Day 1973 passed almost unnoticed, according to one radio news report, but Gough Whitlam used his 53rd day as prime minister to announce a search for a new national anthem.

Listen to a news report from radio 3DB in Melbourne on January 26, 1973, including a clip from Whitlam’s speech (1m)

Whitlam’s announcement of a replacement for God Save the Queen came in his Australia Day address. He said:

“We feel it is essential that Australians have an Anthem that fittingly embodies our national aspirations and reflects our status as an independent nation. We need an Anthem that uniquely identifies our country abroad, and recalls vividly to ourselves the distinctive qualities of Australian life and the character and traditions of our nation. These aims are particularly important to the Labor Government which I lead. It has been one of tile central ambitions of my administration to foster a fresh and distinctive reputation for Australia overseas, and to encourage in our domestic affairs a greater spirit of shared purpose and national unity. My Government does not believe that our present National Anthem is adequate for these purposes.”

Whitlam announced a competition for the new anthem, culminating in a public vote and a prize of $5000.00 to the winner.

The announcement barely rated a mention in the daily newspapers the next day. Following her success in winning three gold, one silver and one bronze medal for swimming at the Munich Olympics in 1972, Shane Gould was named Australian of the Year. The impending return of journalist Francis James from imprisonment in China also garnered attention, as did an oil strike, President Nixon’s announcement of “peace with honour” in Vietnam, and the death of former President Lyndon Johnson.

The text of Whitlam’s Australia Day Address to the Nation is shown below.

Dutton says Albanese Should Call an Election: “His Leadership is Terminal” 24 Jan 2024 10:26 PM (last year)

The Opposition Leader, Peter Dutton, has responded to the Prime Minister’s Press Club appearance today.

The rhetoric could charitably be described as over-the-top:

“Slippery slopes, terminal leadership, panic, reneging on commitments, whether he can ever be trusted again … Dunkley, a huge credibility problem, he should apologise, the press club was a ramble, Dunkley voters can have no trust that these tax cuts will survive another election, the advice of the Treasury and Reserve Bank is not accurate … To the people of Dunkley and the people of Australia generally, if this prime minister can look your neighbour in the eye and lie, you’re next .. He’s not a truthful person.”

Watch Dutton (11m):

The email below was sent via the Liberal Party’s email subscription list this afternoon:

Albanese Addresses National Press Club on Stage 3 Tax Changes 24 Jan 2024 7:08 PM (last year)

The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has defended the changes the government has made to the Stage 3 tax cuts.

In an address to the National Press Club, Albanese confirmed that the tax system will remain progressive with the reintroduction of the 37% tax scale. Whereas the Stage 3 cuts excluded people on lower incomes, all taxpayers will now receive a tax cut from July 1, but those on higher incomes have had their cut reduced.

Approximately one million people will receive a lower tax cut than originally legislated. The $200,000 threshold has been lowered to $190,000. A taxpayer who would have got a tax cut of $9,000 will now get around $4,500.

However, 11.5 million people will receive larger tax cuts. The original Stage 3 only applied to taxpayers earning more than $45,000, but will now apply to all taxpayers earning beyond the tax-free threshold of $18,200. The lowest tax scale of 19% will be reduced to 16%. Lower income taxpayers will also benefit from an increased threshold for payment of the Medicare levy.

Questioned at length by reporters about the the proposals being lies and a broken election promise, Albanese stressed that it was now a better policy and his obligation as prime minister was to adapt to changes and to look after the majority of Australians. His speech to the press club was titled “Middle Australia”.

Listen to Albanese at the National Press Club (75m):

The full transcripts of Albanese’s appearance at the National Press Club appear below.

Watch Albanese’s National Press Club appearance (75m):

Read Albanese’s speech to the National Press Club:

Read Albanese’s responses to questions: