Adjournment Debate

Valedictories

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (17:41): I move:

That the council at its rising adjourn until Tuesday 6 February 2024.

Today, on the last day of sitting for the 2023 parliamentary year, I would like to take the opportunity to reflect quickly on the year that has been in this place and to thank all those who make what happens here possible.

It has been an honour to lead the government in this chamber through the second year of this term. The year has been many things—productive, often collaborative, occasionally combative, history-making, and occasionally record-breaking.

We have passed some 41 government bills in this place. As I did last year, it is pertinent to point out that over 28 per cent of the bills have been amended in some way, again highlighting the important scrutiny role that this place plays.

I think it is safe to say that this place is certainly not taken for granted and has come to be a formidable, mysterious, and even terrifying prospect for those in the other place putting up their legislation to the Legislative Council.

Indeed, while this council could hardly be said to be the place where legislators go to die, it does brook a fair comparison with the afterlife. Eight years can sometimes feel like forever. Depending on your religious inclinations, this could mean many things—for example, what sort of reincarnations the Hon. Ian Hunter or the Hon. Russell Wortley might be in this place.

It is hard to believe the long list of achievements and events that have taken place in just the last calendar year. Memorable events include at the start of the year the passage of an Australian-leading historic First Nations Voice to Parliament bill; a groundbreaking merger at the end of the year between South Australia's two largest universities; creating a hydrogen and renewable energy framework; passing crucial reforms to ensure better protections for tenants; bipartisan support for road safety reforms; the ongoing verbal tour of South Australia's regional flora and fauna courtesy of the Hon. Clare Scriven and the Hon. Nicola Centofanti, taking us from feral pigs, to feral goats, to feral deer, to feral fruit fly and all around again. There is almost nothing these two have not covered in painstaking detail that is feral of nature.

We learnt about goat-tagging, which I did not know was a thing quite frankly. I am not sure how the youth of today managed to capture the goats before graffitiing them, but I am glad the government is being held to account on what must be disgusting behaviour that needs to be stamped out.

Three hundred and eighty six increasingly urgent phone calls were taken during question time by the Hon. Russell Wortley. On two of these occasions, his phone was on silent when the calls came through. And, of course, just this week we fulfilled our election commitment to make Christmas Day and Easter Sunday public holidays. We respect and are grateful to workers who spend their time away from families on special occasions to carry out their duties and we are ensuring that they are properly recognised for their sacrifice.

With the release of the latest books on the British royal family, I did wish to draw attention to the Hon. Frank Pangallo's amazing achievement of quoting Meghan Markle in the same breath as Queen Elizabeth I, a feat never before accomplished as far as I can determine in any Westminster parliament. Also, there were 19 times this year that the Hon. Frank Pangallo commenced contributions by saying, 'I will be brief'. Nineteen times he was not brief, I am afraid to report.

Unfortunately, this year we have not been blessed with any musical contributions, but it is not too late. I am reliably informed that the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development has an album out just in time for Christmas. On whatever day Christmas falls this year, it will be a public holiday, we can be assured. A song that I am told may be on there is Clare's Fruit Fly Mince Pie. The album also features hit singles such as Giant Pine Scale on my Christmas Tree, Rudolph the Feral Reindeer, and, in a duet with the Hon. Nicola Centofanti, I'll Abalonely Christmas Without You. It is available at all good retailers around the state. Do yourselves a favour.

We have had a couple of changes in our ranks this year, with the Hon. Stephen Wade leaving us for the greener pastures of retirement and the Hon. Irene Pnevmatikos recently moving to dedicate her time and energy to her health and the rest of her life. Like Demeter fleeing the underworld, we wish the very best for both of them. In their respective places, we have welcomed the Hon. Ben Hood and the Hon. Mira El Dannawi. In the short time since their arrivals, I think we can all agree that both have made excellent contributions to this place and will be great advocates for the people of South Australia.

There is a lot of unseen work that goes on in running this chamber that starts with the roles of the whips in keeping this place organised and at least giving the appearance that above the water it is all running mildly smoothly. Thank you to the Hon. Ian Hunter and the Hon. Laura Henderson and their staff.

I would like to thank the Hon. Nicola Centofanti for her work leading those opposite. It is not an easy job, and it requires a fierce advocate for the South Australian community to fill its shoes. I think the leader mostly fits the bill. I would like to thank her for her cooperation in times of urgency and for her work and good humour in keeping this place running.

I would like to thank members of the crossbench who we often have to thank more than we probably should to try to get them onside to pass what we need to in this chamber.

Sir, to you, of course, presiding wisely over us, to the Clerk and the Usher of the Black Rod, Chris and Guy, thank you for your sage advice and your breadth of knowledge of this place's procedure. Mr President, if you are Hades, ruler of this our underworld, Chris and Guy must be the ferrymen of the River Styx. We are, as always, in safe hands with these two steering our ship.

To the other support staff in the Legislative Council, table staff, Leslie, Emma and Anthony, and also messengers, Kate, Mario, Todd, Karen and Charles, thank you for all the tireless work you do in supporting what happens here, especially when we are required to work into the very small hours, or as those small hours turn into the large hours of 6.58am on occasion. It is very much appreciated.

Thank you to the committee staff, to Andrew Cole and Hansard—that is Cole, C-o-l-e, for the benefit of Hansard—to John and the library staff, to the finance staff, to building services, including the building attendants, to the people and culture staff, PNSG, police security, cleaning staff and of course the real nucleus of this place, the people who keep this place running, those who feed us and give us energy, the Blue Room staff, particularly the warmth of Karen and the constant insults from Nicky, to Creon and Kasey for their assistance in arranging events, often with not much notice and of course to the one who probably does more to keep this place running than anyone else, Ben.

I look forward to another exciting year in 2024. There is much to achieve. I cannot wait to get on with achieving it and working productively together in this chamber for the best outcomes of South Australians. Before that, though, there is time for some rest, some rejuvenation and getting in contact with our electorate, which, unlike only 23,000 people, covers the whole state for members of this chamber. With that, I would like to wish all members and their staff a happy and festive season.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (17:49): I apologise in advance, my speech today is going to be far less humorous than that of the Leader of the Government. In my role as the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, as it was last year, it is my absolute pleasure to stand before this chamber and convey on behalf of my South Australian Liberal Party colleagues a bit of a quick Christmas message.

As we approach the holiday season, it is a time to reflect on the journey we have undertaken together in this chamber. Our accomplishments and sometimes our stonewalls are a testament to the strength of the collection of individuals represented here and elected by the people of South Australia in a democracy that is robust and commendable.

I acknowledge that we are here today without a number of colleagues who began this parliamentary session with us—the Hon. Stephen Wade, who retired from political life for other pursuits, and my colleague the Hon. Dennis Hood MLC, who is on a leave of absence while enduring a health battle. I sincerely wish him well in his journey to health.

The year 2023 also saw the retirement for health reasons of the Hon. Irene Pnevmatikos, and I understand her journey with cancer is an incredibly tough fight, and my thoughts, and I know the thoughts of everyone in this chamber, are with her and her family throughout this time.

We also welcomed two new members in this place, and with the appointments of the Hon. Ben Hood and the Hon. Mira El Dannawi we can feel a new energy. As the Leader of the Government has pointed out, they have already made great contributions in this place and will no doubt continue to make great contributions in this place.

Thank you to the staff of Parliament House: the messengers, Karen, Charles and Mario; our administrator, Todd; Kate, in the office of the Clerk; the table staff, Emma, Anthony and Leslie; the committee secretaries, who have fun working across both the upper and lower houses, thank you for all you do to keep both chambers on task; to Creon and his team from catering for ensuring there is always plenty of Golden North ice cream handy, particularly for myself—honey, with a bit of caramel sauce. I had that just last night, Mr President; it was delicious.

Thank you to Andrew Cole and the Hansard staff for their diligent work in this chamber and in the other house. Thanks to John and his team in the Parliamentary Research Library. John's team are an absolute joy to work with and we appreciate being able to lean on their experience.

I also want to acknowledge finance; building services, including the building attendants, switchboard operators and cleaners; the people and culture staff; and the newly included PNSG group for all of their hard work this year. In particular, I thank the parliament security team as well. This year has been a little bit rough, and I know that my staff and other staff were glad to know that they were watching and touching base when staff left the building in the evenings over winter.

To the Black Rod and the Clerk, thank you for continuing to make yourselves available to myself and my Legislative Council team and my staff whenever we need your guidance.

May this festive season bring us all joy, peace and moments of well-deserved relaxation with our loved ones. I acknowledge and appreciate the long hours and the time spent away from family that many in this building experience. There is an incredible amount of unseen work that I know all in this place put in.

To the government and the crossbench, I know that it is not just myself and my colleagues who have experienced sleepless nights wrestling with extremely complex and sensitive matters before the chamber, rolling endless debates, ideas and, on occasions, outright disagreements, but it is a testament to the strength of this chamber that despite those challenges we have continued to work towards the betterment of our constituents; that is, the people of South Australia.

I would like to acknowledge the whips, the Hon. Laura Henderson and the Hon. Ian Hunter. Suffice to say I think sometimes it is probably a little bit like trying to herd cats in this place. We appreciate all the work you do.

The Hon. K.J. Maher: Feral cats.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Feral cats, absolutely. I would like to also acknowledge the Leader of the Government. I have enjoyed our humour across the chamber on occasions. Whilst we might not necessarily always see eye to eye, I certainly appreciate the way that you lead your team so well.

To my Liberal Party colleagues: thank you for your teamwork, your energy, your conviction and your personal sacrifices made for the job. Thank you for your continued faith in me as your representative leader in this place. The weight you carry is not unnoticed. A tremendous thankyou to all of our staffers, those who keep all our offices running: the diary, the correspondence, the research, the incredibly important work in communicating with industry and caring for our constituents.

I am proud of the Liberal staffers on level 2. Their can-do attitude has been a source of energy for me and my colleagues. Again, I want to thank them for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the noble cause of public service. I also want to commend the efforts of the staff of my colleagues from across the aisle. I know my own staff speak very highly of their interactions with staff from both the crossbench and the government offices. Thank you for your collaboration and communication.

Last, but not least, Mr President, I would like to thank you and acknowledge your efforts in presiding over this chamber. I think we can be a pretty ratty bunch at times, particularly the Hon. Russell Wortley, and we appreciate your leadership and patience.

Turning our attention to the festive season, I am mindful that not all South Australians experience the joy and celebration associated with Christmas. This year, my thoughts are with those who are feeling the impact of the cost-of-living crisis. There will be some challenges in the lead-up to Christmas for a number of households, with an additional number knowing that the credit card pain and the aftermath will be felt all too soon. In the face of that hardship, we remain thankful for the crucial role played by organisations such as Foodbank SA, The Smith Family, Salvation Army, Anglicare, Catherine House, Grandparents SA, St Vincent de Paul and countless others. Their tireless work supports the vulnerable not only during the holidays but throughout the year.

For my family, this Christmas and summer holidays will be spent enjoying the best the Riverland has to offer, in stark contrast to last year when we were experiencing record-level flooding. I trust the hot days and the long nights will bring peace and connection after such a busy year.

As the parliamentary year concludes, on behalf of the Liberal team I give a heartfelt thanks to all who have contributed their time, expertise and service to this institution we call the South Australian parliament. We are part of something greater than ourselves, and your support is both acknowledged and cherished. In conclusion, I extend warm wishes for a merry Christmas and a safe and joyous new year to all.

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (17:57): Briefly, on behalf of the Greens, I want to wish everybody a safe and happy Christmas. For me, Christmas has always been a time to celebrate the good things in life; that is, friends and family. As the Hon. Nicola Centofanti has alluded to, it can also be a very sad time for many in our community, particularly those who have lost loved ones during the year, and my thoughts are going to be with those South Australians who are struggling at the moment—those who are struggling with loneliness but also those who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.

I know I also speak for all of us in the chamber when I say that our thoughts will be with people in the Middle East as well, as they deal with the profound loss and sadness that comes from war and conflict at this time of year. It is certainly my hope that in the new year, we finally see some peace for our troubled world and, in particular, that troubled region where there is so much profound sadness.

Reflecting a bit on this year, there have been some pretty significant bills and reforms that have come to this parliament for consideration. Certainly, from a crossbench perspective, we have found ourselves often playing quite a key role, and that has led to sometimes moments of agreement and sometimes stoushes. One of the things that I really appreciate, however, about this parliament and in particular this chamber is the respectful and collegial way that we are able to work. Whilst we do have disagreements, I think it speaks to the strength of our democracy that we are able to come together and work together, and long may that tradition continue, particularly when one reflects on some of the terrible things that are unfolding around the world.

I sincerely thank all members of this place who we have had an opportunity to work with this year, and all the staff across the building who keep things moving. Thank you, Mr President, for your leadership and fair and balanced approach to adjudicating often some challenging debates, so thank you for that. I also in particular want to thank my staff. I often joke and say that as politicians we are the lead singers of the band, but it is the staff who do all the work in terms of writing the music and all the work behind the scenes.

I know everybody in this building works hard, but it is particularly true of crossbench staff, because often we have such a large legislative load, and our staff play a really important role in getting us across all the detail. With that, I wish everybody a safe and happy Christmas and look forward to working with you all next year in what I hope is a happy and productive year for the South Australian parliament.

The Hon. C. BONAROS (18:00): I rise very briefly to echo all the sentiments that have just been expressed, especially those for our South Australians who are doing it tough. We know it has and will continue to be a tough time for many in our communities, and we have done and are trying to do our level best to ease that burden.

I have one wish for Christmas this year, and I am sure it is shared by all the many good people who make our working lives possible in this place and who I thank genuinely and sincerely for doing so, and that is an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, equal rights for the Palestinian people and a free Palestine. I wish everybody a safe and happy Christmas and may the new year be a peaceful one.

The Hon. S.L. GAME (18:01): I rise incredibly briefly to thank all the members of this place for your support at times and for the challenges you have given me at times, from which I feel I have grown. I thank you, Mr President, for keeping order here, and I thank all the parliamentary and support staff. I also echo the sentiment that it can be a very lonely time of year and a time of year when people need to look around and look to include people. I am particularly looking forward to spending time with my children, who tell me that they allow me to continue to work because they can see that I enjoy this job.

The PRESIDENT (18:02): To add a few remarks, I concur with the words that have been put out there today. One of the proudest moments I can remember in the Legislative Council was the President's dinner, the after bit of banter and the Hon. Ben Hood providing some wonderful entertainment.

We had had a particularly challenging week, and everybody came together and realised that we are all here to do the best we possibly can for the people of South Australia. We do not always agree on things, but I am incredibly proud of the Legislative Council team in here. I thank you for your cooperation. Not everything works smoothly, but we usually get there in the end.

I will not mention everybody, but Chris and Guy in particular and the table and chamber staff do an outstanding job for us and I thank them. Everybody else has already been thanked. I wish you all a happy, safe, peaceful Christmas and I look forward to seeing you all back here bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in February.

At 18:04 the council adjourned until Tuesday 6 February 2024 at 14:15.