PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION

Senator HANSON-YOUNG (South Australia—Manager of Australian Greens Business in the Senate) (17:54): Senator Duniam, I'm very sorry to see you leave. You've been one of the people in this place that have made it work, as so many others have already said tonight. I want to associate myself with the comments made by Senator Wong, Senator Cash, Senator Gallagher and Senator McKenzie.

I want to just let the Senate know of a few little things I do know about you. Firstly, people may not know that Jonno and I first really got to know each other when I sued him—successfully, I might say. It was obviously never his fault.

It was Sky News. It's always Sky After Dark's fault. Of course, Senator Duniam got caught up while he was on air on Sky After Dark one night, and he did say something that was untrue, so I acted.

True to his values, Jonno admitted straightaway that he'd made a mistake and that he'd made an error. I remember you coming up to me at the coffee table outside the committee room—we were in the middle of an estimates hearing. You were so apologetic.

You were so gobsmacked that you'd made the mistake, and it really went straight to your character of being honest and being principled. I'll never forget that, because we were in the middle of sending legal letters off to each other, right there and then. As it turned out, Sky News did have to pay up, but Jonno's apology was all I needed from him.

So thank you for your honesty right from the beginning and for the principles that you have brought into this place, because it only works to get things done when people can be honest and straight and direct with you. You don't have to agree on everything. In fact, Jonno and I hardly agree on much, except for when we want to stop Labor from doing something.

I know that, at times, the fun and games in this place have meant that you have lost when the government and the Greens have worked together. I know, though, that you secretly love a guillotine just as much as I do. But, also, you're always willing to work to get something done, because you want to achieve things.

It's not just about the game for you. You always keep the issue front and centre. You care deeply about your community, you care deeply about your country, and you actually care deeply about the environment.

I know that, and I saw that—I mean, he didn't want me to tell anybody! One of the issues that we had a lot of tussles over was the reforms of the environment laws and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, and this went for years—Jonno and I, in various roles, sparring over this particular issue. I never doubted for a moment that you wanted to protect Australia's natural heritage, and I think that that's really important.

I can't agree with you on salmon, though. Upon reflection of some of the fun and games we've had over the years, I still remember our trip to Antarctica. We were flying in.

I was sitting next to Jonno, and we had Minister Plibersek in the front of the plane. She sat at the front; we sat at the back like the naughty kids. The attendant came and put the meal in front of us, and the only thing on the menu was Tasmanian salmon.

I looked at my plate and then I looked at Jonno, and he was just grinning. He could not wipe the smile off his face. You enjoyed watching me swallow every last bite of that Tasmanian salmon.

But, true to his honesty and principles, he didn't tell a soul. You didn't tell a soul, except maybe your family. Maybe you heard that story at home.

Jonno, you're a man of principle and honesty. Your decency has made you who you are in this place but also who you are outside this place. It makes you a good friend, and I have no doubt that we'll continue our friendship once you leave.

All of those things are what make you a very good negotiator, and, whatever you do next, I know that you will be trying your best to make a difference and to achieve outcomes. I know that's front and centre for you. I'm not sure, Katy, whether our Thursday afternoon debrief meetings will be quite the same without Senator Duniam, but we can try.

But I promise you, just in your honour, that we won't just drink South Australian wine; we'll bring some Tasmanian wine as well.