PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION

Senator McALLISTER (New South Wales—Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) (18:07): I will observe Senator Ruston's suggestion that we keep our remarks brief so as not to stand in the way of Jonno and a glass of wine. I want to associate myself with the many warm things that have been said about Senator Duniam already this evening. I'll add just three particular observations.

Senator, in your speech you made reference to the responsibilities that we have in politics to solve problems. You and I have been engaged on many occasions in direct contestation in various roles that we've held in this place. It is the case that in all of those interactions you always represented the facts honestly and you always sought to play the ball rather than the person.

Those things are not always the case in this place but attributes of yours that I appreciate and admire very much. This is my second observation. We are actually in the conflict business here.

This place is all about conflict. The very best of us, I think, understand the difference between structural and personal conflict. You are such a person.

I think I have made you actually cross once in all the years that we have argued with one another, and it's been a decade. I knew on that occasion that I had crossed a line because you are so very good generally at separating the personal from the structural. On the occasion I made you actually cross, it did cause me to reflect on my own posture.

The third thing I want to say is that in a place where one is scrutinised so often it takes some measure of courage to show people who you are, and everyone here makes a choice about the extent to which they do that. You've chosen often to show people a little more of yourself and your actual personality than others do here. I think that that speaks well of you, but it also gives comfort and courage to everybody else—that it is actually okay to come here and be a complete human.

I think, as you leave this chamber, you can know that you have actually made it warmer and more human. In the digital age, making something more human is really quite the achievement. I really wish you and your beautiful family the very best.

Thank you for everything you've brought to this chamber.