PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION

Senator GATENBY (Tasmania—Deputy Opposition Whip in the Senate) (18:34): Senator Duniam, you will be missed. I'm lucky to have been here, actually, for your maiden speech and now for your valedictory. I was a staffer; I can't remember whose office I was in at the time, but you invited me to your office and said, 'Come along to the maiden speech.' So I did and we met that time.

There was a range of characters that were also up for that occasion, as we've recently discussed. But that was some 10 years ago, and I would just like to briefly say that our party is stronger from your contribution at every level, and so is our state and our country. Your support of me as state president of our party in Tasmania was always deeply valued, particularly through some of the more difficult times but also in some of the more poignant situations and campaigns, like during the Voice campaign.

I'll always be grateful for your support. I wish you well for the future. As a young dad myself, I must admit I have reflected on some of our conversations about that and that impact and whether or not to seek to put your hand up.

I did reflect—probably more than I'd like to admit—on what we discussed. I do appreciate your counsel. I wish you well with your beautiful family, who are here tonight.

When I started here, you said to me to make it count—plus something else, with an expletive, which I won't repeat. But you have done more than that for your state, for your country and for your party. Congratulations.

We'll miss you.