PARLIAMENTARY REPRESENTATION

Senator COLBECK (Tasmania) (18:35): I'd like to associate myself with the comments from colleagues around the chamber, but, unlike many of them who are saying how difficult Jonno's leaving is for them, I just want to reflect on how difficult Jonno's arrival was for me, and Jonno understands that as much as anyone else. We've both reflected on that and moved on, but it's funny how the wheel turns.

I was listening to Senator McKim reflect on that 2022 preselection in Tasmania that changed the face of our team here in Canberra significantly and then subsequently the state team at the election after that. The section 44 fiasco or drama that went through this place is a part of that cycle. So my vote in the 2016 election pushed everybody else into the top half of the ticket.

That set up that preselection battle that became so fateful for us all. It's been great working with you, Jonno, both at a state level and when you were a staffer, first with Paul—a wonderful Tasmanian and a great representative for Tasmania in this place—and then with Eric, which really did bring a period of achievement for Tassie. That was some really good work there.

But it was also great to see you and Brad getting behind Will and his team at that great 2014 election victory in Tasmania, which really did see the state surge ahead. Your role in that and that change of confidence that came over our state and the improvement in the economy was really an important time. Of course, since then, we have been strange bedfellows at times, because we have different philosophies in terms of some of the issues that we've dealt with and we've had to deal with some other, more difficult things within the Tasmanian division.

Chris—Senator Gatenby; sorry—mentioned those. But we have very effectively been able to work together to manage that, and that's been a really important part of what we've done. I think the point about getting things done on behalf of our state has always been something that's been important to you, and I've really enjoyed working with you and my other Tasmanian colleagues in achieving that, because that's why we're here.

The effort that's been put into that, I think, has been really important in making sure that we have got to those achievements. To Anisa and the boys: I'm sure that you're much, much happier now that you know that you're getting Jonno back. Jonno, I remember a conversation in the tea room in my office with Mary, your mum, when she worked for me, and my recollection is that she told me she had a son who was going to become prime minister.

I thought: 'Oh, that's going to be interesting. He picked the wrong house to do that.' But possibly you could have done. Mary said that with a lot of conviction, and I think we all now understand why.

She was obviously very proud of her son, but her conviction has been very well borne out by subsequent events, both at the state level and in the Australian parliament. So I say congratulations on what you've achieved for Tassie and congratulations on what you've achieved for the country. You've been involved in some very important and serious policy development work and continue to do so towards your retirement.

Be proud of your achievements, mate, and enjoy whatever comes next, importantly with your family.