On behalf of my senate colleagues, I thank Senator the Honourable Kim Carr for his service and contribution over what is one of the most significant terms served by a senator in the Australian Parliament.

Senator Carr first entered the Senate in 1993 to fill the casual vacancy caused by the resignation of John Button.

It was fitting that Senator Carr would replace Australia’s pre-eminent industry minister. Senator Carr has been a champion for Australian industry, most notably as minister for innovation, industry, science and research in the Rudd and Gillard governments. He also held additional portfolios during this time, including in manufacturing, defence materiel and human services.

In Senator Carr, the higher education, science, research and manufacturing communities could not have had a more passionate champion and advocate around the cabinet table.

In more recent years, Senator Carr has been an invaluable contributor to the Labor opposition under Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese.

In particular, his role on the Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committee for Legal and Constitutional Affairs has guided scrutiny of an abundance of legislation, particularly in the area of migration. Previously, in his position on the Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committee for Economics he was the spearhead of Labor’s critique of failures in the government’s management of Australia’s defence shipbuilding program.

As Deputy Chair of the Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation, he has worked diligently in combination with his government counterpart to ensure the highest levels of scrutiny are applied to the making of government regulations in a way that has energised the work of this ninety-year-old committee to ensure its continuing relevance and importance for many years to come.

I wish to acknowledge the role Senator Carr has played as a contributor to Labor’s Senate team and his nearly three decades of service to the people of Victoria and the nation.

Authorised by Paul Erickson, ALP, Canberra.