[Acknowledgements omitted]
Can I congratulate Senators-elect, commend those candidates who were unsuccessful and say at the outset what a great privilege and high honour it is to represent South Australia in the Federal Parliament.
I have had the honour of being a Minister, of being Leader in the Senate but my first responsibility is as a Senator of this great state of South Australia representing our diverse community a state with a long history of progressive politics; a state which understands the importance of a diverse and strong economy, whether in manufacturing, services or the creative arts and our wine and produce.
Of course, as we all know, my job as a Senator now is in Opposition. And whilst our job has changed our responsibility as Labor Senators has not; it still remains to serve the people of South Australia and to hold this new Government to account. And I suspect there will be a fair bit of work to do because it is a government which already in the few weeks since it has been sworn in has demonstrated a desire for a culture of secrecy, a budget emergency which now results in the next budget update being held in January in the summer holidays and stop the boats obviously now become buying the boats or hiding the boats.
I do want to make some comments about Labor in the Senate. There is always a lot of focus on the minor parties when it comes to the Senate, but Labor Senators are critical to the functioning and role of the Senate in our democracy. And it is worth remembering that important votes important reforms such as the abolition of WorkChoices, the price on carbon, DisabilityCare, the Better Schools Plan, the structural separation of Telstra which paved the way for the roll out of the National Broadband Network and of course the stimulus package which ensured that this economy continued to grow, grow jobs, and maintain a low level of unemployment, would not have been possible but for Labor Senators. Labor Senators are integral to the Senate being effective both in Government and in Opposition.
I do want to say something about my parliamentary and party colleague Don Farrell. It is deeply disappointing that Don has not been elected today. He is a fine Labor man. And for Labor what we understand from this campaign is that we have to redouble our efforts to not just seek a Labor vote in the House of Representatives but also in the Senate.
I thank those South Australians who chose to support the Labor Party in this recent election in the House and in the Senate. I thank my party for their continued support. I do thank the AEC too, who play such a vital role in our vibrant democracy. And of course always I thank my family for their ever present support. Thank you.
ENDS