Madam Speaker, today is most likely the last sitting day and it’s appropriate that we should reflect on the year that’s been and offer some thoughts as to the year that’s to come.
Madam Speaker, while every year is remarkable in its own way, for many 2014 will be more memorable than most.
Now much has happened over the past year. Expected events like G20; unexpected events like the MH370 and MH17 tragedies and also the emergence of the ISIL death cult in the Middle East and elsewhere.
Madam Speaker, as the Parliament winds down for the year, it's right and proper that we all should acknowledge the families of those lost in the MH370 and MH17 tragedies.
Our thoughts are with them at this sad Christmas.
The search for MH370 continues in the Indian Ocean. It should be completed by the middle of next year. It's one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult search in human history over a vast area of the sea floor.
Nevertheless, it is being conducted with the best technology that we can muster and let's hope that we are in a position sometime before the middle of next year to resolve what is currently the most baffling and perplexing mystery of our time.
Similarly, Madam Speaker, the quest for justice for the families of the MH17 victims goes on. It is important that the perpetrators of this unspeakable atrocity be brought to justice.
I should also acknowledge the 500 plus Australian personnel who were deployed to Europe as part of Operation Bring Them Home.
They were reflecting Australia at its best.
On the same note, Madam Speaker, I should particularly thank Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston who not only coordinated our efforts in Ukraine but has been coordinating recovery efforts in the Indian Ocean in respect of MH370.
Madam Speaker, this year a new horror burst upon the world – the ISIL death cult, which swept out of Eastern Syria into Northern Iraq. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people were uprooted and disrupted by the dreadful advance of this barbaric force.
We have all seen on our TV screens the beheadings, the crucifixions, the mass executions, the sexual slavery. This is an utterly barbaric outbreak.
The ISIL death cult, which I refuse to call Islamic State because it is neither, has declared war upon the world and Australia, to its credit, has responded.
Our thoughts, our prayers, our best wishes are with the Australian military personnel in the Middle East right now; both our air contingent, which is engaging in effective strikes against the death cult and also our Special Forces contingent working with the Iraqi security forces.
Madam Speaker, there has been much contention in this Parliament, as you'd expect.
It's right that the policies of the Government be exposed to scrutiny in this Parliament. It's right that the Government and the Opposition fiercely debate the issues in contention.
Notwithstanding all the contention, all the controversy, all the political static, I think this has been a year of delivery from this Government for our country.
The carbon tax is gone, the mining tax is gone, a massive infrastructure spend is under way and three Free Trade Agreements a decade in the making have finally been negotiated and the benefits of these agreements should shortly be flowing for our exporters and for our consumers.
As the year began, our country faced two intractable problems: the boats and the Budget.
I think we can say that the illegal boat problem has largely been addressed. I don't say that it's finally solved. No problem of this magnitude is ever finally solved.
Nevertheless, thanks to the policies of the Government, the professionalism of our armed forces, police, Customs personnel and others, we have had almost no boats over the last 12 months. Long may that continue.
Another intractable problem – the Budget – is being addressed. I can't say that this problem has been fully addressed. Far from it. Nevertheless, a good start has been made and whatever criticisms people might make of this Government, I don't think anyone could question our clarity of purpose and our strength of character when it comes to tackling this particular issue and it must be tackled – it must be tackled.
This country cannot go on living way beyond its means and this Government is determined to ensure that the task that has been begun this year is successfully prosecuted next year.
Then, of course, Madam Speaker, on a high note, there was the G20. This was obviously a great moment for the city of Brisbane. To host the most extraordinary gathering of leaders our country has ever seen.
It was a great moment for the city of Brisbane. I thank the people of Brisbane for putting up with the inconvenience over that weekend. I congratulate the officials and the police of Queensland for the way the G20 was carried off.
Just for a moment, Madam Speaker, we here in Australia had a chance to see ourselves the way the world sees us, as a country which is as free, as fair, as prosperous as any on earth. Indeed, as a country which is the envy of people all around this globe of ours.
It was a fragrant moment for our country, a fragrant moment for all of us.
Madam Speaker, it would be remiss of me to see out the year without thanking you for the work that you do.
You have a difficult job. I think you have performed it with grace and humour. I refrain from talking as to who or what might make your life harder than it would otherwise be but you do your work well.
Madam Speaker, I thank the clerks for the work they do. The clerks are the permanent guardians of the traditions of this House. I thank the attendants for keeping this place running smoothly.
The Hansard staff for recording our words, hopefully of wisdom, for posterity.
The guides who make our fellow citizens welcome and better informed about the workings of the place.
The COMCAR drivers who get us around here safely and efficiently.
And of course, the cleaners who ensure that every morning our offices are bright, sparkling and welcoming. I particularly thank Anna, Maria and Lucia who look after me as they have looked after previous Prime Ministers.
This has been a year when our threat level has risen from medium to high. The impact of that has been felt around this building. I thank everyone who keeps us safe. The Australian Federal Police in particular, our security service, everyone who enables us to do our job as well as we can.
I thank the Parliamentary library for the work they do to make us better informed and sometimes even wiser than we might otherwise be.
I do extend compliments of the season to the Leader of the Opposition and to his colleagues on the Opposition benches.
Yes, there has been plenty of contention across the table as you'd expect, Madam Speaker.
The two fundamental tasks of government: national security and economic security. On at least one of those tasks, we have received a great deal of cooperation from the Opposition, as, I trust, were the positions reversed, a different government would receive from us.
John Howard often used to say the things that unite us are bigger and more important than anything that divides us and certainly that has been abundantly demonstrated this year on national security.
I thank the Australian Public Service for their work over the last 12 months. I particularly acknowledge the work of my own department.
I should in this place pay tribute to the just retired head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Dr Ian Watt. Dr Watt is perhaps the finest public servant of his generation.
He entered the public service 40 years ago, had a brief break in the academe before returning to spend 30 distinguished years in the Australian Public Service. Thirteen of those as secretary of four departments – communications, finance, he was the longest serving secretary of the finance department, defence and most recently Prime Minister and Cabinet.
He was the quintessential professional public servant – careful, cautious, considered but he always got things done and that’s hallmark of the Australian Public Service. They always get things done.
He leaves big shoes but I'm sure that they will be amply filled by his successor Michael Thawley, a very distinguished servant of our country who brings to the Australian Public Service the benefit of a decade in senior levels of business.
It's good to have this crosspollination between the public sector and the private sector and that's exactly what we will get from Michael Thawley.
Madam Speaker, I thank all my colleagues.
The Deputy Prime Minister who sadly is still recuperating from illness but has been a fabulous colleague and friend over the past 12 months.
The Foreign Minister and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party who has had a stellar year.
My senior colleagues in the Senate, Senators Abetz and Brandis, who have all done well.
The Leader of the House, the Member for Sturt – who is obviously detained on pressing business – has done the kind of splendid work you'd expect of him and I acknowledge his efforts.
I thank my staff led by Peta Credlin, the fiercest political warrior I've ever worked with, for everything they've done. All of us ride on the shoulders of our staff.
I thank my family.
We should all thank our families because none of us could do any of this without the forbearance and support of those who love us.
Madam Speaker, finally, though this is the season of goodwill, it shouldn't blind us to the fact that the coming of Christmas doesn't protect people from the vicissitudes of life. If anything, life’s tragedies are more pronounced at this time of year.
This Christmas marks 10 years since the Boxing Day tsunami. It marks 40 years since Cyclone Tracy in Darwin and, of course, it is 100 years since the start of World War One.
On this centenary, I'm reminded of the work of Charles Bean, the official historian of the Great War. He was witness to the most bloody and brutal conflict in human history.
Yet the worst of times can sometimes bring out the best in people. We're all aware of the famous story of the British and the German soldiers fraternising in no man's land on Christmas Day 1914 playing soccer and singing Christmas carols together.
On Christmas Eve 1916, Charles Bean wrote these words which unite believer and unbeliever, Christian and non-Christian. He wrote, "I'm not a religious man but this day represents the birth of a very precious ideal into the world. The observance of it is a sign of our attachment to the highest ideals yet imported on earth".
So, Madam Speaker, this is a significant time, it's a significant celebration, may it be this year, as all years, a time to reflect, a time to be with family and loved ones and a time to rededicate ourselves to our highest ideals.
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