December 4, 2023
The President of the Senate, Senator John Hogg, has delivered his valedictory speech, bringing to an end his 18-year parliamentary career.
Senator Hogg was first elected as a Labor member from Queensland at the 1996 federal election. He was re-elected in 2001 and 2007.
He was Deputy President of the Senate from 2002 and President from 2008.
Twelve senators are about to leave the Federal Parliament as the July 1 changeover approaches.
The departing senators will give valedictory speeches in the Senate over the next two weeks. The first will be given tomorrow by the Nationals Senator Ron Boswell, who has been in the Senate since 1983.
The Senate has 76 members. Each of the six states has 12 senators, whilst the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory have 2 senators each. Senators serve fixed 6-year terms which commence on July 1. Except in the case of a double dissolution, Senate elections are staggered, with half the state-based senators facing the electorate at each House of Representatives election. Territory senators serve terms that are concurrent with the House.
On July 1, the State senators elected on September 7, 2013 will take their places. These 36 senators will serve terms that end on June 30, 2020.
Twenty-four senators were re-elected last year. Of the 12 who were replaced, 7 were defeated (6 ALP and 1 Liberal) and 5 retired (2 ALP, 2 Liberal and 1 Nationals).
The ALP lost one member in each state and will have only 25 senators from July 1. The party lost 3 members to the Palmer United Party (PUP), and one each to the Liberal Democrats (LDP), the Greens and Family First (FF).
Senator John Hogg, President of the Senate, has announced that he will retire at the next election.
Hogg is a Queensland Labor senator. He was first elected in 1996.
He has been President of the Senate since August 2008.
Hogg’s retirement frees up a right-wing, Australian Workers Union position on the Labor Senate ticket.
The Western Australian Liberal Senator Alan Eggleston has also announced he will not contest the next election.
Three Labor and five Liberal members of the House of Representatives have signalled their intention to retire at the election.
Statement by Senator John Hogg, President of the Senate.
Senator Hogg, Labor Senator for Queensland, today announced that he would not be seeking a further term when nominations were opened by the Labor Party next Monday.
He said that he was grateful for the opportunity his party had given him to represent the people of Queensland in the Senate.
Senator Hogg confirmed that he would serve out his full term to 30 June 2014 as there are still many things to be done.