Kelly O’Dwyer delivers valedictory speech declaring more support needed for women

Kelly O’Dwyer will leave parliament with a bang, calling out the Senate, “cheating” superannuation funds, “warped” social media and sexism in Australian politics during her final speech.

Lanai ScarrSenior Writer

6 min read

February 20, 2019 - 5:24PM

News Corp Australia Network

Minister for Revenue and Financial Services Kelly O'Dwyer. Picture: Getty Images/Penny Stephens

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Kelly O’Dwyer will leave politics with a bang after delivering a valedictory speech that has called for a crack down on the superannuation industry, lashed social media and its negative role in politics and called for more support for female candidates to win elections.

The long-serving Liberal MP who is the Minister for Industrial Relations and Jobs and the Minister for Women delivered her final speech to parliament declaring herself a “feminist” and specifically thanking former foreign minister Julie Bishop for her “friendship and guidance”.

She also called for an overhaul of the way the Senate operated, blasting it as “a forum to frustrate the Government’s agenda and the will of the people”.

Kelly O'Dwyer waves to friends and family during her valedictory speech in the House of Representatives. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Ms O’Dwyer said parliament had a lot of work to do to bring the superannuation industry into line and lashed Labor for not doing enough to support government reforms.

“For too long, the industry has been putting their interests ahead of members … millions of Australians have been cheated of billions of dollars in their retirement savings,” Ms O’Dwyer said.

“They have forgotten that the money they hold on trust is not the banks’ money, the unions’ money, or the funds’ money — it’s the members’ money. It’s their wages, and so the system must work for them.”

Ms O’Dwyer, who will not recontest her inner-Melbourne blue-ribbon electorate of Higgins at the upcoming federal election, suggested the government establish a “conflict free, low-fee government default” superannuation fund managed by the Future Fund to increase super savings for Australians.

“It would boost retirement incomes by taking advantage of economies of scale and would stop Australians from being defaulted into underperforming funds,” the protégé of former Treasurer Peter Costello said.

Peter Costello on the campaign trail with O'Dwyer in Camberwell during the 2010 Federal Election.

On women Ms O’Dwyer said: “as a feminist I have always believed that girls and women deserve an equal stake in our society and economy.”

She said more women were needed in parliament and they should be increasingly supported to do so.

“We need more of them to succeed,” Ms O’Dwyer said.

“I hope the example of female trailblazers in this place since Federation, as well as my own lived experience, demonstrates to women contemplating public service that you can have a family, serve at the highest levels and make a serious and lasting contribution to your country.”

Ms O’Dwyer said social media had played an increasingly negative role in politics and MPs should distance themselves from it.

“Social media, and a proliferation of tribal echo chambers, have led to warped perceptions of

Australians’ views, a failure to listen to alternative ideas and a decline in genuine policy debate and civil discourse,” she said.

“The default response here should not be to immediately outsource decision making (on complex policy issues) to unelected people. And sometimes parliamentarians need to prosecute the case for patience and a deeper conversation with their electorates.”

Jon Mant and Kelly O’Dwyer with Edward (left) and Olivia in January, when she announced her decision to quit parliament. Picture: AAP Image/Ellen Smith

Ms O’Dwyer’s husband Jon Mant, 43, children Olivia, 3.5, and Edward, 21 months, along with her parents Karen and Dan as well as siblings Kate and Tom watched from the public gallery. Many supporters and former staff were also present.

Ms O’Dwyer battled against a crying child in the public gallery as she began her speech.

She began to cry as she thanked her parents and her family for their support.

“I met my husband Jon 24 years ago at university and am so glad that we are on life’s journey together. I have relied on his advice, his reservoir of love and understanding, his truth telling, his great intellect and his selfless devotion to our family,” she said.

“I just love you so much,” she said as she looked towards her husband in the public gallery.

Her two children Olivia and Edward waved and smiled at their mum as she delivered her speech.

“Being your mum is just the best thing,” Ms O’Dwyer said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison sat beside his colleague as she delivered her valedictory.

He smiled and waved at her children.

Ms O’Dwyer’s cabinet colleagues Peter Dutton, Josh Frydenberg and Dan Tehan were present in the chamber for Ms O’Dwyer’s address.

Senators Mitch Fifield, Simon Birmingham and Sarah Hanson-Young also attended.

Many MPs showed up late to O’Dwyer’s speech including Angus Taylor, Christian Porter, David Coleman and Jane Prentice.

Noticeably absent were Tony Abbott, Kevin Andrews, Nicolle Flint, Andrew Lamming, Stuart Robert and Alan Tudge.

The Prime Minister Scott Morrison hugs Kelly O'Dwyer' after her speech. Picture Gary Ramage

The cabinet minister last month exclusively revealed to News Corp Australia that she was quitting politics to spend more time with her young family in an emotional interview where she detailed that she had suffered a miscarriage in Parliament House.

Ms O’Dwyer said the Senate needed significant reform saying the way it currently operated had “contributed to undermining faith in our democracy and its institutions and long-term policy outcomes for our country”.

“I think that elected Governments should be able to implement their mandates. I support the proposition endorsed by the Senate President for major parties to consider implementing an Australian version of the Salisbury Convention,” she said.

O'Dwyer is congratulated by Crossbench MP Julia Banks (left) after her speech. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

“This would mean parties agreeing to abide by a convention that the Senate won’t obstruct the passage of legislation to effect Government policy which has been fully and fairly disclosed to the Australian people well before voting commences in an election.”

On same-sex marriage Ms O’Dwyer said “one of the most nerve-racking days” during her time in parliament was when she declared her support for marriage equality.

“Many warned me it was a career limiting move. Maybe it was at the time. But I believe it was the right thing to do and I am proud that it will be a legacy of a Liberal Government to have legislated same-sex marriage.”

Kelly O’Dwyer says more support is needed for women to be elected to parliament. Picture Gary Ramage

The 41-year-old also praised her fellow Victorians — Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tony Smith, and President of the Senate, Scott Ryan — and called out their lifelong friendship.

“I am lucky that before I came into this place I had two lifelong friends who were already here … Tony Smith … and … Scott Ryan — who are like big brothers to me, and like big brothers can both delight and infuriate me.”

She also thanked Prime Minister Scott Morrison for his support.

“I know that with you our country is in good hands,” Ms O’Dwyer said.

She also paid special thanks to former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

O'Dwyer addresses the National Press Club in Canberra, November 2018. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Elected at the 2009 by-election triggered by former Treasurer Peter Costello’s resignation, Ms O’Dwyer was subsequently elected at the 2010, 2013 and 2016 polls.

She had worked in Mr Costello’s office prior to her entry into elected life.

Ms O’Dwyer was the youngest female member of cabinet, the first female parliamentarian to hold a Treasury related portfolio in cabinet when Financial Services and Revenue Minister and the first cabinet minister to have children while serving at the highest levels of government.

In 2015, after returning to work following the birth of her daughter Olivia, Ms O’Dwyer controversially was told to express more breastmilk by the then chief government whip Scott Buchholz to ensure she did not miss important votes on the floor of parliament.

The Melbourne MP has attracted huge controversy as the Minister for Industrial Relations and Jobs, often being the subject of attack from unions.

After her resignation a social media page labelled “Union News Australia” posted a picture of the Minister with the words “bye, bye, bitch” next to her face.

lanai.scarr@news.com.au

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