By James Massola
- Joe Hockey stands by 'courageous' 2014 budget
- How the man who could have been PM crashed and burned
- 'Joe Hockey says funny things sometimes': His biggest stuff-ups
- Joe Hockey's final speech in full
- John Shakespeare on drawing Joe Hockey
- Peter Martin: Now Hockey says he wanted to tax the rich all along
Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop has angered conservative MPs in her own party for failing to deliver a speech in praise of former treasurer Joe Hockey in the Parliament or the Coalition party room.
The pair have a long history in the Parliament together, with Mr Hockey being elected in 1996 and Ms Bishop in 1998 and despite entering Parliament later, Ms Bishop entered the Howard government's cabinet a year earlier, in January 2006.
While in opposition they were key members of Tony Abbott's inner circle and leadership group, though the pair ended up on opposing sides when Mr Abbott was successfully challenged by Malcolm Turnbull for the leadership last month.
But it appears conservative supporters of Mr Hockey have not yet forgiven their deputy leader for backing leadership change.
Prime Minister Turnbull embraces former treasurer Joe Hockey after his valedictory speech on Wednesday.Credit: Andrew Meares
Several conservative MPs contacted Fairfax Media immediately after Mr Hockey's valedictory speech to complain that Ms Bishop had not addressed the party room or the Parliament about the former treasurer, and for being late to arrive for the former treasurer's valedictory.
Typically in the Coalition, upon the retirement of an MP - and especially one who rose to the rank of treasurer - the leader and deputy leader of the Liberal Party and the leader of the Nationals, Warren Truss, will give a speech in the party room praising the retiring MP or senator.
And a similar convention is usually followed in the Parliament, too, but Ms Bishop did not speak - she was also late for the valedictory - but Mr Turnbull, Treasurer Scott Morrison, Mr Truss, Speaker Tony Smith and Labor MPs Bill Shorten, Tanya Plibersek and Chris Bowen all paid tribute to the fallen treasurer.
But in comments that show the wounds of the leadership change are still raw, one senator said: "Malcolm did the right thing in the party room and Parliament and normally you can't stop Julie from talking in party room. In these circumstances it's always the leader and deputy".
Mr Hockey receives a standing ovation from colleagues upon his farewell speech.Credit: Andrew Meares
A second Liberal MP said he had spoken to several colleagues who were shocked Ms Bishop had not spoken.
"We all know the shit that went on between Malcolm and Joe but it was a really warm and good speech [from Mr Hockey], but she didn't speak in party room or the chamber. Why couldn't she put a delegation [of diplomats] off for 15 minutes?"
Former treasurer Joe Hockey and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop last month.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
During Mr Hockey's speech, Liberal frontbencher Jamie Briggs, responded to queries about Ms Bishop's early absence by tweeting that the Foreign Minister "is here and was late because she was with a delegation from Iraq".
Ms Bishop then added that "Yes, I'm sitting right in front of Joe Hockey".
Julie Bishop and Joe Hockey depart question time last month.Credit: Andrew Meares
The Foreign Minister subsequently tweeted a picture of herself with a delegation of senior officials from Syria, Iraq and Kurdistan and the Iraqi and Australian ambassadors.
A spokeswoman for Ms Bishop said the minister had had a "long-standing commitment with the foreign relations head of the Kurdistan Regional Government, the Iraqi Ambassador to Australia, Australia's Ambassador to Iraq and accompanying delegation to discuss, amongst other things, our joint efforts against Daesh [Islamic State] and counter terrorism. The meeting commenced at 11am and concluded at 11.43am and at 11.45am the minister was in the chamber."
Mr Hockey's speech had been scheduled to begin at 11am but started late.
Mr Turnbull described Mr Hockey as a giant of the Parliament who had a "big heart full of love for a great nation".
Former prime minister Tony Abbott also missed Mr Hockey's speech as he is in Britain at present.