The passing of the Australian Democrats as a political force last week marks the end of an era, but their influence will be long felt, said Senate leaders of both parties.
Labor Senate leader Immigration Minister Chris Evans acknowledged the party's 31 year history at the valedictory session of Democrat senators Lyn Allison, Natasha Stott-Despoja, Andrew Bartlett and Andrew Murray on June 25.
The Democrats were inextricably linked to the development of the role of the Senate in checking and balancing power in government, he said. It was not only their emergence as a third force and their ability to hold the balance of power that were notable, but it was also the way they "allowed the Senate to find a positive role in Australian politics".
"If you look at the development of the Senate committee system and the powerful role that plays in accountability and the examination of legislation, that is a very strong measure of how that system has changed," he said.
"It is worth noting that governments of both persuasions managed to govern effectively while the Democrats held the balance of power," he went on to say.
Senator Evans may well have this in mind as the new upper house, which sits August 26, will see the end of a coalition majority ,but also the rise of the Greens and two independents – anti-gambling Senator Nick Xenophon and family values advocate Steve Fielding.
Without a majority in the Senate, Kevin Rudd's Labor Government will be forced to negotiate with both the independents and the Greens.
Liberal Senate leader Nick Minchin echoed Senator Evans in commending the Democrats, saying the valedictory session of the Democrats was an "historic occasion".
Senator Minchin reminded those in the Senate and the gallery that Don Chip, founder of the Democrats and their slogan "to keep the bastards honest", had originally been a member of the Liberal Party.
"We were all desperately sad to see him leave our ranks and start another party – and what a party it has turned out to be," he said.
The Liberal senator, who fought a bitter campaign in South Australia in 1990 against former Democrat leader Janine Haines, acknowledged her as a formidable opponent and said the demise of the Democrats was a reminder that no party, particularly smaller ones, "can take its continued existence for granted".
"To have survived for 30 years, he said, "is something quite extraordinary about the Democrats".
The Democrats were influential in many areas of public policy, much of it little recognised.
In 1996, when the Howard Government introduced new workplace legislation, it was then-Democrat leader Cheryl Kernot that negotiated 171 amendments.
Similarly in 1998, when the unpopular GST was introduced with Democrat support, (for which they paid dearly), it was again Democrat negotiations that achieved a number of amendments, the most notable of which was to exclude food.
The Democrats were hard workers, legislators and formidable committee members, particularly in areas of the environment, education, women's issues, immigration, refugee and indigenous rights.
Greens leader Bob Brown was forthcoming in his praise and commendation: "…you have been a most powerful force in this place for compassion, for humanity, for the planetary environment, for decency, for openness and for honesty," he said.
Senator Bartlett said he believed that one of the greatest things the Democrats achieved was to remind "the great body politic" of the importance of principles.
It was his wish, he said, that the concept lived on of – "greater honesty, greater transparency and greater effectiveness".
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