SENATE vote counting in Tasmania has been completed, confirming the loss of Liberal Richard Colbeck.
Mr Colbeck – a leading voice in the Liberal party on agricultural policy – was dropped to fifth on the State’s Senate ticket after challenging power-broker Eric Abetz for the number one position.
A redistribution of preferences saw the former Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture – who was elevated to the role of Minister for Tourism and International Education in the previous parliament - trumped by the Greens' Nick McKim, for the final and 12th Tasmanian Senate position.
Mr Colbeck had run a below the line vote campaign as did Labor's Lisa Singh who was successful in winning the 10th Senate position.
In a statement, Mr Colbeck said it had been said many times recently that politics is governed by the hard and fast rules of mathematics and either you have the numbers or you don't.
“As has been demonstrated by the completion of the Tasmanian Senate count today, I unfortunately don't have the numbers to continue the great privilege of representing Tasmania in the Senate,” he said.
“I entered the Senate in 2002 as only the 475th Australian to have done so.
“I am enormously proud to have represented the Tasmanian people and the Liberal Party in the Australian parliament over the last 14 and a half years – it has been an honour and a privilege.
“It says a lot about our country that you can come from a dairy farm with a vocational education as a tradesman to become a representative in the parliament and serve at the level I have served, as a minister in the federal government.”
Mr Colbeck said his interaction and engagement with passionate people representing their communities was what he’d most enjoyed during his time in politics.
He said he was particularly proud of the work he’d been able to do on behalf of Australia's primary industries.
“Whether it has been investigating policy through Senate Committees or through Ministerial or Shadow Ministerial roles, working with Australia's farmers, fishers and foresters has been a wonderful experience,” he said.
“Our primary industries are full of extraordinary people working at the leading edge of global practice.
“The opportunity to develop and implement quality science-based policy for the fisheries and forestry industries that reinforced Australia's reputation as a global leader in this space gave me immense satisfaction.”
Mr Colbeck said one of the most important pieces of work he undertook was the Senate Select Inquiry into Australia's food processing sector.
“The Inquiry provided excellent insights into the supply chains for the agricultural and food industries and the policy directions that would facilitate growth in an immensely competitive global market,” he said.
Mr Colbeck was also the Minister Assisting the Minister for Trade and Investment in the last Turnbull Ministry.
He paid tribute to his staff, those who contribute to running parliament and many industry groups and representatives he’s worked with over the years.
“There are many friendships born out of our interactions,” he said.
He also thanked the Liberal Party, the Tasmanian voting public and his family.
Mr Colbeck was controversially dropped to fifth on Tasmania’s Senate ticket behind a non-member of parliament Jonathon Duniam - a former deputy chief of staff to the Tasmanian Premier.
Despite the potential loss of a senior minister to a non-member, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull did not intervene on the Tasmanian Liberal State executive’s controversial decision.
But in NSW, the replacement for retired veteran Senator and Junee livestock and grain farmer Bill Heffernan Hollie Hughes was originally pre-selected ahead of Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells on the Liberal ticket.
But the Moree based disability advocate was eventually dropped down the order to sixth position for the double dissolution election.
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The Coalition looks set to claim five Senate positions in NSW and the ALP four with one each for the Greens and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party.
The final position could go to the Liberal Democrat’s David Leyonhjelm who has been proactive and outspoken on farming issues since being elected in 2013, like animal welfare, biotechnology and research and development levies.
The ALP looks to have five Senators in Tasmania, four to the Liberals, two to the Greens while independent Jacqui Lambie has also returned after being originally elected for the Palmer United Party, at the 2013 poll.
On Twitter, CropLife Australia CEO Matthew Cossey said Mr Colbeck’s departure was a loss for agriculture as he’d been a strong advocate for farming, in parliament.
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