That this House congratulates The Honourable Stephen Smith on completing his term as Australia's 26th High Commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; notes that his time as High Commissioner came after a distinguished career in the Australian House of Representatives as the Member for Perth from 1993 to 2013 and as Foreign Minister and Defence Minister in the Australian government; acknowledges the strong bonds of solidarity, comradeship and friendship between the United Kingdom and Australia; recognises the important work that the Honourable Stephen Smith did to strengthen the close cooperation on trade between our nations and the strong economic partnership between the United Kingdom and Australia, rooted in ensuring real and tangible economic security for working people in both counties; welcomes His Excellency The Honourable Jay Weatherill AO to his new role as Australia's 27th High Commissioner to the United Kingdom; and extends its warmest good wishes to The Honourable Stephen Smith, and his wife Jane, for the years ahead and its grateful thanks for his work on furthering relations between the United Kingdom and Australia.
