The last serving politician from the days of the Old Parliament House has formally bid farewell to his role of more than three decades, delivering an emotional valedictory speech in federal parliament.
Long-serving Northern Territory MP Warren Snowdon is retiring at the upcoming federal election, opening up what could become one of the most interesting battles to play out at the 2022 polls.
The Labor MP was elected as Member for the Northern Territory in 1987, during Bob Hawke's prime ministership, and since then has continued to win elections – all but one – for the seat of Lingiari.
"It was a different world in 1987, no mobile phones, no internet … life in the Old Parliament House was so, so far different, from what you lucky buggers have got here," he told his colleagues.
In a wide-ranging speech, Mr Snowdon spoke warmly of his times on the road in his electorate, the political battles over land rights and policy for Aboriginal Australians, and, his voice wavering, of the lifelong support he had received from his family, especially wife, Elizabeth.
"From the very outset of this wonderful journey that I've been involved in, I made clear in my first speech that my priority and desire to represent and advocate for the interests of First Australians was my most significant responsibility," he said.
"But, if I look at the past 32 years in this place, the outcomes, sadly, have been often very frustrating and sadly disappointing, and their needs have not been met."
The Canberra-born politician reflected on some of the highlights from his tenure, along with his regrets: the Northern Territory Emergency Response — the Intervention — high among those.
"The Intervention into the Northern Territory wasn't warranted, shouldn't have happened, and it hurt a lot of people and still does," he told the ABC prior to his speech.
Mr Snowdon said he'd tried to push against the Intervention within his own party, during the Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard governments he sat in, but his cries fell on deaf ears.
"I tried to do things differently and didn't win," Mr Snowdon said.
"I won't disclose all of the discussions that took place, but I had grave concerns."
Controversies during a colourful career
A colourful politician of the old school, Mr Snowdon was also embroiled in controversies over the years — including a tale he claims was never accurate, a story in 1990 that he'd taken a taxpayer-funded RAAF jet from Townsville to judge a dog show in the outback town of Tennant Creek.
"It was a lie," he said. "I did go to the [Tennant Creek] show, but I didn't go there to judge the dog show … I was entitled to use the aircraft, which took me to Tennant Creek from North Queensland."
He was also in the headlines after a trip to a New York strip club with then-prime ministerial hopeful Kevin Rudd in 2007.
After more than three decades, Mr Snowdon said it was going to be hard to detach from the role, but acknowledged the time was right to step aside and spend more time with his family.
Lingiari looms as interesting election battle
Mr Snowdon's impending departure means that, regardless of who wins at the next election, there'll be some fresh blood in the seat of Lingiari for the first time in decades.
It's poised to be a two-horse race between Mr Snowdon's Labor successor — former Northern Territory government minister and Northern Land Council chief executive Marion Scrymgour — and former Alice Springs town mayor and Country Liberal Party candidate Damien Ryan.
Lingiari is one of Australia's biggest and most-diverse electorates. It encompasses most of the Territory's remote Aboriginal communities, along with the outback townships of Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek, as well as Christmas Island and the Cocos Islands.
Mr Ryan said he'd been on the road "constantly" in the electorate since being preselected by the party last year.
Ms Scrymgour has also been spending a lot of time on the highway, and said following in Mr Snowdon's footsteps for Labor was "daunting".
"I come in with a lot of trepidation. I mean, he's held the seat for three decades. His brand is well-known," she said.
"I hope that I can be as strident and as strong and as passionate as what I think Warren has been."
It remains unclear how Mr Snowdon's departure will play out for Labor at the ballot box.
