Election of Senator the Hon Stephen Parry, President of the Senate

Liberal Senator for Tasmania, Senator the Hon Stephen Parry, has today been elected by his peers as President of the Senate.

President Parry becomes the 24th President of the Senate since Federation, the fourth from Tasmania and, at 53, one of the youngest presidents in the history of the Senate.

Senator Parry as the most senior officer in the Australian Senate becomes, with the Speaker, the third-highest ranked office-holder in the Commonwealth behind the Governor General and Prime Minister.

President Parry is widely respected as a highly-efficient Senate and parliamentary administrator and has now been entrusted as the custodian of the traditions and history of the Senate.

Elected at the 2004 General Election, his first term commenced in July 2005 and he was re-elected in 2010.

Senator Parry was Deputy Government Whip in 2006 and later promoted to Chief Government Whip in the Senate.

He served as Chief Opposition Whip following the 2007 election and also carried the additional responsibility of Manager of Opposition in the Senate – a role previously held by a shadow minister.

Senator Parry was elected Deputy President by his peers in July 2011.

President Parry, as Presiding Officer, succeeds the Hon John Hogg who retired from the Senate on 30 June after not seeking re-election.