The South Australian Senator will retire after 2 decades in the Senate and is set to join ANZ in February 2025 following his recent decision to leave politics.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton expressed national security concerns over Australia accepting Gazan refugees who may have ties to Hamas, sparking debate.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has criticised the remarks, but stopped short of taking any action, while the opposition has demanded sanctions.
The Coalition urgently called on the government to provide energy help back in January. But the government is defending its military assistance to Ukraine.