Leader Senate’s youngest

VICTORIAN Liberal senator Scott Ryan has been chosen as the new president of the Senate, the youngest person to take on the role.

Senator Ryan was elected by his colleagues yesterday after former president Stephen Parry was forced to quit because of his dual citizenship.

Senator Ryan took up the role after he resigned his post in the ministry as Special Minister of State, with those duties to be taken by Finance Minister Mathias Cormann.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Senator Ryan, who was elected in 2007, had been an “effective, capable and successful” minister and would make “a fine Senate president”.

In a brief speech to the Senate, after he defeated Tasmanian Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson to take on the role, Senator Ryan said he would be the “servant” of all senators regardless of their political affiliations.

Attorney-General George Brandis, the Leader of the Government in the Senate, said Senator Ryan was widely respected “for his integrity, his authority and his decency”.

“It is important that the president of the Senate be a person who commands the respect of the chamber. I have no doubt that Senator Ryan will do so,” he said.