Popular Nationals senator John "Wacka" Williams rates life membership of the Inverell Apex Club and being elected to parliament as two of his three major honours during his 64 years.
"The third honour bestowed on me was to have a cricket ground named after me in Perth - called the WACA," he said.
The typically convivial joke set the tone perfectly for the retiring senator's valedictory speech to federal parliament on Wednesday.
He reflected on political achievements often lost in the argy-bargy between opponents, highlighting his involvement in an inquiry into ASIC, which first recommended a banking royal commission in 2014.
"The one sad thing about the Senate is it works a lot better than the public thinks," Senator Williams said.
"When the public looks at the TV they see hand grenades being thrown around the chamber, a bitter atmosphere. It is not like that at all."
Greater regulation of financial advising - the so-called FOFA reforms - and tougher penalties for dodgy liquidators also stemmed from Senator Williams's involvement in inquiries.
While he often made headlines for standing up to banks and other dodgy financial institutions, Senator Williams also remembered having to defend Barnaby Joyce during the Pistol and Boo scandal.
In a BBC interview he was played the tape of the then deputy prime minister saying Johnny Depp and Amber Wilson's dogs could "bugger off" back back to the US.
Senator Williams wondered how he was going to respond, before being asked if that was how Australian ministers spoke.
"The English invented the English language and Australians perfected it," he told the interviewer, prompting the BBC host to break into laughter and extracting him from a jam.
Senator Williams paid tribute to staff, parliamentary colleagues on all sides of politics, media, family and friends - including singer Kamahl who was in the public gallery.
But he reserved his final thankyou for his wife, Nancy.
"I look forward to getting home and spending every minute with you for the rest of my life," Senator Williams said.
"And Mr President, that's stumps. Good luck everyone and keep well."
Australian Associated Press
