Outgoing Labor senator Louise Pratt has urged her party to take the hard road towards internal reform to avoid a repeat of the events that dumped her from parliament.
Senator Pratt was shunted from the top spot on Labor's ticket in the West Australian senate election re-run in April, replaced by controversial union heavyweight Joe Bullock in a factional powerplay.
Upon conceding defeat, Senator Pratt blasted her running mate for homophobic remarks and called on Labor to break the grasp of union power-brokers whose wrangling had delivered Mr Bullock victory.
It was a message she drilled home in her final speech before parliament, saying she'd witnessed first hand Labor's failure to reform in Western Australia.
"I really hope that the prospect of reform is made a reality. It is a challenge that we simply must meet," she told the chamber on Tuesday.
She also said it was vital the circumstances that prompted the WA senate election re-run were never allowed to repeat again, as it would erode the voting public's confidence in democratic processes.
More than 1300 WA senate votes were lost during a recount after the September election, forcing another poll to be held.
Labor senate leader Penny Wong - who is openly gay - said Senator Pratt had been a strong advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Australians and thanked her for her efforts to promote equality.
"Being gay in this parliament and open about it is certainly not easy. It takes a degree of courage, and I thank her for that," she said.
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