When Scott Morrison looks back on the year that he became Australia's prime minister, an apology he made on the nation's behalf to victims of child sexual abuse will stand out in his mind.
The October apology was the "most penetrating", humbling and significant issue dealt with in parliament in 2018, Mr Morrison said in his final speech to the House of Representatives for the year.
"It was a day that I think the leader of the opposition and I will certainly never forget, and I hope it's a day that those who've suffered that abuse will also never forget," he said on Thursday.
Christmas is known for well-wishing but it's not a happy time for everyone and some of those affected by sexual abuse will be among them, Mr Morrison said.
"There won't be the same warm smiles for many of them. There will be the same confusion, there will be the same sense of hurt and damage and things that they will never feel they can get over."
He urged the nation's lawmakers to think of such people, and others experiencing isolation, as they spend time with their families over the holiday break.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten also spoke of those who have experienced sexual abuse as children in his valedictory speech.
After all of the betrayals that they have endured, they gave the federal parliament a gift in allowing it to be part of their healing, he said.
"They sought the apology not because of what it would mean for them, but because they believed it was the best and surest way to prevent this happening again to another generation," he said.
"They reminded us of the privilege that we have in this place, and the power we have to speak for our nation and to serve it."
Mr Shorten urged the parliament to work harder to make redress real in 2019.
"Let us all do more to remember the gift that they gave us. To honour their example and to live up to it in 2019," he said.
Mr Morrison also thanked those volunteering on Christmas Day, the nation's defence personnel and emergency service workers.
"Whether it's our police officers or our firefighters, our nurses or doctors or others who'll be out there providing care, we thank all of them for their service over the course of the last 12 months."
