aussie democrats say farewell

It is the final day in the Senate for the four Australian Democrats and the end of 31 years of Democrat representation in the Upper House.

There have been tributes to the party but also a focus on those who will replace them.

"Thank you to all the colleagues in this place and goodbye," party leader Lyn Allison said.

Government Senate leader Chris Evans left a sliver of room for a Democrat comeback as he paid tribute to Lyn Allison's leadership.

"The grace in which you've led the Democrats when you knew things were coming to a bad end - at least temporarily if not longer term - does you great credit," he said.

The Coalition's Senate leader Nick Minchin thanked the Democrats for doing the GST deal that some see as the beginning of their demise.

"I do acknowledge the enormous damage that that issue did to the Democrats as a political force but I think history will prove that those who did vote for the GST did absolutely the right thing," he said.

"I truly hope that those who succeed the Democrats will learn from that and be equally responsible.

"We farewell not only four Democrat senators but quite remarkably and historically, we farewell the Australian Democrats itself."

Democratic Senator Andrew Bartlett did not vote for the GST and he says the party was full of dramas.

"A very tumultuous 30-year history - we actually had a lot of upheavals quite frequently," he said.

He also says he is concerned the numbers on the cross-benches have gone backwards.

"Actually [it is] at a level that's lower than it's been for more than 20 years," he said.

Natasha Stott Despoja says the end of the Democrats is not good for anyone.

She says they will be hard to replace.

"Among the four of us we have 47 years of legislative expertise ... I've seen 69 senators come and go in this place since I've been here," she said.

From July, five Greens, Family First's Steve Fielding and the Independent Nick Xenophon will share the balance of power in the Senate.

Dave R.