The death of the carbon tax may well have been an inevitability, but it took the new Senate its entire first sitting fortnight to finally vote it down.
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During that time – and particular over the past couple of days of filibustering and back room negotiations – some senators on the losing side of this debate have shone in both oration and in confirming a commitment to tackling climate change.
Amid ongoing speculation over Christine Milne's leadership style and future, the Greens leaders' Senate performance has been passionate, emotional and, most of all, resolute.
Senator Milne had a great deal invested in the legislation that created the price on carbon that kicked in on July 1, 2012.
Its abolishment on Thursday was personal.
She has spent much of this week seamlessly switching between offering forceful condemnations of the government's undoing of the legislation and in promising renewed vigour from her minor party in restoring action to address global warming.
Just moments before the final Senate action that killed the carbon tax 39 votes to 32, Senator Milne appeared very much a political leader determined to keep climate change at the forefront of the political debate.
“This is a critical moment for our nation and there are a number of new senators in this chamber today,” she said.
“Their vote today and the vote of every person in this debate will be the legacy of their political career.”
And with Opposition Leader Bill Shorten committing Labor to campaign on an emissions trading scheme as a central theme of the next federal election, his party's leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, championed the cause with her usual skill and smooth, calculated passion.
Another standout performer in this debate has been Tasmanian Labor senator Lisa Singh, grasping her new junior environment and climate change portfolio with gusto.
The shadow parliamentary secretary was Labor's most riveting advocate this week for keeping the price on carbon.
Again, just moments before that argument was lost, Senator Singh delivered a stinging rebuke to the government and those senators who joined with it in repealing the legislation.
“We are sending this country backwards,” she said.
“All for what? For playing politics. Playing politics with Australia's future; playing politics with the environment; playing politics with our children.
“And it is an outrageous moment in Australia's history.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tony Abbott and his chief of staff Peta Credlin addressed an urgent meeting of as many staff they could squeeze into the party room straight after the vote. A well done to the troops and a gee-up to sell the message.
Mr Abbott and his Environment Minister Greg Hunt then appeared in the PM's courtyard to make sure every Australian was aware they had just delivered on their number one election promise.
