Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence: I am not going to detain the House long, but I would echo the remarks of the Minister for Human Services. Helen Williams has been a loyal, dedicated and professional public servant for many, many years. We should honour those who are the muscle and sinew of government in this country, and public servants are obviously that. We would not be able to run a government without thousands of public servants, and the dedicated leaders of the Public Service should probably be acknowledged.

I would also like to congratulate, if I may, Finn Pratt, on his assumption of the secretaryship. I worked with Finn Pratt closely in the department of employment. He was an extremely diligent, hardworking and enthusiastic public servant back then. He supported the policies of the former government, as he should, and I am sure he will support the policies of the current government with equal professionalism.

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