Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

Earlier today in the Main Committee I took the opportunity to wish everyone in my electorate a merry Christmas and to thank the Speaker’s panel staff. But, given the opportunity has arisen because I am not getting on my plane to go home, I would like to take the opportunity with everybody else to thank the Clerk, who is retiring after 37 years of outstanding dedication to this parliament. I want to thank him on a very personal note. Two years ago I decided to tempt fate and seek to become the Deputy Speaker. I had never sat in the chair before and, although I had been in the parliament for nine years, I actually had no appreciation of what the job was.

I remember that when I first became a member of parliament I actually did not expect to win and when it looked like I was going to I said to somebody, ‘What does a member of parliament actually do?’ When I became Deputy Speaker two years ago, I went to the Clerk and said, ‘By the way, what does a Deputy Speaker actually do?’ It was through the good graces of Ian and his staff that I managed to survive the experience. I will admit that my first week was a baptism of fire. We had no Speaker’s panel, we were sitting ridiculous hours, we were arguing over a Friday sitting, we had the apology and then we had the cardboard cut-out. So the sheer fact that I did not resign after the first week I have always put down to Ian’s good graces and magnificent help, because this place is a weird beast. As we are seeing today, it is an incredibly weird beast. The rules are arcane. There are only about two people in the place who I think fully understand them, and that would be Ian and Bernard. Without them, their guidance, their understanding, their patience and their magnificent generosity with time and information, this place would not run.

I personally can say that my experience was much the easier because of them. A couple of days in I was thinking of saying, ‘Look, I’ve changed my mind—I really don’t want to be the Deputy Speaker anymore,’ but I knew that there was always phenomenal backup and support from Ian and his staff. I want to take this opportunity to wish him well. I know he is not retiring; he is just leaving this place. Earlier this year I had the joy of travelling overseas and visiting many parliaments. Tragically, Mr Speaker, most of the people I met did not know who you were, but in every parliament I went to they all knew who the Clerk of the Australian parliament was. Everybody wanted me to wish Ian Harris all the best, because they knew it would be his final year because his 10 years were up.

I want to thank Erika, who was in the gallery. She has had to go because Ian’s grandchild, who has been incredibly patient through all this, has probably decided it is a tad boring. I want to say thankyou to Ian’s family, particularly Erika and his children, for all they have done in their support for him in this role. It is not just members of parliament who sit these weird and wonderful hours; it is the clerks, the attendants and everybody else. Their families are sitting at home wondering when they will come back as well.

I would also like to take the opportunity to thank the Speaker for his guidance and patience through my rather steep learning curve. I also thank the Speaker’s staff and his wife, Michelle, who is also a delightful person and a great support. We often fail to remember those people who put up with so much. I forgot while I was upstairs to say thanks to my staff, particularly Lindy, who really does run the place and help me do my job. I would never forget that, so I am going to tell Lindy how wonderful she is. To Joe, Jason, Rick, Louise, Janet, Liana, Sophie and David back in the electorate: thank you for all you do. To my wonderful Steve, Maddy and John: it does not look like I am getting home tonight, so I put on the record my appreciation and thanks to you. I thank my phenomenal mother, Joan, who makes sure that I can do much of this. Also to my father, Bernie, who has had a really tough year: I give my thanks to you for your support.

I know that Ian’s great day was actually yesterday, when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Cessnock, and today will pale into insignificance. But, again, thank you for everything and I hope you have a wonderful time in the next phase of your life.

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