Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That this House place on record its appreciation of the long and meritorious service to the parliament by the Clerk of the House, Mr B. C. Wright, and extends to him and his wife and family every wish for a healthy and happy retirement.

Forty-one years of service is an extraordinary record. In a world where nothing lasts, one thing has lasted for 41 years, and that is Bernard Wright's service to this parliament. It has been long—obviously. It has been meritorious—of course. And it has been motivated by a love of this institution—a love that I would say is unmatched by any person currently serving in this place. I have known Bernard Wright for 24 of those 41 years, since turning up back in 1990 as a staffer. I can remember discussing with Bernard and his fellow clerks various parliamentary tactics which oppositions might use in the face of a rampant government, and Bernard's advice was good. His advice was just as frank and fearless with me as, I am sure, in other times and in other places, it has been frank and fearless with members opposite.

But what has motivated Bernard and what has been characteristic of Bernard at all times—apart from his utter impartiality and total dedication to the welfare of this parliament—is his legal skill, his profound understanding of the standing orders, his appreciation of how the standing orders could be changed and improved at any time and, above all else, his great love of this institution. We all say we love the parliament, and I suspect if we were not in this parliament most of us would miss it. But the fact is, we all too often love this parliament as, I regret to say, a vehicle for ourselves. But Bernard and other occupants of his office love this parliament as a forum for democracy and as the great council of our nation. We are so indebted to the Clerk's Office and to the various people who have held that office as the true guardians—the true keepers of the spirit and the ethos and the values—of this great institution.

Bernard, you have been utterly fastidious, utterly dedicated and utterly faithful to your task. You have been a very model of a public servant, and you have been a great patriot. So, as the 28th Prime Minister, I salute the 15th Clerk. The fact that there have been 28 prime ministers but only 15 clerks shows the longevity of clerks in office, and it shows the dedication of those who have held that office.

While I am on my feet, I probably should make some of the customary acknowledgements which we do at this time of the year. As well as thanking Bernard and the other clerks and all of the others who make this House operate—the Hansard staff, the attendants, the drivers, the cleaners and everyone who makes our life in this building possible—I would thank my own staff. They are indomitably led by Peta Credlin, someone who has had a little more publicity lately then she would like and who is undoubtedly the fiercest political warrior that it has ever been my privilege to work with. I thank my colleagues, so ably led by the Deputy Prime Minister, my own deputy leader, my frontbench and my backbench.

This has been a big year for everyone in this parliament but it has been a particularly big year for members of the coalition. What can we say about 2013? It marks the withdrawal of Australian troops in Uruzgan Province after almost a decade. Our troops have done a magnificent job but they have paid a high price, and we hope that their years of service and sacrifice will be honoured by a province and a country which respects the values that we tried to bring to that province and which honours the sacrifice and the service that Australian troops and others brought to that province.

We have had floods in Queensland. We have had fires in New South Wales. But, so often in this country, nature at its worst brings out Australians at their best. I am very conscious of the fact that this is the quarter century, the 25th anniversary, of this new Parliament House. I acknowledge the fact that, along with you, Madam Speaker, three others currently in this building were in the former building and were here as members of parliament on the day this building opened: the member for Lingiari, who has served diligently in this House; the member for Berowra, the Father of the House and distinguished Chief Government Whip, who has served in so many capacities, always with honour and always with distinction; and, of course, Senator Boswell, the Father of the Senate.

I suppose inevitably, for us, the big thing this year was the election and the change of government. I note that there have only been seven changes of government federally since 1945. I also note that each change of government has been accompanied by high hopes on the part of the people that it will turn out to have been change for the better. I am determined to ensure that the change of government that took place earlier this year is indeed change for the better and I am determined to ensure that it is a very long time indeed before this country again has three Prime Ministers in one year—not a great record, three Prime Ministers in one year.

One thing that obviously has not changed for the better is the departure of our Clerk. I know he will find a valiant, a diligent and a capable successor, because that is what happens in this place. But the fact is that Bernard Wright has been a servant of this parliament without peer, without equal. We will miss him, we honour him and we wish him all the best for the future.

See this speech in context