Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

On indulgence, in the same vein as the Treasurer, can I also wish him all the very best for Christmas and his family: Melissa, Xavier, Adelaide and Ignatius. The role of the Treasurer is an onerous one, and one which takes its toll on the incumbent and their family, and I wish them a restful break because they do deserve it. They do put up with a lot. I know the Treasurer will take this in the vein in which I say this at Christmas: I agree with him; he did marry well. In fact, I regard Melissa as the economic brains of the outfit! She is a very fine judge, and I hope he takes her advice regularly.

He mentioned that he punches above his weight. I will share with the House a little secret: in the lead-up to the last election we conducted a focus group and the focus group was shown a picture of my family, and one of the voters noted that I was punching above my weight as well in that particular instance. The Treasurer and I have from time to time run into each other on the weekends with our families in Sydney at various attractions. I know he has a beautiful family and I know they would be looking forward to a very nice break.

Can I, on the behalf of the opposition, thank the public servants of the Treasury portfolio for their work for the government of the day—the Treasury itself, ASIC, APRA, ACCC, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Royal Australian Mint and other Treasury portfolio agencies. They are all very fine public servants, and it has been a big year with Australia hosting the G20. The Treasury was one of the lead agencies and, in terms of the preparation which occurred under both governments—the Gillard-Rudd government and the Abbott government—they did Australia proud.

Can I particularly wish the outgoing Treasury Secretary, Dr Parkinson, all the very best. Also, on a personal note there is one other very senior Treasury officer who has left since my time as Treasurer—David Gruen, who has gone to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. I wish him the very best. I know he has not retired, but I do wish him the very best.

I thank my shadow Treasury team in parliament: the members for Fraser, Oxley and Chifley—a very fine team, thank you for your support over the year. Can I thank all my parliamentary colleagues, but particularly members of the shadow Treasury team; my friend the Manager of Opposition Business and shadow Minister for Finance, with whom of course I work very closely; and the other members of the leadership team in the opposition.

Of course, we all point out that our own staff make our lives tolerable. Can I thank my staff led by my chief of staff James Cullen. This year is our 10th anniversary together for James Cullen and I. I did remark that we might want to mark that by a weekend away, but we did not get around to that. He has been with me for 10 years and he is now my chief of staff, and a better friend or more loyal staff member I could not have ever wished for. Also, I thank Hugh Hartigan, Alistair Beasley and Claire Brosnan in my electorate office, and Carole Field, Ninos Aaron, Thomas McCudden, Theresa Alphonse and Raj Kumar.

Also, as others have done, I thank the people who make this people work—the attendants, the cleaners who work through the night and all the security who are particularly under pressure in this environment. They carry out their role with great humour but very effectively. I also think the Comcar drivers, particularly in my case John Stikovic, and even John Chapman, who insists on playing the South Sydney theme song every time I get in the car! Madam Speaker, he may do the same for you!

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