Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

Members, I would just like to add a few words of thanks to all those who make this place run. As I frequently go around the country talking about we do here, I describe this as not a polite debating society and not a classroom but a battlefield. We have given up guns, swords and fists, and we fight with words. It is a fierce and robust place. Indeed, the width of that table there is, I think, two sabre-lengths, which is meant to indicate that we keep our discussion to words.

There are other people who help me in this job that I would like to thank as well: the President of the Senate and his office; Mr Deputy Speaker, Mr Second Deputy Speaker and their staff; the Leader of the House and the Manager of Opposition Business; the whips on both sides; and members of the Speakers Panel. To our Clerk, David Elder, it has been a pleasure to work with you and Clarissa Surtees as deputy, and also other members of your department. I thank the Secretary of DPS, Carol Mills; the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Phil Bowen; and the Parliamentary Librarian, Diana Herriot, who is at the moment the Acting Secretary of DPS; the House Table Office, which is vital to all that we do; the Serjeant-at-Arms; the chamber attendants; and broadcasting and Hansard staff.

You did ask, Mr Leader of the Opposition, whether or not there was a special Facebook page for Luch. I think that after yesterday there is a new title, and that is the Royal Order of the Bearer of the Bucket. Until we have enough money—please listen, Mr Treasurer—to fix the roof, he will have an ongoing capability. We have the committee office and committee secretaries and their staff, the research services of members, the Library and the Parliamentary Budget Office—all indispensable to the work we do.

There is the security effort that we now have to put in because of the increased concerns that we have, and we welcome the AFP as part of our family. The AFP always had a presence on the outer perimeter, but now they have a presence in the perimeter, within the confines of the building. They work with the PSS and the SAA, but they are taking a very leading role in keeping us, and members of the public who come to visit, safe. Our Comcar drivers were already mentioned, but they are appreciated by us all. I thank the IT service people; DPS; 2020; the International and Parliamentary Relations Office; the gardening, landscape, maintenance and art services; visitor services staff; our parliamentary house guides; the switchboard operators; and Hansard. To my own staff, I would like to give a very special thank you. They work tirelessly, very much behind the scenes, but without them this job just would not roll on. I would like to thank my own family who are always there, as both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition have said.

I have a couple of stats. We have introduced 212 bills and we have read, for a third time, 188 pieces of legislation. There were 91 committee reports presented to the House. We have met for 682.23 hours. Amendments considered by the House during consideration in detail stage were 171, and amendments from the Senate numbered 177. It has been a busy time.

I would just like to wish everybody a Happy Christmas. I thank the Prime Minister and ministers for the leadership they give the nation. I thank the leader of Her Majesty's loyal opposition for the essential work they do in presenting those ideas that we debate here. I thank also the crossbenchers with whom we have constant contact.

Most of all I think that the people of Australia can be proud of what happens here, even with our argy-bargy. It is a wonderful democracy. It is a magnificent country. May you all have a wonderful Christmas and a splendid New Year.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

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