Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Deputy Speaker and colleagues, it gives me enormous pleasure today to welcome into the parliament and to acknowledge one of Australia's outstanding artists, internationally acclaimed potter John Dermer, who is celebrating 50 years of pottery and 40 years of working in Yackandandah. Colleagues, John is particularly famous and relevant to this place, because he was commissioned in 1987 to make 10 pots for Parliament House, and these pots now grace the Cabinet Room, both inside and out. So, in acknowledging 15 months of creative effort to make those pots, I am absolutely delighted and proud to welcome John and his wife Shirley to this place.

I would also like to acknowledge the huge contribution John made to my upbringing in working with my family to help us appreciate the role of art as both practical and functional. My mum and dad commissioned John in the early days to make a set of dinner plates and bowls for our family. John Dermer plates are now our family heirloom. So, John, on behalf of our community, Yackandandah, the state of Victoria and the nation, I thank you for what you have done. It gives me enormous pleasure to recognise and acknowledge your 50 years of creativity.

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