Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Hansard source

There was an award given today which I think is worthy of acknowledgement. I'll be very brief. It's unusual for all of us to have any occasion where an award is given for our work in parliament, but an award was given both to the former member for Indi, Cathy McGowan, and to you, Mr Speaker.

The Accountability Round Table presented what is called the Parliamentary Integrity Award, and in that they acknowledge the work that you've done as chair—specifically some difficult decisions that you had to make during the medevac debate last year, where, effectively, you handed over a difficult decision to the House itself to resolve—and also for being the first Speaker ever to have been nominated by each side of the House, and I think it's important that the parliament simply note that and congratulate you on it.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

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