Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, on indulgence, for the benefit of all members and particularly those who have served in the previous government, they may be familiar with Ms Barbara Belcher, who worked in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. I would like to make some remarks about Barbara, as she is retiring from the Australian Public Service. Barbara Belcher will be retiring on 8 April 2009 after a career in the APS spanning nearly 44 years, most of it in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Wouldn’t she have seen a thing or two!

There are not many members who have served in this place since it opened in May 1988. Those of you who have will doubtless remember Barbara. Among the various positions she has held, she was the parliamentary liaison officer in the House of Representatives between January 1988 and May 1990, and worked closely with the then Leader of the House, Kim Beazley, and the then Manager of Opposition Business, Wal Fife. She was, incidentally, the first woman to have held that position. Mr Beazley commented that everyone in the parliament knew who the real leader of the house was and therefore had all their conversations with Barbara, which made for more pleasant and more effective discussions than would otherwise have been the case.

In 1999 Barbara was appointed first assistant secretary of the government division of PM&C. In the 10 years that she has been in that position she has developed a reputation for common sense, probity and sound judgment that is, on most assessments, unsurpassed in the Australian Public Service. Prime ministers, ministers and senior officials have sought her views on a range of parliamentary and ethical questions confident in the knowledge that her advice would be well-founded and utterly reliable.

I first met Barbara on the day after the 2007 election when she arrived in Brisbane with the then Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Dr Peter Shergold, to present me with the incoming government briefs. Without her efforts, the transition to government would have been much more arduous. I knew at that time that I had met an individual who was in many ways the epitome of the professional Public Servant that I was hoping to find: dedicated, apolitical, knowledgeable, discreet and ready to offer constructive advice. I am sure that my predecessor also held similar views.

Barbara, you are here in the advisers box with us. Can I say to Barbara on behalf of all members of the government, and I believe all members of the opposition, that this has been a Public Service career which is exemplary—exemplary in its professionalism and in the length of service you have provided the Commonwealth of Australia. For that, the parliament and the government thank you.

Honourable Members:

Hear, hear!

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On indulgence: I join with the Prime Minister in paying our greatest respect and compliments and thanks to Barbara Belcher, recognising her 44 years of distinguished service to the Commonwealth of Australia. Barbara has held many senior roles across the Public Service and has been the essential bridge between the Public Service and the smooth workings of the parliament and the government, whatever their political persuasion, for almost a quarter of a century.

I have spoken today with many members and current and former staff, all of whom remember Barbara, as I remember her, as the font of all knowledge. We had a few discussions when I was a cabinet minister in the previous government and I found her knowledge completely encyclopaedic, unerring and always reliable. It was slightly frightening to meet someone in Canberra who was so precise and exact in their opinions. Above all, she has always been a delightful person to work with. Barbara has appeared before countless Senate estimates committees, always displaying the utmost professionalism and fairness to both sides no matter how provoked she may have been.

Barbara has forgotten more about policy and law on entitlements and parliamentary and electoral matters than any of us in this place will ever know. Many of us remember Arthur Sinodinos, the chief of staff of former Prime Minister John Howard, who is an unashamed admirer of Barbara Belcher and told us today that it was always reassuring to have Barbara’s advice as an exceptional public servant, a great credit to the Australian Public Service. She has lived the example that the Public Service Act envisions that APS leaders will provide in terms of the values, code of conduct, people policy and implementation of leadership.

We understand that Barbara wants to continue her work within the community and I have got no doubt that she will continue to manifest her lifelong commitment to the public good. I know that there will be many in the department who are very sad to see Barbara go. We know that she has inspired great loyalty in her own staff but I know that they wish her well as we on this side of the House also wish you well, Barbara, in your retirement. Thank you so much.

Honourable Members:

Hear, hear!

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Very quickly, on behalf of members of the House and officers of the Department of the House of Representatives, I associate myself with the remarks of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition on the retirement of Barbara Belcher. Can I say that I do not think I have witnessed anybody in executive government or the Public Service who has better understood the great links between this institution, the parliament, and the public and executive government, and I think she will be sorely missed because of that. I wish Barbara all the best in her future endeavours.