Roger Price (Chifley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With your indulgence, Mr Speaker: the Leader of the House and the Manager of Opposition Business have already commented about the leaving of Tony Levy, the Parliamentary Liaison Officer, who has occupied the job for four years. He is at the heart of seeing legislation flow through the chamber and is responsible for ministers and bills being on time and in the chamber. He has a thankless task in trying to talk to both whips to ensure how long their speaking lists are and how quickly legislation can get through. Tony in his four years has done an outstanding job. He certainly has the respect of us all. We thank him for his great contribution. Like so many people in this House of Representatives, we are totally dependent on people such as Tony and the way in which they do their job, their high standards, for us being able to do ours. I thank him, and I wish Glenda every consideration when she will become his boss when he departs this place.

Alex Somlyay (Fairfax, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to add my comments on behalf of the opposition to congratulate Tony Levy on his retirement. I happen to have known Tony since he and I were in our early 20s, as young blokes in hostels around Canberra, and I assure you that Tony has always been a nice, quiet, gentle sort of person, like me, who does his job to the best of his ability. Being in opposition, our task has been made a lot easier by the service that Tony has provided us. I join the Chief Government Whip in wishing him all the best for his future.

Kay Hull (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Nationals and as part of the opposition, and formerly as the Nationals Whip in government, I would like to take the opportunity to make some kind comments about Tony Levy and his service. His service has been absolutely extraordinary. He is an extremely competent worker and has always made the task of the whips much, much easier by his actions. I also wish his wife the very best in Tony’s retirement. I think that is one of those most extraordinary cases where there has to be some new ground determined in the household when one retires. From the Nationals and on the half of the previous whips: Tony, thank you very much for the service you have provided to us always.

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

I join with the comments made by the Leader of the House and the member for Cowper on Tuesday and by the Chief Government Whip, the Chief Opposition Whip and the member for Riverina, on behalf of the National Party, today. The admission by the member for Fairfax that he knew Tony in his 20s explains a lot, and I wish I had known that earlier. But, in all seriousness, the position that Tony Levy holds as the PLO—I should explain: the Parliamentary Liaison Officer—is a very important bridge between the parliament and executive government. He has followed in a great line of occupants of that position who have ensured that things have run smoothly, that there is a recognition that from time to time there are different priorities of this institution but that we are here to make sure those things that are wished to be achieved through the parliamentary program are achieved. I congratulate him and thank him. I apologise that I am amongst one or two people around here who have perhaps compared him unfairly to some of his predecessors, but I think that he has done the job with great distinction, as we would expect of officers of the Australian Public Service and in particular the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. I wish Tony all the best for his retirement, capital R through T.