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

Thank you, Deputy Speaker Broadbent; it is lovely to have you in the seat. Today I would like to take a few minutes to acknowledge the work of our staff and the contribution they make to helping this place work so efficiently. In particular I would like to name and think three of my staff: Simon Crase, who was my media and community engagement adviser; Rod Klein, electoral officer; and Karen Keegan, who is here with us today, my chief of staff and policy adviser. These three staff are moving on to do other great work on behalf of the people of Australia. But I would like to take this opportunity to thank them and in particular you, Karen, for your dedication, your loyalty, your wisdom, your tact and diplomacy, your courage, your good humour and your incredible ability to negotiate.

I would like to say on behalf of the whole parliament: all our staff work well and truly beyond what we pay for. If any of us are any good, it is because we stand on the shoulders of our staff. We will miss you as you move to the next stage of your life, but we know that you and all our staff will continue to do great work for us. We will miss you, but we know you will move on to bigger and better things. I would like to say thank you for what you have done for me, for the people of Indi and for the people of Australia. In bringing that matter to a close, I would also like to acknowledge the staff of all of us here. They work so hard and they do so much. But thank you, particularly to Karen, to Simon and to Rod for all the work you have done for me.