Gordon Reid (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to commend Gosford's oldest train driver, Mr John Szabo, who is this year marking 56 years of driving trains in New South Wales. John is an incredible public servant, whose career started following high school in 1969. John began as a trainee engineman on steam trains in Sydney before moving on to driving diesel trains in 1976. Nowadays, John continues driving trains, although they are a little different to the steam trains of yesteryear that he started his career on. John drives trains all along the Sydney-Central Coast-Newcastle line which has about a million passenger trips per month. It's a very busy line across the public transport network and one that requires an experienced train driver like John.

I know that our community is so appreciative of John's commitment over the past 5½ decades. I'd like to take the opportunity today in this chamber of the Australian parliament to formally recognise John Szabo and to thank him for his unwavering dedication to public transport, to the people of New South Wales and our incredible place that we call home, the Central Coast. It is one of the greatest places in this country, if not the world. I know the member for Hunter might disagree with me, but the Central Coast is one of the best places on earth. Also, I'd like to make a quick shout out to my mother-in-law, Mandy Hilton. Happy birthday! I hope you have a great day!