Michael Forshaw (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Joyce did talk about how we were all going to be lackeys of these union leaders who were coming into this parliament. But that is not what I wanted to talk about tonight, Mr President. What I wanted to do, as I said, was be generous of spirit.

I want to recognise the contribution of people in this parliament, workers in this parliament, who ensure that we can do our job—that is, the staff of this parliament and particularly the staff of the Senate committees. We all rely upon them. We could not do our job without them. Those of us who serve as members of Senate committees—and I think all of us do except the ministers, who are prevented from doing that because of their ministerial responsibilities—know the contribution that the staff make. I have had the privilege over 13 years now in the Senate to have been an active member of many committees—standing committees, statutory committees and select committees. I know, as I think all senators know, the valuable contribution made by the staff of the secretariats of those committees.

Tonight I want to pay particular tribute to Mr Alistair Sands, the Secretary of the Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee. Tonight is probably the only opportunity for me to do this because the Senate will adjourn on Thursday and not come back till the budget session in May. I understand Alistair finishes his employment with the Senate committee this week to go on to another important position within public administration. I have been privileged to have known Alistair, to have watched him work and seen his contribution over a number of years. I understand that he has been employed in the parliament since 1992, except for a short break in the late 1990s. I know there are many senators who will join with me, some of whom are in the chamber tonight, in paying tribute to him.

I have always found that Alistair was not only a hardworking, true professional and a thorough and courteous gentleman but, to use an old adage, the person who kept his head when all the senators about him were losing theirs. As we all know, there have been many occasions when in the heat of political battle Senate committees, particularly estimates committees, can get quite volatile. Alistair served not only as the Secretary of the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee, which I chaired, and now the Senate Finance and Public Administration Committee, chaired until recently by Senator Mason and now by Senator Fifield, but also as the secretary of a number of select committees. One of those was what is known as the ‘children overboard’ committee, a highly contentious committee that certainly needed a cool head in the secretary’s position, given the politics and emotion associated with its inquiry.

I want to take this opportunity tonight to place on the record my personal thanks to Alistair for all his assistance, for his advice, for his courteous nature, for his friendship and also for the opportunity to have the occasional coffee at Aussie’s when we discussed the progress of our committee reports. The Finance and Public Administration Committee is a committee like all other committees, where the staff work long hours, often to impossible deadlines the Senate gives them—and that was shown recently when this committee delivered its report on the access card. They work late into the night and work on weekends, without any complaint and always in a professional manner. Alistair Sands will be missed by this parliament. I want to put on the record, and I am sure I speak for many other senators, that we wish him well in his new position.