John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I advise the Senate that this is the last sitting day for Mr Gerard Martin in his current position in the Office of the President of the Senate. Gerard has been the senior adviser to the President since 2007. He has worked for two Senate presidents in that time, Senator the Hon. Alan Ferguson and me. In addition to his work in the President’s office, he has also served the parliament in a number of other roles. Many of you would be aware of his work as a parliamentary liaison officer to the Senate between 2005 and 2007. He was also parliamentary liaison officer to the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2005. Having served the parliament well in all these roles, Gerard has now accepted a position in his home department, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

It has been a hallmark of his time here, both as a parliamentary liaison officer and more recently in the President’s office, that he has been able to work with all sides of the chamber, and I know that he his held in high regard by all those who have dealt with him. I would particularly like to thank him for his work and support since I took the office as President last year. I am sure that all senators wish Gerard all the best in his future endeavours.

Honourable Senators:

Hear, hear!

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I add my words of thanks to Gerard for his time in this place as adviser to the President. When I became President the former presidential adviser, Don Morris, left after three weeks and Gerard came highly recommended to me by a number of people who had worked with him in this place while he was a parliamentary liaison officer for a period of time before that. I had great pleasure in appointing Gerard to this position. His unbiased ability to be able to give sound advice to the presidents on a number of rulings was something that I came to appreciate very much. We also became very good friends, as you often do with people you work so closely with over a long period of time. So I add my thanks to Gerard Martin for his wonderful contribution to this Senate, both as a presidential adviser and in his previous role. We certainly wish him well as he returns to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, where I am sure he will have a long and successful career.

Honourable Senators:

Hear, hear!