David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As we reach the end of the parliamentary year, I stand to express my profound thanks and that of my team and the community I serve to the unsung heroes of our parliamentary community: to the diligent Hansard staff, whose meticulous work forms the backbone of our parliamentary record; to the Broadcasting staff, whose commitment to delivering our proceedings to the public exemplifies our open democracy; to the catering staff, who ensure that we are fuelled up and caffeinated to come into this place and serve our communities; to the security guards, who protect our halls and chambers with dedication and good humour; to the cleaners, who keep this wonderful building spotless; to the gardeners, who make our outdoor spaces so welcoming; to the library staff, who provide such speedy expert advice on the broadest range of issues, far superior to any Google search or ChatGPT; to the Parliamentary Education Office, who showcase our democracy to those who will inherit it; to the chamber attendants, who maintain order and support the smooth operation of our sessions; to the Black Rod and staff in his office, who create the environment for debate and deliberation; to the clerks, whose expertise and guidance uphold the procedural integrity of our debates and decisions; to the Table Office staff, who make the complex web of documents and lodgements flow smoothly; to the Procedure Office staff, who accept scores of requests from offices with understanding and attentiveness; and to the remarkable secretariat staff, whose research prowess and patience enable the effective functioning of our committees and offices.

I really want to acknowledge just how much pressure some of the secretariats have been under over the last few weeks with the flurry of very short inquiries and committee reports that are due. All of you are often unseen but are always indispensable.