Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 5 (Hansard) 16 May) . . Page.. 1410 ..

MR HIRD (5.55): Mr Speaker, I would like to speak on the same note. It saddens me to hear that Keith is now leaving us. I first met the Serjeant-at-Arms, Keith Johnson, in the then House of Assembly in 1980. He was then the administration officer. He became the Serjeant-at-Arms at a later time, and was Serjeant-at-Arms in late 1982, when, as you would recall, Mr Speaker, the second House of Assembly moved from having a President to having a Speaker. On a number of occasions during my term as Speaker, the Serjeant-at-Arms assisted the Speaker in delivering noisy members from the chamber to the foyer. I recall one former member of this place and former member of the then House of Assembly, Mr Paul Whalan - a very colourful member indeed.

I also would like to say that Mr Johnson has two downsides, one might say. Firstly, he supports North Sydney and, secondly, I understand, he runs with the hare - whoever that might be - but we all have our little hang-ups.

Mr Moore: I would be careful on that one, Harold.

MR HIRD: I have no idea who he is; I am reliably informed. It is sad that Keith is leaving, but I know that all members and staff have seen him make a significant contribution to the new parliament and to the then advisory body, the first and second House of Assembly. He left this building, but then came back to support you, Mr Speaker, and your predecessors as Speaker.

I recall very clearly that we decided at an appropriate time to put the crest of the ACT on the cup and saucer. The Serjeant-at-Arms went off with his colleagues and had the crest put on the cup and saucer, and I had the honour of receiving the first cup and saucer bearing that crest. Now the Serjeant is leaving us; he is retiring. We wish him well, with his family. I would like in a moment to ask for leave of the house to give back that cup and saucer, so that he can sit under a palm tree, sip tea or coffee or other beverages and think of us and the duty we do for the greater community. On that note, I ask for leave of the house to call Mr Johnson forward and present him with the cup and saucer he gave me some years ago.

MR MOORE (5.59): Mr Speaker, since 1989 I have observed a change of Clerk and a change of Deputy Clerk, but it seems that the Serjeant-at-Arms just kept going. It will be quite strange for those of us who have been in this Assembly since its inception in May 1989 - we have just started our eighth year, I believe - to work with a new Serjeant-at-Arms. It was interesting, Mr Speaker, to hear your comments and those of Mr Hird and Mr Whitecross, with which I concur; but I did hear an interjection from the backbench earlier, when Mr Wood made a comment about a Harley. I am sure that the Serjeant-at-Arms would like to have that corrected on the record. In fact, the Serjeant-at-Arms's great delight is actually a Honda Goldwing. For the uninitiated that may not be important, but I am sure that for the Serjeant-at-Arms it is something he would like to see straight on the record.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .