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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 5 Hansard (8 May) . . Page.. 1811 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

premierships than my team, St Kilda. I do recall that Mark, apart from being the Clerk of the Assembly and assisting everyone in a professional capacity, has always got behind other activities.

A couple of members have mentioned that he played rugby, ex-Chevalier. In the 1970s, as a much younger bloke, he also played for the then Tuggeranong Rugby Club, and he played in one of the better positions. He wasn't a fancy, prancing, prima donna back; he was a prop. When we had our first match against the media, we had trouble scratching together a team. Thank God, we had Brad Girvan, an ex-Wallaby. We played at the then Rugby Park at Ainslie. Mark has a photo of that in his office and it is well worth seeing, because the grass had not been mowed for awhile and was about 21/2 feet high.

Rosemary Follett, the then Chief Minister, kicked off and we played this amazing game with Mark as prop and quite a number of Assembly members. Mark, I remember, put in an amazingly solid performance. He was a bit puffed at the end of the game, though, and was complaining about the game going too long, the length of the grass and the fact that it was played in November and the weather was very hot.

Some other luminaries played in that game. I remember that the controversial Craig Duby, one of the colourful members of the First Assembly, had a run and went quite well, as did Michael Moore, whom I had not have picked as much of a player. He played on the wing and did a damn fine job. I think Gary Humphries played and distinguished himself by having no idea what he was doing in giving the ball to the opposition, much to the chagrin of myself, Mark and other people who played in the game. It was fun.

Mark has always been a great contributor. You have set the tone for the place, Mark. This place is unique because it is a small parliament. We are not very far apart in the chamber. We were a hell of a lot closer in the old chamber where we all started. But even small parliaments can go off the rails a bit and be much more antagonistic places than this parliament. Whilst people might not think that the Clerk has a huge amount to do with that, the position is crucially important if handled properly, and it has been. Mark has done that all the way through.

Sometimes when I talk to bureaucrats or people who are in a political job but do not have a political position I wonder how they vote. I have known this bloke for many years and I would not have a clue how he votes and I could not care less, but I think that that just shows again what a thorough and complete professional he is.

Mark, I thank you for your diligence, your friendliness, the way you deal with the problems of members and make each of them feel at that point in time that their problem is the most important thing in the world and you are there to do your very best to help solve it, and the way you have assisted all new members in this place and, indeed, the older ones who keep coming back to you with problems.

In the very many times I have gone to you with a problem, I have always come away a lot more relieved and a lot more edified as a result of the way that you have helped me. Over the years I have come to you with quite a few problems in relation to this place, some more difficult than others, and I have always appreciated the wonderful advice you have given me.

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