David Hawker (Wannon, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I too would like to join with the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the National Party in congratulating you wholeheartedly on your elevation to the high office of the Speaker. I add that I was very fortunate to be able to work with you in your previous role as one of my deputy speakers. I appreciated the way you always, in a totally professional and genuine way, worked to cooperate, to make sure that the business of the House was undertaken in an orderly fashion. We made sure that this great chamber continued to work as we would all like it to.

As has been mentioned, you are a very experienced member of parliament and you had nearly 12 years as Deputy Speaker. Justifiably, you have earned the respect of both sides of this chamber, which is I think an essential part of being able to undertake this very important role. I have every confidence that you will uphold the dignity of the House and I think you will continue to maintain the very important part that parliament plays in the democratic processes of this country.

I was reminded to look in the House of Representatives Practice, particularly when I heard the Prime Minister quoting Philip Laundy. The Practice mentions:

The role the Speaker plays by virtue of the office requires the position to be filled by a dedicated, senior and experienced parliamentarian. The qualities required in a Speaker have been described in the following ways:

It is parliamentary rather than legal experience which is the first requirement of a Speaker. He must have an intimate understanding of parliamentary life, of the problems of Members collectively and individually, of the moods and foibles of the House; an experience which can be acquired only through many years spent on the benches of the House itself. He must have a deep-seated reverence for the institution of Parliament, an understanding of what lies behind the outward ceremony and a faith in democratic government.

I think on all counts, Mr Speaker, you qualify. With your 21 years in parliament prior to becoming Speaker—which, coincidentally, is the same time that I spent prior to becoming Speaker—I believe that your knowledge of procedures, your understanding of parliamentary life, and of course your experience all equip you extremely well for this most important role. You are the 26th person to be Speaker of the parliament, and for that I certainly congratulate you. To clarify: there were two Speakers who served on two separate occasions. It is also significant, I must add, that seven of the last 11 Speakers have come from the great state of Victoria.

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