Peter Lindsay (Herbert, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I am not reflecting on the Queensland governor. She would understand, and she would agree with me. I also pay tribute to her new official secretary, Mark Gower, who is also an Air Force officer and who is also an air commodore. Mark Gower has spent a lot of time of his time in 395 ECSW in Townsville. His last posting was at Amberley, but he is now the new official secretary. He deserves that job, and he will fit that job very well indeed.

There have been a number of female governors, but of course there has not been a female Governor-General, so this is a step forward. I have not found a person who actually disagrees with that appointment. It is a very good appointment, and she will do a great job. There are so many female members of the community—across the community, in all segments of the economy—who are leaders in our economy. Thinking about that, Gale Kelly, the CEO of the Westpac bank, comes to mind. She was, of course, CEO of St George Bank, and is a very, very impressive lady. She is not unalike in stature to the Queensland governor. One of the areas—and now I will be controversial again—where perhaps females are not as well represented as they should be is in the churches. I find that quite sad, and I am not a Catholic but I certainly speak to my Catholic bishop about that. He has a surprising view on that, and I think, one day, we will see Catholic female clergy in the church. I hope we see that sooner rather than later. That would then involve a discussion on married priests, but that would be straying from the Governor-General Amendment (Salary and Superannuation) Bill 2008.

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