Cathy McGowan (Indi, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Colleagues, I would like to congratulate, acknowledge, honour and thank 'Postman Pat' Halit after 60 years of service to delivering mail. He began work with the PMG, aged 15, at Warburton in 1956 and worked for one year in the general post office. In 1957 he transferred to Melbourne for training. He worked in various post offices in Melbourne suburbs and country areas. He was appointed as a senior clerk at Seymour and was promoted to postmaster at Eildon in 1972. He settled there, brought up his family, was involved in the community and stayed as postmaster for 44 years. It has been a staggering 60 years of service to the people of Victoria.

Sadly, I cannot be at the party in Eildon on Saturday night to acknowledge his service. But thank you to Pat, to your family, to your wonderful wife, Jeanette, and your three children, Lana, Shaun and Josh, on behalf of a really grateful community. We are grateful not only to you, of course, but for everything that Australia Post does: bringing the mail, being there, being the link in our community. I just cannot even begin to imagine the technological changes that you have experienced in that time and what is ahead of us over the next—imagine!—60 years. But, to all the people who deliver our post and to all the people of Eildon, thank you very much. Have a wonderful night on Saturday. Know that I am there with you in spirit, and thank you, Pat.