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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 1 Hansard (30 April) . . Page.. 263 ..

MR SPEAKER (continuing):

When Alex first joined the Secretariat, there were just two permanent attendants, and he has seen that number grow to double that, as well as five sessional attendants. He has dealt with a range of changes as the Assembly has developed and moved to new premises. Alex has been a key player in the development and implementation of many of these changes.

Alex has played a particularly significant role in maintaining the security of members in and around this building, much of it behind the scenes. For this I give my particular thanks to him, and I am sure other members would join me in doing so. I also thank him for his professionalism and assistance over the years and wish him well for the future, and I am sure all other members join me in that. Thank you, Alex.

MR OSBORNE (4.48): I was to rise in the adjournment debate to congratulate somebody else who has retired, Mr Eddie Weatherall from the Tuggeranong Vikings. However, I take this opportunity to congratulate Mr Fyfe. Both men have had long careers. I would like to wish Alex the best. In my three years here in the Assembly he has been a tremendous help. I hope whatever you do, Sergeant, things go well.

MR BERRY (4.48): I rise to speak on behalf of the Labor Party. Our experience with Alex Fyfe goes back over many years. Bill Wood and I are the only remaining Labor members of the First Assembly. I would like to thank Alex for his skill, care and attention throughout my time here. At some times it has been difficult. Nevertheless, Alex has always performed his work in this place with dignity and has always treated all of our members with the greatest respect, and I suspect that the same applies to all other members in this place.

One of the things about a successful Assembly which the community quite often forget is the people who work in it in the back rooms. The people who take the limelight are, of course, the politicians in most cases. Some of us get very envious about the limelight, but that never shows up amongst the people who work behind the scenes in Assemblies. They are the ones who make these places successful. Alex Fyfe has made his contribution to a successful, sometimes turbulent, period of self-government. Sometimes this place has been a parliament which Alex might not have wished to discuss when he was having a beer or a cup of tea with his friends. Nevertheless, he has always responded to the call of this democratically elected parliament and I hope he remembers it warmly. We will remember him so.

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