Page 5424 - Week 14 - Thursday, 30 November 2017
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When the Clerk took extended leave in the Seventh Assembly, Max very capably acted as Clerk for a period of 11 months, as well as acting as Clerk on numerous other occasions over the past 14 years.
Max is calm, has given considered advice and is, as we all know, a steady hand. The Clerk, Tom Duncan, has assured me that he hopes that by the end of today, or maybe tomorrow, he will be successful in his search for a photo of Max of 14 years ago to put up on the Assembly Twitter account.
On behalf of all members, as Speaker, I thank Max very deeply and personally for his dedication to the Assembly. I wish him all the best in his retirement. Can we show our appreciation the way we do in here.
Members: Hear, hear!
MR COE (Yerrabi—Leader of the Opposition) (3.30), by leave: Madam Speaker, on behalf of the opposition, we, too, want to extend our thanks to Max for all he has done in this place over 14 years. I see that he was appointed in 2003, but it was announced on 10 February 2004.
As you alluded to, Madam Speaker, as part of his role here he has been the adviser to JACS and the scrutiny of bills committee. I know that in that role he has been very calm, has been able to deal with last-minute advice with professionalism and has an unflinching modesty in his dealings.
Words that come to mind to describe Max include “dependable”, “reliable” and “sound”. He really has been a model of professionalism here at the Assembly. I am sure that both sides of the chamber would agree with that.
We always get that customary grin from Max whenever we approach him. I have walked into his office on several occasions to see that very nervous and cautious grin on his face as I present a particular challenge that I am looking for his magic wand to wave over. He has done a wonderful job here, and we in the Opposition are very grateful. Thanks, Max.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (3.21), by leave: As the Deputy Speaker and a former Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to Max Kiermaier on this his last sitting day. I have been in the Assembly all the time that Max has been in the Assembly; I have been here longer. But in the last two terms I particularly had opportunities to work with Max, firstly as the chair of the scrutiny of bills committee in the Seventh Assembly and then when I was Speaker during the Eighth Assembly. Max and I had a running joke that any time Max said anything that I was not really happy with, I would threaten that I would make him wear silver buckles and breeches like a proper sergeant-at-arms. I think that I always had a compliant sergeant-at-arms for fear of silver buckles.
Reflecting the words of Mr Coe, Max is always cool, calm, quiet, unassuming and very professional. I want to compliment him for that. I want to assure members that on the day of the terrible incident in the Canadian parliament a member who will
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