10 ASSEMBLY 27 April, 1988 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Wednesday, 27 April, 1988 FIRST SESSION OF THE FORTY-NINTH PARLIAMENT The House met at 10.30 a.m., pursuant to the proclamation of His Excellency the Governor. The Clerk read the proclamation. The Clerk announced that he had received a list, certified by His Excellency the Governor, of the names of the members to serve in this Parliament, together with the writs on which they had been returned; with His Excellency's certification that the writs had been returned prior to the day by which they were by law returnable. OPENING OF SESSION The Usher of the Black Rod, being admitted, delivered a message from the Commissioners requesting the immediate attendance of this honourable House in the Legislative Council Chamber to hear the Commission for the opening of Parliament read. The House went, and members having returned, OATH OR AFFIRMATION OF ALLEGIANCE The Clerk informed the House that His Excellency the Governor had issued a Commission authorizing the Hon. Nicholas Frank Greiner, the Hon. Wallace Telford John Murray and the Hon. Peter Edward James Collins to administer the oath or affirmation of allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen required by law to be taken or made by members of the Assembly. The Clerk read the Commission. MEMBERS SWORN All members, with the exception of Mr Hatton, took and subscribed the oath or affirmation, and signed the roll. ELECTION OF SPEAmR Mr CATERSON (The Hills) [l 1.201: I move: That Kevin Richard Rozzoli do take the chair of this House as Speaker. It is almost 12 years since a member of the Liberal Party has occupied the office of Speaker of this Legislative Assembly in this mother of Parliaments in Australia. I regard it as a privilege-more than that, a singular honour-to propose the honourable member for Hawkesbury to the high and important office as Speaker of this House in this Parliament of New South Wales. Kevin Richard Rozzoli has been known to me personally for very many years and, like others in the Parliament and in the Liberal political Party to which we belong, I look back with a great deal of pleasure to the by-election campaign in early 1973 which brought Kevin Rozzoli to this House as the 27 April, 1988 ASSEMBLY 1 1 member for Hawkesbury on 17th February of that year. Most of us will find it difficult to forget that day because of the torrential rain that fell and the soaking we all received throughout the hours of voting. He succeeded, as member for Hawkesbury, Bernard Sydney Llewellyn Deane, who held the seat for more than 22 years, from 17th June, 1950, until he resigned on 24th October, 1972. Since his election in February 1973, now more than 15 years ago, Kevin Rozzoli has contested six general elections, and I am very happy to be able to say in that time he has built up a record majority for that electorate. He has been a very active member of the Opposition over the past 12 years, holding at various times the shadow portfolios of local government; planning and environment; sport, recreation and tourism; business and consumer affairs; industrial relations; and industrial development and decentralisation. He was Chairman of the Liberal party's State Policy Committee from 1984 to 1988 and also was Deputy Leader of the Opposition. During his Parliamentary career Kevin Rozzoli has been a member of the Archives Authority of New South Wales and a trustee of the Australian Museum. He was a member of the Select Committee upon Parks and Mobile Homes and Caravans. It can be readily seen that he has acquired a wide knowledge of the State's functions and has contributed very positively to debates in this House over the past 15 years. Kevin Rozzoli has lived all his life in his electorate of Hawkesbury. He completed all his schooling at Richmond. He was school captain and dux of Richmond High School in 1955. On leaving school he entered the family business and trained under his father as an apprentice watchmaker. He was the top apprentice for watchmaking in New South Wales in 1960. Like many other members of this House, he served in local government. He was elected to the Windsor municipal council in 1968 and served for six years. Kevin Rozzoli has a wide variety of interests ranging from directorship of the Richmond Players to a competitor in equestrian events. His compassion for others is evidenced by his interest in the Haymarket Foundation as its director and chairman. This is an organization, based in Sydney, which provides medical care for the city's homeless people. He is well-suited to the high office of Speaker of this House as he has a wide knowledge of the procedures and forms of Parliament. This has been strengthened by his admission as a barrister- at-law to the New South Wales Bar on 5th July, 1985. You may expect that he will be helpful, compassionate, fair and just, but firm. This House has the reputation of being a bear pit. Though not in any way attempting to detract from the effort of the previous Speaker, Mr Kelly, to see decorum return to this Chamber, I am confident that under the Speakership of Kevin Rozzoli, honourable members of this House will get the opportunity to speak on behalf of their constituents and to debate the legislation before the House in an orderly and civilized way. I believe that he will prove himself to be a worthy custodian of the rights and privileges of all members. I commend the nomination of Kevin Richard Rozzoli as Speaker and urge all honourable members to support this nomination. Mr KERR (Cronulla) [l 1.291: It is with a great deal of pleasure that I second the nomination of my friend and colleague, the honourable member for Hawkesbury, Mr Kevin Rozzoli, for the position of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. In seconding the nomination, I wish to speak of the nature of the office of Speaker, the qualities we require of a Speaker and finally, Kevin Rozzoli's fitness for that high office. 12 ASSEMBLY 27 April, 1988 The office of Speaker is an ancient and honourable one. It dates at least from 1377 when Sir Thomas Hungerford became the first in a continuing line of identifiable Speakers. A Speaker is, or should be, one of the trustees of the State's freedoms. On his interpretation of parliamentary procedure rests the protection of the rights of members. It has been described as the linchpin of the whole chariot. In protecting the rights of members the Speaker is protecting the political freedom of the people of this State as a whole. It is a position which has been obtained at no little cost. At least nine Speakers are known to have met violent deaths, four in the War of the Roses. It is true that the former Speaker is no longer with us, but honourable members may be assured, by glancing at the public gallery, that he still lives. The reign of Charles I saw the climax of the struggle between Crown and commons, and the acceptance that the Speaker's first duty is to the House. This was immortalized in Speaker Lenthall's words: I have nelther eyes to see nor tongue to speak in this place but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here. The office of Speaker is the highest in Parliament and Mr Speaker is the custodian of the ancient rights and privileges of all members on both sides of the House. The institution of Parliament, which we all serve, is greater than political parties. The qualities we look for in a Speaker are integrity, competence and fairness. In many ways Kevin's life embodies these qualities. As the honourable member for The Hills mentioned, Kevin was both dux and captain of Richmond High School. He went on to distinguish himself in the trades. On leaving school he trained under his father as a watchmaker and won the bronze medallion as the top apprentice in watchmaking in New South Wales for 1960. That was obviously a great moment for Kevin, but his hour had not yet come. On 17th February, 1973, Kevin Rozzoli was elected to this House in the circumstances that were graphically described by the honourable member for The Hills. Since then he has built up a record majority in his electorate. A few months after his election to this House Kevin stated in a speech that since entering Parliament he had become conscious of the traditions which make up part of the fabric of the Parliament of New South Wales. During his time here Kevin has enjoyed a reputation with honourable members on both sides of the House for his undoubted integrity and competence. Ultimately he became Deputy Leader of the Opposition between 1981 and 1983, after serving as shadow minister in four different portfolios. Despite that heavy workload, Kevin made time to study law and was called to the Bar. As one who studied law when working, though at a much younger age, I can appreciate the workload and the degree of dedication and commitment that was required. I am sure that this learning will further equip Kevin for his role as Speaker. In his speech that I referred to earlier, in August 1973, Kevin stated: . never before has man looked so actively and so consciously at his environment. Now Kevin, by his rulings, will help determine the environment of this House.