(Announcements, 22 September 2016, Legislative Assembly, NSW Parliament)

I join with members of the House in paying tribute to Ronda Miller. I express my appreciation for her contribution to the New South Wales Parliament, especially to me and fellow Independent members of this House. In 2011 Ronda made history by becoming the first female Clerk of the Parliament in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. She had been a Clerk for a number of years. In 2011 we also had our first female Speaker, the Hon. Shelley Hancock. The following year I was elected to this place in a by-election and Ronda and the Table Clerks helped me to learn about the opportunities available to me in representing my community. The Clerks play a particularly important role for Independent members as we do not have the same structures as the other political parties—that can be a good or a bad thing depending on who one talks to.

Under Ronda's leadership I have found the Clerks to be immensely helpful and ready to advise—often on very short notice and about complex matters—and to help to find solutions to queries. My colleague Tammie Nardone and I thank Ronda for her quick and efficient support in drafting amendments to statute law or in explaining procedural matters to us. This Parliament, which can at times be a combative environment, relies on the Clerks to ensure that all members knows their rights and responsibilities, regardless of their political positions, so that it can run effectively. This is a vital role for our democracy. In closing, on behalf of the electorate of Sydney and the former member for Sydney, Lord Mayor Clover Moore, I thank Ronda for her service and wish Ronda and her family a happy retirement.

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