Panel session: Client expectations of parliamentary services in the future

Mr Smith was first elected in 2001 and is the longest serving Federal Member for the electorate of Casey, Victoria.

In his role as Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Honourable Tony Smith MP, was re-elected for the third time on 2 July 2019, stepping down from the office on the 23rd November 2021.

Mr Smith has previously served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister from 30 January 2007 to 3 December 2007, and in a range of Shadow Ministerial positions in the 42nd and 43rd parliaments. Mr Smith has served on numerous parliamentary committees, with his most recent role serving as Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Corporations and Financial Services in the 46th Parliament.

Mr Smith studied a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne. He is married with two sons.

Mr Smith’s bio at a glanceElected to the House of Representatives as the Member for Casey in 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019
First elected Speaker of the House of Representatives on 10 August 2015, re-elected 30 August 2016, and 2 July 2019
Current Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services
Former President of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF)
Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister from 30 January – 3 December 2007
Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training (2007-08)
Shadow Assistant Treasurer (2008-09)
Shadow Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy (2009-10)
Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Tax Reform (2010-13)

Mr Smith has been a member of a range of Parliamentary Committees including:

• Member of Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters (2004-06, 2013-15), (Chair from 2004-06, 2014-15)
• Member of Joint Statutory Committee on: Public Accounts and Audit (Chair) (2006-07)

David Blunt is Clerk of the Parliaments and Clerk of the Legislative Council of the NSW State Parliament.

David was appointed Clerk of the Parliaments in October 2011. Through his career as a parliamentary officer since 1990, Mr Blunt has held a variety of positions. These include: Deputy Clerk, Clerk Assistant – Corporate Support, Usher of the Black Rod and Director – Procedure, Director – General Purpose Standing Committees, Director – Standing Committee on Law and Justice, Senior Project Officer – Public Accounts Committee and Project Officer – Joint Standing Committee on the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Since 2019 David has been the Honorary Assistant Secretary/Treasurer of the NSW Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

Bridget Noonan joined the Department in 1999 to work in the Procedure Office, and subsequently worked in a number of roles within the Office. She was appointed Assistant-Clerk Committees in 2006, Assistant Clerk Procedure & Sergeant-at-Arms in 2011 and became Deputy Clerk in 2013. In September 2017, Bridget was appointed as Acting Clerk and became Clerk in January 2019. Bridget has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from Melbourne University.

Colin is the Speaker of the Victorian Parliament. He was elected to this role in March 2017 and was re-elected in December 2018 following the Victorian state election. He was first elected to the parliament in 2006 and represents the electorate of Bundoora in Melbourne’s north-eastern suburbs. Prior to being elected Speaker, Colin worked with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews as his Parliamentary Secretary. Colin has a strong interest in education policy, particularly in how education systems respond to the needs of students with special needs and disabilities. He holds a Masters Degree in Communication from RMIT University and previously served 8 years in local government, receiving the Centenary Medal for his contribution. He lives in Greensborough with his wife and three children.

Rafael Gonzalez-Montero is the Chief Executive of the Parliamentary Service, a role he has held since January 2019.

The Parliamentary Service is the largest of the agencies housed in the parliamentary precinct. As of 30 June 2019, the Service employed 718 staff. 63.5% of staff are employed to support members of Parliament or the parliamentary party offices and 36.5% provide corporate support services and advice on behalf of the Chief Executive of the Parliamentary Service.

Rafael holds a Bachelor of Business Studies in International Business (2006) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (2008) from Massey University. He started working at the Office of the Clerk in 2006, as a Senior Parliamentary Officer (Inter Parliamentary Relations). In 2014 he became a Clerk-Assistant, and still works shifts as a Clerk-at-the-Table in the House. From 2015 to 2019 Rafael served as Deputy Clerk and then moved into his current role as Chief Executive of the Parliamentary Service.