True tales, mostly from the legendary past

The following anecdotes prove that working at Victorian Hansard is never dull — and they are all true!

È Italiano?

It was to be an historic occasion — the first time in the Victorian Parliament that a speech had been made in a language other than English. The Honourable Giovanni Sgro, who had famously smuggled in a protest banner and held it up in the public gallery during the Governor’s speech at the opening of the previous session of Parliament, had himself been elected to the august Legislative Council.

The President explained in advance that Mr Sgro would deliver his speech first in [his heavily accented] English and then in his native Italian, and that the texts of both speeches had been checked to ensure that the translation was correct.

Picture the face of the relieving Hansard reporter whose turn commenced at the moment of the Italian section! Not having been present during the President’s explanation, she thought her ears were deceiving her but nonetheless without missing a beat wrote down the Italian words phonetically in her excellent Pitman shorthand (and probably could have transcribed them, too).

Our boy, Jim

Jim McGregor is one of our VAT stars. Formerly a permanent reporter, Jim now works sessionally. He is not shy and has made his mark in both chambers.

On one occasion during the Kennett years, when Jim was part of the team reporting a committee stage debate in the Legislative Council, having been relieved by the next reporter he stood to leave at the same time as the minister at the other side of the table also stood to answer a question. The minister noticed that Jim was dithering — probably wondering whether he had everything he needed — and said, ‘Do you want to say something, Jim?’. Jim just smiled. For once Jim was speechless, and he lost the only opportunity he was likely to get to make a speech in the chamber!

Jim also had his 15 seconds of fame in the Legislative Assembly chamber. A couple of years ago the member chairing a session of Students Parliament asked the participants whether anyone knew who Sir Henry Bolte, the member’s uncle, was. Sir Henry, who was a colourful character, was Premier for 13 years from the late 1950s until the early 1970s. There was deathly silence in the chamber. Then, lo and behold, from the reporter’s box Jim piped up and said, ‘I know’. Jim had made his mark again!

Leaflet attack!

In the Legislative Council reporters sit at the table in the centre of the chamber. One day a couple of years ago a person in the public gallery decided to protest against the passage the previous day of a public transport bill by not only standing and yelling but also throwing into the chamber a number of leaflets, not one at a time but in bundles! The two reporters in the chamber at the time copped the lot, with bundles of leaflets raining down on their heads and falling onto their steno machines. The member who was speaking at the time just continued speaking, and it was left to a more considerate member to interrupt the debate and inquire after their wellbeing. As befitting true professionals, the reporters kept writing through it all. And as you might imagine, they were not particularly impressed when one wit offered to provide them with hard hats for their next foray into the chamber!

Star quality

A few years back producers from the then Steve Vizard tonight show rang the office seeking someone to demonstrate the steno machine on the show. Andrea Kenny was chosen to go, and she duly appeared on the show that night with Vizard. His attempts at putting her off were to no avail — she was able to capture the gems that fell from his lips and accurately read them back without hesitation. Backbencher or TV star — it’s all in a day’s work for a Hansard reporter in Victoria!