howdy mate
Friday, Aug. 19, 2005
from news.com.au
All mates together again
From: AAP August 19, 2005
SECURITY officers at Parliament House are once more free to use the word 'mate' as a form of address, with the ban introduced yesterday overturned today.
Parliamentary security staff (PSS) officers are now free to use their judgment when deciding how to address members of the public and politicians.
The daily brief sent to security staff today removed the directive against using the word mate.
The directive now reads: "PSS officers are reminded to treat everyone in Parliament House with respect and courtesy, and to be sensitive to the expectations of visitors and building occupants.
"In particular, PSS officers need to be aware of when a degree of informality may be acceptable and when a more formal approach is required, and should not use colloquialisms where these might not be understood or appreciated."
News of the ban yesterday sparked outrage and ridicule, with Prime Minister John Howard describing it as absurd and unworkable.
Mr Howard said overnight that he often used the term, and there was no need to ban it.
"These things are all a matter of context, and that's why it's impractical and absurd to try and ban something," he said.
Mr Howard said most Australians used the term mate, and its use was correct in the right context.
"There are circumstances where a more formal address is appropriate," he said.
"But in the same conversation you might start off calling somebody you've just met sir or madam, but as you become more familiar with your conversation and your exchange, you might end up saying mate." Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley today insisted on being called mate in the halls of Parliament House.
"It is a great part of Australian culture that we do call each other mate, it is a nice general description ... I think it's pathetic that the Government insists everyone goes around saluting them," Mr Beazley said.
Asked if he minded being called mate in Parliament House, Mr Beazley replied, "I insist on it".
"I think it's all gone a bit too far.
"We have a government drunk with power determined they will show very little respect to everyone else but they will make damn sure everybody shows respect to them."
Mr Beazley said the sad state of affairs in Canberra signalled the erosion of Australia's egalitarian ways.
"That is a palace of democracy, not the palace of imperial Rome," he said.
The instruction yesterday, which came from parliamentary security managers, read: "Officers are requested to treat any visitors to Parliament House with respect and courtesy and not address them as mate or use similar colloquialisms," .
Security staff were unimpressed. "It's un-Australian, sir," one told The Australian.
And as word of the controversial instruction spread, Labor MP Roger Price demanded that Speaker David Hawker investigate the mate ban.
By late afternoon, parliamentary overseers had got the message. The secretary of Parliamentary Services, Hilary Penfold, said last night she had not been aware of the mate memo but would overturn the ban today.
"While the basic message in the memo was fine, I don't think it was appropriate to single out mate and suggest it be banned," Ms Penfold said.
She was unaware of any incident that sparked the security memo. "I wasn't aware of the instruction until it was raised in Parliament," she said.
"I've had no complaints about the courtesy of our staff, who'll be free to address visitors as mate if they deem it appropriate."
Additional reporting by The Australian's Matt Price
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mackaj at 6:40 p.m.