Two-minute Statement
20 March 2024
Today I rise to pay tribute to everyone’s favourite Scotsman—someone who has called Parliament House home for the past 32 years and has captured many significant moments through his camera lens. I speak, of course, of our favourite photographer, David Foote from Auspic. ‘Footie’, as he is affectionately known, is about to call time on this place, so today I’d like to focus the camera lens on him.
Footie has captured powerful moments that otherwise would’ve gone unnoticed, and he’s always greeted everyone with a very warm smile. When you walk into his Auspic office, the iconic snaps above his desk immediately grab your attention. There are former prime ministers, world leaders, members of the royal family and, of course, many members of parliament and senators adorning the wall, but let’s zoom in a little further. I have it on good authority that in recent years our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has remarked to Footie: “You’ve got more photos of me than my own mother had!”
As Footie prepares to take his final snaps and put his camera down, I’d like to thank him and congratulate him for his extraordinary service to this place over the last three decades. He’s always been passionate about preserving the history of parliament, and it’s fitting that his photos will now be preserved for many generations to come. As for what’s next, I’m reliably informed that he’s going to spend more time at home building his steam locomotives. We look forward to seeing the official photos when the project is done.
Footie, well done on a brilliant career and thanks for all your time here at Parliament House.
