In parliamentary committees, secretaries are on the stage, along with their senior officers. Members can and do grill you, in large part for the sport of catching out a minister. You are in the witness box and everything you say is in Hansard, on the record. Parliamentary privilege represents real power.

The main lesson I drew from my experience therefore was the need always to be wary and to be seen to show respect for the Parliament and its members and senators. Apart from anything else, it is salutary to keep in mind that any one of those interrogating you today could be your minister tomorrow. Most show great respect for the Public Service, but even those who do not deserve respect from public servants nevertheless.

Most ministers most of the time are also very respectful of parliamentary processes and, while frustrated at times with public servants giving away more information than they would prefer, or recommending that embarrassing documents be tabled, they do not usually appreciate public servants being cavalier or too clever. Advisers are not always as appreciative of these issues.

At times, it is not possible to avoid embarrassing a minister. Alerting ministers beforehand to this risk is always good practice.

A minor but useful lesson I learned is that Hansard does not reveal silences: taking a few moments to check papers or to consult officers behind you might seem at the time to reveal uncertainty or lack of responsiveness, but getting the record right in Hansard is of far greater importance. Do not be pressured to answer off the cuff: no-one sees the delay when reading Hansard.