Page 6276 - Week 19 - Tuesday, 17 December 1991
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Valedictory
MR COLLAERY (7.35): Mr Speaker, I am pleased to follow you and Mr Kaine, and no doubt the Chief Minister, representing her party, will speak. For my part, I believe that we owe a great debt to all those who advised us in the early days of self-government. Some were experienced with parliament. Mr Wood had served in the Queensland Parliament, and Mr Whalan and Mr Kaine had served in the previous Assembly.
Mr Moore: And Ms Follett.
MR COLLAERY: And Ms Follett, of course. They brought with them some knowledge, and certainly - and regrettably - some good tactical skills which we had to match, and we tried very hard. I think many of us learnt parliamentary skills and we joined a rare company, in the Westminster system at least, of people who acquire a new skill - a parliamentary skill. I believe that, overwhelmingly, that skill that we learnt and perfected was used to the benefit of the community. I think all of us have travelled, in one fashion or another, with the odd slip on the way - and, as the former Chief Minister says, all of us have had that odd slip - along the path to serving the community.
I think we are truly representative only if we have at times some of the foibles and idiosyncrasies of the community that we represent, and I think that they can well understand us often through the things we do. For that reason, I have never taken too seriously some of the somewhat idiosyncratic behaviours of members in this Assembly. I felt that it made local colour. Nothing could compete with the Northern Territory Assembly's colourful character parade.
There have been some notable events in the chamber. I will not catalogue them; I will leave it to some wits in the chamber. But certainly there has been a good move in this town towards a healthy examination of politicians. At times it has been very close to the bone, but those of us who can endure that do so in service of the community - and we have done it. With respect to the minor events along the way, there has been some humour - but not enough. I hope that the next Assembly is a little more cohesive and a little less tense, and I confidently expect that it will be.
I believe that, from the Residents Rally's point of view, Norm Jensen, Hector Kinloch and I have forged true bonds, a true camaraderie, and a true strength because we have often felt out of the mainstream of the major party machines. We felt different, and we have been treated differently. And today was no exception. So be it. That is our lot and we will continue to do that in pursuing the interests that we see fit to pursue.
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