Page 4125 - Week 15 - Thursday, 17 December 1992
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It is the mark of Jeff that all people who know him speak only in glowing terms of his humility, his sincerity, and that basic characteristic which I think all of us aspire to, and that is to be a true Australian. Jeff has that capacity to overcome adversity which is presented to attendants and people servicing this chamber. It is not an easy place in which to work. Tensions build up across the chamber on particular political issues; yet the staff of the Secretariat, and in particular the attendants, are required to continue their normal business and to serve each of the members of the Assembly and in turn the ACT people. It is fitting, on the occasion of Jeff's retirement, which I understand will be on 5 February next year, that we pay the proper regard, through our comments on Jeff, to all of the attendants and all of the staff that work here. Jeff certainly will be missed. Very rarely can you say that a person's shoes will not be able to be filled, but I believe that that is the case in relation to Jeff. He brings something which is unique to this chamber and a service which is unique to the people of Canberra.
Foster-Children
MR DE DOMENICO (4.28): Madam Speaker, 13-year-old Sarah's Christmas wish is to visit her father's grave in South Australia for the first time. That is a sad kind of Christmas wish, even sadder when you know that it may not be possible. Sarah is one of about 40 teenagers living with foster families in Canberra. For many of these families the joy of Christmas is overshadowed by financial and emotional burdens. At this time of year, when Santas and Christmas ads appear everywhere, foster families like Sarah's know that it is time to brace themselves for the "joy" of Christmas.
Sarah was placed through one of Canberra's main foster care services, Extend-A-Family Foster Scheme. The scheme places disadvantaged and often difficult teenagers who have been abused or abandoned and who are living in squats or refuges or with friends or on the streets. Caring for these kids is a tough job and the extra strain of Christmas is sometimes overwhelming, as this extract from a report written by foster care coordinator Bert Huber last Christmas Eve illustrates:
The weeks leading up to Christmas were extremely stressful and busy. While sitting in the office listening to the so-called "joy of Christmas" by way of carols, the noise of parties and just the rush of those trying to complete Christmas shopping, I worked hard at trying to make Christmas arrangements for those children in care.
This is probably the most stressful task of my job. It destroyed any feeling I had about the so-called "joy of Christmas" last year and it was successful in doing so again this year. Again I was faced with the task of dealing with either children who wanted to go home but were not allowed; those whose parents wanted them home but would not go; and those whose parents would only allow them home for the day, leaving us with the problem of what to do with them if their foster-parents had gone away. We as a society have a lot to answer for in this regard as we set up false expectations that Christmas is a happy time for all.
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