Page 4126 - Week 13 - Thursday, 6 December 2007
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Richard gets the McLaren formula I award—all the flash and brilliance of a championship-winning car but for some reason, year in and year out, cannot quite get that podium finish. With the penultimate round of the championship approaching, the McLaren has the speed and agility to run laps around the rest of the field. Reliability, on the other hand, has been a proven problem.
Let us turn our attention left to someone who proudly does not know art but knows what he likes: Mr Pratt. He gets the TAMS graffiti removal truck. An essential feature of this vehicle is the reinforced windows to shield the driver from any unforeseen rock throwing and attacks that would go through if the minister were not there to protect him.
Brendan, of course, gets the back seat of the Ford and we see him in the back crying, “Are we there yet? Are we there yet?” Vicki is driving the Ford and she keeps calling back, “Brendan, shut up or you will be ejected from the chamber.”
Deb, we all understand, drives the Prius. It is a little pricy for most Canberrans and she is only just beginning to realise that ridding herself of those batteries at the end of the road will be a real problem.
The Speaker’s award this year is the 1936 Ford coupe with the supercharged V8. It may look a little weathered but this baby can out-accelerate the best of the fleet.
That, of course, leaves me with my Subaru, surefooted and turbocharged, but I have to provide it myself.
Finally, I would like to thank all the hardworking staff in the building: the Clerk’s office for their stewards orders, the attendants for their marshalling services and keeping everyone on track, the library and Hansard staff for storing the telemetry data, the Committee Office for their wise counsel in times of uncertainty, and finally, my own service crew, for without them I would never get out of the pits.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Planning, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Minister for Industrial Relations) (6.26): I would just like to take the opportunity to wish everyone a merry Christmas and to thank in particular my office. I have had a number of very talented people work with me this year and as a collaborative effort. I am always very pleased to be able to assist in the careers and the development of the careers of a number of outstanding staff.
I would like to pay particular tribute to Dave Peebles, my chief of staff; Liz Lopa; Pierre Huetter; Ryan Hamilton; Luke Ryan; Tracey Pulli, who would like me to name her as the hottest office manager in the building—so there we are, Tracey; I have given you that title; Nici Sweaney; Anya Aidman; David Barda; and Colin Campbell, together with Cathy Cooney, Michael Cooney and Matthew Lawrence who have also worked in my office this year.
I thank my DLOs Marianne McCormack, Brooke Ellis and Geoff Virtue, as well as Chris O’Rourke, Jenni Campbell and Rachel Lee, who have assisted in those roles over the course of the year.
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