Page 1959 - Week 05 - Thursday, 6 May 2010
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
That said, Anna is not going quietly. While she is formally retiring from the workforce, she is no doubt going to be a very busy lady, pouring energy into those activities and beliefs that she is passionate about, and I think the looming federal election is undoubtedly one of those things that she will be putting a lot of energy into with her colleagues in the Labor Party.
Anna, I simply say thank you and good luck.
Ms Anna Landon
National walk safely to school day
MS HUNTER (Ginninderra—Parliamentary Convenor, ACT Greens) (6.44): I would also like to echo Mr Rattenbury’s comments. Anna has certainly been a fantastic part of the Greens team. She really did help in those early days when we were taking our baby steps when we first arrived, and I know how much assistance and support she has been to Shane in his role as Speaker.
She certainly does have a dry and wicked sense of humour. She is fantastic at crosswords. For that little bit of downtime at lunchtime when you want to do a crossword, Anna is a great companion. She is a true believer, a Labor Party true believer, but she fitted into our team and we are going to miss her. We, I think, have formed those sorts of ties and, hopefully, friendship that will continue after she retires from her position in the Speaker’s office.
I would also like in the adjournment debate to draw attention to the fact that tomorrow is national walk safely to school day. It is the 11th year that the walk has been held and it is really encouraging kids to be healthy kids. It is about promoting the health benefits of walking. It is about also making it safer because they are learning their road safety skills as they walk to school.
It is about, I guess, turning back the clock at bit. Many years ago it was most unusual for children to be driven to school. You usually walked to school, you rode your bike. In the case of Brian Quade, one of my advisers, you rode a horse. That is growing up in the country for you. It was not in downtown Canberra, I can assure you. But it really is important that we provide those opportunities for children to be able to have those health benefits and, as I said, turn back the clock a bit so that we are not putting children in cars every morning.
Yesterday Ms Le Couteur moved her active transport motion and as part of that motion I spoke about the important benefits for children to be able to walk to school. It is part of making our city friendly and is certainly, as I said, looking at how we can make it a safe and fun, happy and healthy way for children to get to and from school.
I am sure that all members received the information pack in their offices along with a poster and some stickers. I sent the stickers and the posters off with my youngest son to his class at Turner primary, where his teacher was very happy to receive those stickers and hand them out to all of the children. I am hoping that a number of them will participate and walk to school tomorrow. Certainly Turner is also one of many
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video