Page 3681 - Week 08 - Friday, 24 August 2012
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I am dismayed that the Assembly still continues to sit. Not being originally from Canberra, I follow the Bulldogs in the National Rugby League, so my one trip to Canberra Stadium a year that is guaranteed is when the Bulldogs come to town. That started 22 minutes ago at Canberra Stadium.
Mr Hanson: They are 12 nil down.
MR RATTENBURY: Well, they seem to have done a good job of coming back in the second half in recent weeks. But it is not all bad, because 25 August is my birthday. I feared I was going to see it in sitting in the Speaker’s chair listening to somebody talking about some component of the budget. But we have done well and it did not take that long. So I thank members for their brevity through the last few days. I wish you luck in the coming months, and we will see how it goes.
DR BOURKE (Ginninderra—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Corrections) (7.53): It has been both a privilege and personally satisfying to represent the people of Ginninderra in this Assembly. The final adjournment debate of the year is an opportunity for me to thank the many people who have assisted me in the Assembly since I became a member last year.
I acknowledge the help given to me by you, Mr Speaker, and your office; the Clerk, Tom Duncan, his deputy, Max Kiermaier, and their staff who ensure that the Assembly operates smoothly; the staff of the Committee Office who do so much research and report writing on behalf of committee members; the Assembly Library staff; the attendants who always greet me with a friendly smile every morning; Hansard and support staff who record most of the words we say; Chamber Support, the Strategy and Parliamentary Education Office, Corporate Services and, of course, executive support.
I thank my Labor colleagues for their support and advice. I value our conversations and the willingness to share ideas, as well as your warmth and care. As a minister, I also acknowledge the work of the offices in the four directorates and the CIT with whom I work. They do provide me with frank and fearless advice, and I appreciate the professional and thorough approach they bring to their work. These are people who work with the aim of providing the best services to the people of the ACT whom they serve.
I also thank my wife for her encouragement, her help and her forbearance.
Finally, I wish to thank my staff for their hard work and their loyalty. And I wish you, Mr Assistant Speaker, and the opposition and crossbench members all the best in the coming election. Of course you, Mr Assistant Speaker, will probably be handing out how-to-vote cards for someone.
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Mr Hargreaves): Thank you, members. I think that concludes the debate and satisfies the standing orders. Everybody has had a chance to speak. Before actually putting the question, I would like to say thank you very much, it has been a ball. I had a great time. I wish to put on the record my thanks to the
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