Page 3606 - Week 11 - Thursday, 23 October 2014
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In addition to the events on the day, there is also the essential behind-the-scenes work, such as following up volunteers, calls to participants to see how they are going, organising training days and much more.
Another activity is the Tuesday night community meal, of which Thelma Leach and John and Patrice Simmons are the driving force. They purchase the food, join with other helpers in preparing the meal in the afternoon before serving at 5:15pm and packing up afterwards. It is a big job but one that brings so much joy to so many people. The meal also serves as a placement for University of Canberra nutrition students who come to assist and observe.
NationsHeart, like many other community groups, punch well above their weight in their contribution to Canberra. Of course, there is much more happening than what I have mentioned.
I would like to thank the leadership of the church, including the ministry team—Naomi Giles, John Simmons and Nick Weatherstone; the elders council—Craig Webber, Ric Glenister, Barbara Kennedy, Bronwen Frost, Alison Simkus and David Lewis; and leadership support—Tryphena Watson and Wally Harrison.
NationsHeart is one of the many communities in Canberra for which we should celebrate. I congratulate them on their 40th anniversary and wish them all be best for the future.
Unparliamentary language
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (4.47): I rise this afternoon to express my concern at recent examples of crass and unnecessarily sexual language both in this place and in the broader political discourse in the ACT. Earlier this afternoon we had Mr Coe in the discussion on light rail referring to Labor Party members in Ginninderra and Brindabella as “bending over and taking it”. I have no reason to understand why Mr Coe thought this was appropriate language to use in the chamber. It is certainly an expression that, when I went upstairs and took a straw poll on it amongst my staff, was considered to be rather offensive let alone unparliamentary. It certainly warranted, rather than just a begrudging withdrawal, more of a personal apology to each of the members involved.
Similarly, in last week’s City News, Ian Meikle wrote the following in his “Seven Days” column:
As PUP senator Jacqui Lambie might observe, the Greens cabinet cuckoo Shane Rattenbury appears to be growing a pair and taken umbrage with the Chief Minister, criticising her calls for a national or state-based clinical trial of medical marijuana.
Now, I know Mr Meikle. I know that he has a perfectly good grasp of the English language and a reasonable vocabulary as well. It begs the question as to why he resorted to that kind of language, which is generally considered unsavoury in public discourse, and why he resorted to blokey locker room language that, frankly, has no place in political commentary.
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