Page 2844 - Week 08 - Thursday, 11 August 2016
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Mr Barr: Is there a part of the phone book you have not read out yet?
MR COE: It is funny, because I had a joke that I had finished up with the Canberra phone book and I am now into Queanbeyan. It is quite convenient that they keep talking about Googong and trying to track people back from Googong and Tralee, because I am going through that phone book as well.
It has been a pleasure and an honour to represent Ginninderra for the past eight years. It was a pretty tough baptism of fire in the preselection in that election campaign—seven weeks from preselection to election day. It was hard and fast. But it has been a real pleasure and a real honour to have represented Ginninderra. It is tough to leave that electorate. I think the numbers are that we are losing 20 suburbs, keeping eight in the village of Hall and gaining another dozen. It is certainly going to be a tough battle, but I am very grateful for all the support that I have received in that journey.
With regard to the Assembly, there are many people to thank. I particularly want to thank the Hansard staff for forever following me up for names and the spelling of them. I thank the library; the committee office; chamber support; facilities; and the education office, particularly Neal, who really did a great job. He did a tremendous service to the people of Canberra through promoting this place. To the government: we have certainly enjoyed the combat, but we have also enjoyed the humanity as well. As we have discussed before—indeed, we were speaking about it privately earlier—it is nice when you can have a battle in here but you can walk up the stairwell and talk about Geelong beating Hawthorn or whatever the case may be.
Minister Corbell, you really have been a lion of this place. I think there are two Labor members who I will forever remember and hold in high regard. One is you and the other is Mr Stanhope. I think Canberra will remember you very fondly for the contribution that you have made to this place. It has been a very mixed legacy that you have in terms of so many different portfolio areas—and some pretty challenging areas. It has been no secret that we have had our fair share of disagreements along the way, but we have always admired the way in which you fought that fight.
I also want to acknowledge Mary Porter. She was a great ambassador for this place. She did a wonderful job for politicians, as I think I said on her final day in this place. I wish her and Ian all the very best as they continue their retirement up north.
I also mention Val. It really is a fantastic story. He has been fighting to get into this place for so long and just when he in effect turned off the fight he got elected. It is a great story. It really is a great story.
To my colleagues, it has been a pleasurable term—as much as it can be in opposition. Jeremy, you have done a sterling job as the leader of our party, and I think we are well placed to take it to the electorate in October. To be fair, perhaps there has not been an easier time to be a Liberal and campaigning than it is right now. We have a great story to tell, and I know we are getting a good response as we are out and about—
Ms Lawder: There has never been a more exciting time.
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