Page 82 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 13 December 2016
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Ms Lee then spoke in Korean.
Translation: Mum, dad, thank you for sacrificing everything for us. The best way we can repay you is to succeed. Dad, we did it. The time has arrived.
To my parliamentary colleagues, congratulations on your election and re-election. Red, blue, green or whatever colour you associate with, I look forward to working with each and every one of you for the people of Canberra. This is only the beginning and I stand ready to serve because, Madam Assistant Speaker, it is about Canberra, our Canberra. Thank you.
Visitor
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ms Lee): I would like to take a moment to recognise Senator Kim Carr, who has joined us in the gallery today, senator for Victoria.
Inaugural speeches
MS STEPHEN-SMITH (Kurrajong—Minister for Community Services and Social Inclusion, Minister for Disability, Children and Youth, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations) (4.23), by leave: Thank you Madam Assistant Speaker, and congratulations on your speech. It is an honour to rise in this place as a member for Kurrajong and a minister in the Barr Labor government. I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land we meet on today, the Ngunnawal people, and pay my respects to their elders, past and present. I understand how privileged we are to leave our footprints on their land, our beautiful city, this national meeting place, Canberra. I also wish to recognise the continuing contribution the first people make to the life and culture of our city and region and their ongoing quest for justice and equality.
Madam Assistant Speaker, I have read a few inaugural speeches in preparing for this one and the one thing they have in common is a lot of thankyous. Mine will be no different. My first thankyou goes to the people of Kurrajong who elected me to represent them in this place. I am proud to live in and to represent the heart of Canberra and I will always listen to the people of my electorate. Indeed, I am keen to ensure that we find new ways for their voices to be heard on the range of issues that affect our community.
As I settle into this place, I am grateful for the support of my fellow ministers and MLAs, my staff and theirs and the Office of the Legislative Assembly. Of course I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my campaign team: Ruth, Mel, Jen, Richard, Jonny and Zach as well as Anthony, Tina and Jon who started out with us on this adventure but whose lives took them in another direction during the year.
To the more than 100 volunteers who worked on my campaign, some of whom are here today—letterboxing, knocking on doors, making phone calls, organising events,
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