Page91 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 2 December 2020
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It is a thrill to be out and about in Yerrabi. As I said last week at Palmerston District Primary School, if this is what being a politician involves then bring it on. We all know we have got great teachers here in Canberra in our schools. We boast an Aria-nominated music teacher of the year, CJ Shaw. He has taught at the school for more than three years. Last Wednesday night I joined the first rehearsal of the With One Voice Gungahlin Community Choir, which was started by the housing group Common Ground.
Last Friday I even got to meet Michael and Monica at their Aquaflo Irrigation business in Mitchell. The pair have been in business for 15 years, they employ over 15 people and have recently opened a shopfront. What legends! I just am so thrilled. Family businesses, small family businesses—the courage and huge contribution they make to Canberra and our economy—good on them.
You do not hear much talk nowadays about a strong work ethic, which is a shame because it suggests a professionalism, a reliability that seems to be lacking in some workplaces. Good manners appear to be fading too in a society that has become less civil and considerate and more combative and selfish. In the workplace it seems some people are more focused on their benefits than their responsibilities, more concerned with their entitlements and being able to dress down than showing loyalty and going the extra mile. These are generalisations of course but my attitude has always been: get to work and do your job, nurture a strong work ethic and show that you are keen, and you will always be employed and sought after.
In politics we talk about stakeholders. I have 89,850 of them and their average age is 32. They are the great people in my electorate of Yerrabi and they are the people that I have described to you. The issues, views and aspirations of my electorate—that is what matters to me. Yerrabi residents and families do not want politicians telling them what to do or how to live their lives. They can do that perfectly well on their own.
But they do want politicians to be honest, to listen and to fix problems, whether it is potholes in the street, keeping our reserves clean, providing facilities where families can enjoy barbecues and being outdoors with park benches, improving our environment, and reducing carbon emissions with sensible policies that do not break the bank. I assure the good folk of Casey, Crace, Forde, Franklin, Ngunnawal, Nicholls, Giralang, Hall, Kaleen and the rest that my two feet will stay firmly planted in Gungahlin’s soil.
Sadly, a recent report lamented that Gungahlin is still playing catch-up to the rest of Canberra when it comes to infrastructure and community facilities. The article said major roads had only recently been duplicated, the cinema is still coming, the police station needs an upgrade, the variety of shops is tiny compared to other town centres and there is a shortage of sports facilities, particularly indoor sports. Unfortunately, given that my electorate is the only electorate in the ACT that does not have a minister sitting around the cabinet table, I fear that the people of Yerrabi will continue to miss out when it comes to vital infrastructure and important community facilities.
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