Page 1758 - Week 06 - Thursday, 3 June 2021
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
have been concerning them for some time. So there is clearly a lot of work ahead of me as a local member to represent those constituents and see what we can do to improve the roadways in Lanyon.
But I wanted to talk you through the process that led us to getting to the point of a petition. I was contacted by a group of constituents on Harry Hopman Circuit to discuss an issue of traffic management in their area. Not surprising. Popped out on a Sunday to have a chat.
What did surprise me, however, was just how many times these constituents had felt that their concerns had fallen on deaf ears, be it a number of representations to Access Canberra, ACT Policing, and even members of this Assembly, both those that serve currently and those who have come before us.
That is an issue that I found particularly concerning. We know in our shared constituency that there is a sense in Tuggeranong of feeling left behind or feeling abandoned and feeling under-represented. And we do those perceptions no credit when we are not proactive and agile and responsive to our constituents’ concerns in real time.
I am really delighted about the level of cooperation that we have so far seen in this Assembly across the members of Brindabella to achieve outcomes for our constituency. When I was first elected, in my inaugural speech, I said, and I quote, and it does feel really strange to quote myself eight months in, but I will try.
I said, “I would like to encourage all of you, being the members of Brindabella, to join me for an informal Brindabella caucus in this 10th Assembly, a non-partisan effort that sees the five of us work together, meeting regularly to discuss issues of concern for our constituents.”
And the chamber erupted in laughter. That is because, Madam Speaker, it is not the way that things have historically happened in this place. It is not the way things have historically happened in places just like this all over the country.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order. The time allotted for the debate has expired.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
The Assembly adjourned at 5.21 pm until Tuesday, 22 June 2021, at 10 am.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video