Page 4012 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 1 December 2021
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Valedictory
MR PETTERSSON (Yerrabi) (5.37): What a year. Thankfully it is nearly over. I feel like I am cheating giving this speech the day before we finally break for the year, but I figured I would get it out of the way now so we can all get away from here as quickly as we can tomorrow. I have nothing profound to say; just a lot of thankyous. To the good people of Yerrabi, thank you for your support throughout this year. It is always an immense honour to represent anyone, but to represent people in this place is a tremendous honour. I look forward to working hard for each and every one of you next year.
I want to say thank you to the wonderful staff in my office—Abby, Flynn and Sam. They are enthusiastic, talented young people, and I know that they have incredibly bright futures ahead of them. I am honoured that they want to work with me in this place for at least a short time. I will take a brief moment to say thank you to Zoe, who worked in my office but left earlier this year. She has been off doing big and exciting things and I look forward to following her career in the coming years. To the wonderful rank and file members of ACT Labor and to the mighty ACT trade union movement, thank you for all your hard work and support. You are truly the true believers.
To all of the staff that make the Assembly work—the attendants, Hansard, committee support, chamber support, HR and IT—and the amazing cleaners that keep this place looking good, thank you. You all play a fundamental role in our democracy and we could not do what we do without you.
I want to say thank you to all of the journalists that have to listen to everything we say in this place. You do an important thing for our democracy as well. No-one would know what on earth we do in this place if you did not tell people, so thank you.
To the ACT public service, from the hardworking mowing crews, who are definitely putting in some overtime at the moment, to the nurses and teachers that have worked in some of the strangest circumstances this year, and to all of the ACT public service directorates, a huge thank you.
This has been a strange year. I think we have seen the best of Canberra in the most trying of circumstances. I have met some incredible people, often through a face mask. These people have put others’ needs above their own. I am proud to be a Canberran when I see Canberrans like this.
I have also been very proud of Canberra for embracing science and rejecting conspiracy. Every day when I check that little ACT Health update and see the vaccination rate trending upwards, I am so proud. Over the coming weeks I will be watching a tracker and hopefully, fingers crossed, we can crack that 100 per cent mark. I know we will come close. I am not quite sure we will get there, but I hope we get as close as we can.
In closing, I wish all members of this place a joyous summer. And, like Mr Parton, I will see you next year, back here, ready to do it all again.
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