Page 4013 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 1 December 2021
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Valedictory
MS BURCH (Brindabella) (5.41): In this adjournment speech, again I want to start by thanking the staff of OLA. Everyone has recognised that they do a fabulous job. Without them we would be a bit of a rudderless ship, and very sloppy during the day, I have no doubt. Thank you, OLA, for the work that you do.
To my team upstairs—Mel, James and Emma, who have been with me for some time, which is testimony to their patience—thank you. To my caucus colleagues—there is always something interesting to talk about in caucus—thank you for your kind words. Your patience and sometimes just being there and listening to me rant is useful.
To the Canberra Liberals, there are always interesting conversations with the Canberra Liberals in the room. I missed Mr Parton’s comment. It seems I have patience but, Mr Parton, your report card will be coming by the end of term!
A shout-out to my husband and sons: thank you for being there, for the help and the balance that you give me. Like all of us, we have people and family that we stand on their shoulders. They make us who we are. Thank you for that.
It has been a tough year, and I hope that the end-of-the year break will welcome in the new year with more hope and opportunity than was dished up to us this year. Words of wisdom from Walt Whitman: “Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and the shadows will fall behind you.” That is what I am taking into next year.
As I did last year, this morning I asked my grandkids what words made them happy, because if we can bring happiness into our hearts, the rest of it falls into place. That is my thinking. Hunter loves coding and reading, so his happy words, the words that make him feel good, are to be allowed lots of screen binging. That allows him to read at all hours and in any location. I was happy to accept the good intent of that. Kade says that, when he thinks of beach mornings, he always smiles. Given that he is on the west coast of Australia and a budding surfer and paddle boarder, I can understand why that does. For Fletcher, the youngest of that family, it was quite simple. He feels that the world would be a happier place if it were filled with chocolate and dog cuddles. It is a remedy we could all have perhaps.
The youngest grandchild, Loup, is just starting to talk and all food, any category, is described as cheese. It makes him happy when you offer cheese. It is not the smile-in cheese; literally he sees cheese, and he smiles. That is what makes him happy. Because Loup talks to his mum’s family in France most days, may I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Joyeux Noel.
Valedictory
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Manager of Government Business, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Industrial Relations and Workplace Safety, Minister for Planning and Land Management and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (5.44), in reply: Madam Speaker, what a year you and I have had, working
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