Page 4131 - Week 13 - Thursday, 2 December 2021
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I thank the staff of OLA, who continue to steadily be there and make this place run effectively, this year including having to do things like order Perspex screens and probably plenty of other things they had never thought about before.
I acknowledge our partners in government, the Labor Party, and reflect on the leadership and commitment that have been shown during this ever-so-challenging period. I particularly acknowledge the Chief Minister and the other ministers. As we have made our way through the uncharted waters of recent times—having to work things out that we had never had to think about before and find solutions where there perhaps was not a pre-prepared plan or a written set of rules on how to go about it—the cabinet has had a unity of focus that has served our community extremely well. It is a credit to all of my colleagues in that space.
My distinct impression is that the entire community is looking forward to the summer break this year just a bit more than usual. That is no surprise. I for one share that sentiment. Having spent a significant milestone birthday in lockdown, I am looking forward to catching up with family and friends over the festive season, kicking back a little and letting the batteries really recharge. It will be nice to see people. It will be nice to sit and talk to them face to face. A birthday party on Zoom is just not the same.
No matter how you plan to spend this season, I offer everyone in this place, and right across the Canberra community, good wishes and good relaxation. I look forward to 2022.
International Day of People with Disability
MS DAVIDSON (Murrumbidgee—Assistant Minister for Seniors, Veterans, Families and Community Services, Minister for Disability, Minister for Justice Health and Minister for Mental Health) (5.46): I rise to correct the record from this morning when I made my ministerial statement in celebration of I-Day, the International Day of People with Disability. I mentioned two events, the Epilepsy ACT event and this weekend’s Music for Canberra event, which everyone was very much looking forward to. Unfortunately, both of those events have had to be cancelled.
I can understand that the cancellation of events is an incredibly difficult thing. We have all experienced far too much of it this year. But I-Day remains a day where we can think about the ways we can incorporate more flexibility and adaptability into every aspect of our lives in support of people who have disability that might affect their ability to get out in the community and engage with us in person, whether that be through work, education or engaging in community events.
It is also a wonderful day to take pride in the diversity of different ways in which our human bodies and minds work and the richness that it brings to our community, and to think about how we can incorporate that pride in diversity into our thinking as we prepare for the ACT disability strategy and the consultations with community that I am very much looking forward to throughout 2022.
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