Page 4170 - Week 12 - Thursday, 1 December 2022
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Leanne Castley: it has been such a great pleasure to watch you grow into the role of an effective shadow minister, and I value your friendship and humour. Peter Cain continues to throw himself at the role of political representation with wild abandon, and his passion to serve is admirable.
And Ed: we are so glad that you are here, big guy. You have already become the well-researched calm voice of reason in shadow cabinet discussions. You are such an important part of our team.
Thanks to the Assembly staff at all levels. A special mention to the Planning Committee staff, who are amazing—present and past. I know there are some here.
In closing, as we get close to Christmas, I just want to acknowledge and thank government members, of both Labor and Green colour, who we joust with here on most sitting days. Again, I would like to reiterate, as I do from time to time: I quite like you all, and none of the attacks that I make on you are ever personal in any way, and I hope that they are not taken that way.
So I genuinely wish everyone in here all the best for the Christmas season. To those opposite, I would suggest that you get a good long break and recharge the batteries, because, Comrades, it is on! I promise you big time—it is on! I am always up for a stoush. I am always up for a bar-room brawl. And I promise you, it is on.
Valedictory
MS VASSAROTTI (Kurrajong—Minister for the Environment, Minister for Heritage, Minister for Homelessness and Housing Services and Minister for Sustainable Building and Construction) (4.19): I rise briefly to speak about the year that was 2022.
It started in a way that none of us wished for, with omicron sweeping our city and nation. It led to many of us fighting the virus, spending time in isolation—six times, just saying—and in waiting lines for COVID tests, a little saddened that the summer break we had all craved for after a relentless 2021 was slipping away from us. But thanks to a world-leading vaccination program, a heroic health and essential services effort, the strength of our city shone through in a very difficult time.
In 2022 the impact of this pandemic has continued to shape our lives, our workplaces and the life of this city. I would like to thank and acknowledge the hardworking public servants who have continued to provide outstanding professional work in the strange times that we live in. As I get out and about and spend times with our public servants, our ecologists, our researchers, our rangers and our GSOs, I am blown away by their talent and their enthusiasm. We are very lucky to have them. Thank you.
There are many things to be proud of in terms of the achievements in the portfolios that I am privileged to lead. We have continued the important work to achieve our aspiration of ensuring that everyone has a decent home. I so deeply value and appreciate the ongoing partnership we have fostered with the specialist homelessness sector as we work to reshape the sector through co-design and commissioning.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video