Page 6293 - Week 19 - Tuesday, 17 December 1991
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Now, I want to say a strange thing. When I first came to the Assembly I had retired and I felt fairly doddery, but you have probably noticed that by taking the occasional nap one restores oneself. I have no doubt at all - look around - that we are all younger than we were three years ago. Look at Ellnor, shining; Rosemary; everyone. I have this feeling that politics has been good for our health. Politics may not be good for bed numbers, but it is certainly good for our health.
I had the very great pleasure, on the eve of my sixty-fourth birthday last week, to go to The Grange Deakin, where most people are about 15 years older than I am. It is an old age home, almost as good as the Italian one. Ellnor, what is that called?
Mrs Grassby: Villagio.
DR KINLOCH: Villagio, that is terrific. At The Grange Deakin I was trying to say what was the best show in town. It was a talk on "Theatre in Canberra" and I said that we have matinees on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday, and on Tuesdays we meet in the evening. The seats are free. We have been, for the people of Canberra, the best entertainment they have had in their lives. If only they could also see us fully at work. Well, it has been absolutely wonderful to be part of these three years. I feel greatly honoured. I join with Carmel in feeling that. I wish you all the best for Christmas and the new year.
Valedictory
MR BERRY (Deputy Chief Minister) (8.27), in reply: One has to echo the thanks that have been extended by members to all of the staff who have been associated with this Assembly in so many ways. I will not go through them all; they have been mentioned, so I merely echo what has already been said. My special thanks, of course, go to my staff who were with me in the former Government, and most of all to Sue Robinson who has been in two governments and in opposition. Her hard work has been helpful, along with all of the other Labor Party staffers who have helped and who have had to have tolerant spouses and partners to be able to put in the level of work that has been required. As you would expect, my extra special thanks go to my partner and mother of my children for her forbearance and tolerance.
For me this has been a great year because it is the hundredth year of the Labor Party. What better way to work for the Labor Party than to be working in the parliamentary wing of the party 100 years after it commenced. It was a great year for somebody who came into politics out of the trade union movement. The history of the Labor Party is well known. It was born out of solidarity and I think that
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