Page 2474 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 23 August 1994
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particularly his involvement in youth issues, will enable him to represent the Liberal Party strongly in the portfolios that he takes over from today. I am sure that nobody would doubt Bill's commitment, particularly in the sports area. He is involved in a number of areas. I think it is interesting that on the day of his preselection for the Assembly the ACT schoolboys rugby team beat Wales. It was a very big day for Bill, taking into account the fact that he is patron of the ACT schoolboys rugby. I imagine that there was a good party that night.
Certainly, on behalf of all my colleagues I welcome Bill back into the Assembly. I believe that he will add a lot to this Assembly. Again, I make the comment - I note that Mr Westende is here - that we will miss Lou, but I think that Bill will give us an extra element. I welcome Mr Stefaniak as our newest MLA.
MR LAMONT (Minister for Urban Services, Minister for Housing and Community Services, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (2.39): Madam Speaker, the Government, too, welcomes the nomination of Mr Stefaniak to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr Westende. Mr Westende, as a representative of the people of Canberra, I suggest, has been unique. He has been able to demonstrate a very keen understanding of the business sector in the ACT, most certainly on a range of concerns that particularly affect small business in the ACT. His advice, his humour and his basic humanity have been characteristics befitting a representative of the people of the ACT. On behalf of the Government, I extend my great appreciation to Lou for his just over 2½ years in the Assembly. I am pleased to say that, through various forums in the ACT, we will be able to keep in contact with Lou to maintain the relationship that has developed and certainly to assist in the development of small business issues within the Assembly.
In welcoming Mr Stefaniak, let me say that I am pleased that he will be able to assist his leader, as his leader called for during the preselection process, on women's affairs and other issues in the Assembly on behalf of the Liberal Party.
MR MOORE (2.41): Madam Speaker, on behalf of Ms Szuty and on my behalf, I welcome Bill Stefaniak into the Assembly. I can remember many occasions in the First Assembly when we locked horns and had differences of opinion; but it was always done in an appropriate way. In fact, I know that it has already started in a public way, even before Bill has managed to get signed in. So I look forward to that. I hope that the work that I am likely to do with Bill Stefaniak on the Conservation, Heritage and Environment Committee will be as fruitful as that with his predecessor, Mr Westende, who always took the issues before him very seriously, gave appropriate weight to the arguments put forward and then argued strongly in whichever way he believed that it was appropriate for the committee to act. I had that experience with Bill Stefaniak as well in the First Assembly on a number of committees. I am sure that he is not easily put upon. Madam Speaker, I think that Bill will add colour to the Assembly, and I look forward to working with him.
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