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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 11 Hansard (14 December) . . Page.. 3099 ..

MR OSBORNE (continuing):

So I ask: Would the people who say Christmas originally was only a pagan feast like to revert to the origins of the Australia Day honours and invite the Queen to honour Australians as was past practice?

Mr Humphries: Yes.

MR OSBORNE: Well, maybe the Assembly would like to remove the one minute silence at the beginning of sittings and revert to the original prayer, since that was where the silence concept had its birth. Mr Speaker, I think I will forget Constantine and continue to enjoy the traditions and practices that have been so much a part of the fabric of our national heritage, and so much a part of the fabric of my family life.

MS HORODNY (6.11): Mr Speaker, I want to thank the members in this house because I have found that the level of fair play has been very impressive. I have enjoyed in many ways the debates and arguments, despite how it may look. I also want to thank the staff as well. They have been very supportive and very helpful. Obviously, it has been a really difficult year for us, coming in here green, to learn what we had to learn in order to participate effectively.

I want to echo the words of Ms Follett in relation to the student from the University of Canberra. We also had a student in our office, and that was Samantha Salaun. She did a project on ecotourism in Namadgi, and I will make that available. I think it already has been made available in the library for people to look at. I want to wish everyone a peaceful Christmas.

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General) (6.12), in reply: To close the debate, Mr Speaker - - -

Santa Claus: Ho, ho, ho, Mr Speaker! I wish everyone a merry Christmas, and to all a happy 1996. Ho, ho, ho! Thank you, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: I spy a stranger.

Mr Connolly: Can we call for a division, Mr Speaker? Ring the bells immediately.

MR SPEAKER: Not in the adjournment debate. I call Mr Humphries.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I do not know whether I can top that, quite frankly; but I will try. Mr Speaker, in the years since self-government a lot of people have passed through this chamber and, to be frank, some of them have left a lot to be desired as parliamentarians. I believe that the Third Assembly, Mr Speaker, is quite different.

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