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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 14 Hansard (12 December) . . Page.. 4941 ..

MS REILLY (continuing):

The other things that need to be mentioned in relation to what Rosemary did as Chief Minister and in serving the ACT Assembly include pieces of landmark legislation that she ensured were passed during her time as Chief Minister. At the press conference at lunchtime she mentioned particularly the occupational health and safety legislation. Considering some of the issues that have been in the paper in this last week, I would mention her role in ensuring that we had strong domestic violence legislation and this year ensuring the passage of the anti-stalking legislation. I think some of that legislation will go down in history as an important part of the development and growth of the ACT community.

One of the things that have to be admired about Rosemary is the fact that she worked from strong, solid social justice principles, and that showed in the way she acted as Chief Minister in this Assembly. I think we need to remember some of those principles at times when we are considering legislation in the future. Along with everyone else, I wish her well in her new job. It is good that she will be serving the ACT community in another capacity.

MR BERRY (12.46 am): Mr Speaker, I would like to say a few words about Rosemary Follett. Many people have mentioned that she was the first female leader of a government in Australia. Most importantly, Rosemary Follett led a raw team of Labor candidates into the first government in the ACT, the most hated government in the history of the ACT because it was the first one. Self-government was so much on the nose in those days. Rosemary Follett worked tirelessly against the most terrible odds to bring credibility to self-government in the ACT. Those first few months, I can tell you as a Minister in those first few months, were pretty hard yards. I know that those people who were part of the Alliance Government would say that they were hard yards as well. I think we can all agree that the first term was a very difficult term in the ACT. I think it earned this parliament the reputation of being, if not the toughest, very close to the toughest parliament in Australia because of the focus which was placed upon it.

From my point of view, much was expected from Rosemary Follett; firstly, because she was a woman. Rosemary put a great deal of energy into making sure that her performance was flawless. That took a lot, given the circumstances, as many who were here would appreciate. She also worked from daylight to dusk selling the image of this place, at the same time putting a whole lot of energy into Labor ideals. Many of those who have seen Rosemary Follett in full flight on a political issue which they disagreed with would know that she was quite capable of a lecture, if I can call it that, which would make one wilt. When Rosemary decided to take on an issue which she believed in, she took it on with all of her energy. That is the way she dealt with self-government in that first term.

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