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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (11 December) . . Page.. 5044 ..

MR OSBORNE (continuing):

I would like to thank the Secretariat for their help and assistance over the last three years. I see Mr McRae covering his mouth. It has been quite a challenge for him this evening. I have seen it get out of the horizontal on the odd occasion, no matter how hard he tries. Both Tom and Maureen have been terrific, and on behalf of myself and my staff I thank you for that. I think all members will agree that the other people in this building have been terrific over the last three years.

The last and most important people that I would like to thank are my wife, Sally, and my four children, Sabella, Jacob, Joshua and little George. When I first arrived in this place I had only two children, Mr Speaker. In three years we have doubled that number. I can only hope that if I return next time Sally and I do not do the same thing again. I do not know whether we could afford to have eight children and I think in three years' time we might be pushing it. There have been times when I have not been able to be at home, but I am pleased to say, Mr Speaker, that those occasions have been few and far between because I will never allow politics to become more important than my family. (Extension of time granted) So, to my best friend Sally, I say thank you. I love you for being my rock. You have been an inspiration and your faith in God has been truly beautiful to share.

Mr Speaker, I would like to thank all members for the good times that have been shared, and to thank the friends that I have made, Michael especially. Although we have disagreed on some pretty important things to me, he has always been very helpful. He made my life in here, although at times very painful, certainly a lot easier. His advice has been terrific and I thank him for that.

I would like to finish with what I started with in this place, Mr Speaker, and it is a paragraph from my first speech in the Assembly. I quote:

For myself, Mr Speaker, I can see no point in being a member of parliament should remaining one require the sacrifice of my Christian principles and convictions. I do not intend to make any such sacrifice. I am confident that the people of Brindabella, even those with different values from mine, will have enough wisdom in three years' time to reward my honesty and decide that one good term deserves another.

Well, we will see. I continue:

I am conscious of the responsibility that has been entrusted to me. I am conscious, too, of the difficulty of the task of government. I know that not all decisions made here in the Assembly will turn out to be the right ones. As the Mayor of Chicago, Richard Daley, once said:

Look at my Lord's disciples. One denied him, one doubted him and one betrayed him. If our Lord couldn't have perfection, how are you going to have it in city government?

Mr Speaker, I, like you, can but promise to strive to get as close to perfection as a humble disciple can.

Merry Christmas.

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