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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 12 Hansard (7 December) . . Page.. 3937 ..
MR STANHOPE (continuing):
I would also like to thank a sometimes unsung set of heroes/heroines who inhabit some of the darker recesses of the place, namely, the press gallery. I am not afraid to acknowledge that politicians cannot exist without the media. Of course, the media cannot exist without us either, whatever else they might think about that. I always take some perverse pleasure in the fact that in community polling on the standing of professions or callings journalists always rate equally as badly as do politicians.
I would also like, Mr Speaker, to offer my thanks to the staff of your office and the offices of ministers, who also play a significant part in the work that each of us does as a member or shadow minister. I would also like to thank my own staff, who slog away tirelessly on our behalf. When I say "our staff", I mean my staff and the staff of each of my colleagues. They are part of the most unsung group in the place. I also offer my thanks to my colleagues for their unstinting efforts over the year, a great year for the opposition and the Labor Party.
I offer that long list of inhabitants of this place my sincere thanks for their help over the past year. I want to take this opportunity to offer them and everybody in this building my very best wishes for the festive season that is already upon us. I hope and expect that everybody will have a relaxing, refreshing, restful and happy time over this season and gird their loins for the undoubtedly interesting year that we will have next year.
Mr Speaker, in finishing, I note the pending departure of Mrs Carnell from the Assembly. I note that she has indeed made a very significant impact on this place and on Canberra, and I wish her the best of luck in the future.
MR MOORE (Minister for Health, Housing and Community Care) (10.44): Before I talk about the Kate Carnell I know, I would like to read into Hansard a speech that was prepared for me by a young man. It is about health and reads:
Dear parents
Some of the reason your child's health is so unhealthy is because you're giving them too much junk food and too much TV and not enough fresh air and healthy food. Four ways to get your child outside.
- Take away the video games.
- Tell them to ride their bike.
- Tell them to take the dog for a walk.
- Tell them to play outside.
I appreciate that help, and I am going to send a copy of my speech to the lad.
The first time I met Kate Carnell was at the Academy of Science at a meeting on a heroin trial. That was quite interesting. I want to talk about seven clear memories I have of times I dealt with Kate Carnell. Perhaps she will see through it what Gary Humphries described. I read in the newspaper that Gary said, "Yes, but there is a certain chemistry between Kate Carnell and Michael Moore." I have to say I am very pleased about that. I knew it from the first time I met her at the Academy of Science.
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