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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 14 Hansard (12 December) . . Page.. 4488 ..

MR SPEAKER (continuing):

Mr Keith Ryder, the Manager of the Hansard and Communications Office, retires in February next year. Mr Ryder has been with us since September 1994, having previously worked with the federal parliament's Hansard office for 27 years. Mr Ryder has had the dubious honour of reading and editing all of our speeches, both in the Assembly and on committees. I bet he has heard some gems. He will be telling stories about them for a while.

On behalf of all members, I thank Mr Ryder for his contribution, and wish both Shirley and Keith the very best for the future.

Last, I thank Ms Celeste Italiano, who has been with the secretariat on secondment from the House of Representatives this year. Ms Italiano has brought a number of innovations from the House of Representatives. A hint of those innovations will be found in the Christmas bells to be found below the heading for the daily program for today. On behalf of all members, I wish Ms Italiano the very best in her future parliamentary career.

On my own behalf, members, I wish a happy and safe summer holiday, if that is how you see it, a Christmas, if you see it as that, or a respite, if you see it that way, over the festive season to you, your family and, of course, your staff. I also extend those wishes to my staff for the sterling and loyal support that they have given me throughout this year.

May I say that this year has been a new and different year for me. I have had a very different role in this place, which I have found very interesting and challenging. I owe something to all of you for providing that interest and challenge throughout this year. I trust that next year will be as interesting and challenging, and I expect that it will be, as we be coming closer to an election, when people start to think about the future a little more. May I once again wish you all the very best over the festive season, and I trust that I will find you all in good health at our first sitting next year.

Questions without notice

Convention on the Rights of the Child

MR STANHOPE: Mr Speaker, I wish to table answers to two questions that were taken on notice. One is the answer to a question taken on notice from Ms Dundas in relation to the second and third report under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. I will also provide a copy of that directly to Ms Dundas.

Public servants and statutory office holders

MR STANHOPE: I also took a question yesterday from Mrs Cross, who asked whether I could inform the Assembly of the policies that govern whether public servants and statutory office holders are indemnified by the government when the government is named as a defendant in civil actions. She further asked whether I could indicate whether a policy exists or whether indemnification is at my discretion, as Attorney-General, or at the discretion of some other minister.

She also asked me to inform the Assembly about whether there is a list of conduct-such as violent behaviour or drunkenness-that could be the basis for removing public servants' or statutory office holders' indemnity if their conduct exposes the territory to civil liability. I will also provide a copy of that answer directly to Mrs Cross.

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