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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 1 Hansard (20 February) . . Page.. 349 ..

Mr Gary Humphries

MR STANHOPE (Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Community Affairs and Minister for the Environment) (5.11): Mr Speaker, I take the opportunity to comment on the decision the Assembly took on Tuesday to nominate Mr Gary Humphries for the vacancy in the Senate. I am mindful of the fact that Mr Humphries resigned from the Assembly in early December 2002 and at that time had not been preselected by his party for the vacancy.

Mr Humphries was a longstanding member of this place-indeed, one of the originals, along with you, Mr Speaker, and Mr Wood. Those who have served the Canberra community since the inception of the Assembly and the start of self-government have now dwindled to two-you, Mr Speaker, and Mr Wood. Mr Humphries was a member of a band of three.

I make that point to acknowledge the long service that Mr Humphries gave this Assembly. This place has not had an appropriate opportunity to congratulate him on his preselection and pending appointment to the Senate, an appointment that I understand will take place on 3 March.

I take the opportunity of noting that Mr Humphries served the Canberra community through the Legislative Assembly for 13 years. Irrespective of whether we agreed with his policy positions or his personal philosophy over the period he was here, it was a significant period of contribution to the community.

He served the community respectively as a minister, as Deputy Leader of the Opposition, as Leader of the Opposition, as Deputy Chief Minister and as Chief Minister. They were very significant achievements by Mr Humphries. The community would wish us to acknowledge his significant contribution to the governance of the territory through his 13 years of service in this place.

I congratulate Mr Humphries on his achievements, and I congratulate him on his impending appointment to the Australian Senate, a significant honour. I wish him the best in the Senate and look forward to the government of the ACT continuing to work with him for the betterment of the Canberra community.

Mr Gary Humphries

MR WOOD (5.13), in reply: Mr Speaker, along with you, as one of the few surviving aged and not altogether decrepit members, I would add my words to Mr Stanhope's. I served on committees with Mr Humphries. I think we were on the first ever committee established by this Assembly, which was the committee to inquire into university amalgamations. I also served on the casino committee with him. I sat opposite him in estimates committees when I was minister and he questioned me and when he was minister and I questioned him. And we snarled at each other, not too fiercely, across the chamber. It is quite a history.

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