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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 14 Hansard (11 December) . . Page.. 5302 ..

MS DUNDAS (continuing):

the man in the middle. Of course, the Treasurer insisted that the next deputy clerk of the Assembly has to be a Collingwood supporter. The ongoing AFL discussions have truly kept this place ticking along this year.

A couple of weeks ago we debated graffiti and spray cans, and during the debate Mr Cornwell said that the Democrats, the Greens and the Labor Party were all competing for the vandal vote. Mr Cornwell knows a bit about the Vandals-the Goths who lived in what is now Germany in around 400 AD. I've had some discussions with the ACT Ancient German Society and it is going to send some of the proceeds from the sacking of Rome to the non-opposition members of this place to help us with our campaign. So thank you very much for that.

On a personal note, I put forward some thanks. Of course, thanks to Bryan Guest for his work in this place and to all the boys and girls in blue who keep us in order. I have no idea how the clerk and all the staff in Assembly support do the job they do. People always ask that of me but I think you are the unsung workhorses. I also thank my staff, which has changed this year. I've already put on the record my appreciation to Geoffrey for the work that he's done. To Jocelyn Bell, Llewellyn Reynders and Andrew Blake, who has recently joined my team, your work is always of a great standard and I appreciate it very much.

I also put on the record my appreciation to two people in the ACT Fire Service, Michael Cochran and Pat Jones. Michael Cochran led the team that put out the fire in my former abode, and Pat Jones did some very difficult work in trying to figure out what actually happened on that night. I thank those two especially for the work that they did, and all of the firies. I am quite proud of displaying my ABC sticker that says, "I love firefighters."They've done some amazing work this year and I hope that they don't have as busy a year next year.

I also thank my family-my rapidly extending family and my urban family-which has moved on from the street workers paradise into a larger place, and we are bigger and better for that. It is the support of those friends and people close to me that keep me going through the year. I also put on the record my thanks to my Democrat colleagues who keep my life interesting but do provide ongoing support for the debates that we have in the chamber.

Valedictory

MRS CROSS (5.57): I thank Bryan Guest. I'm sad that he's leaving. I found him to be extremely helpful and supportive to me in my office. He's done so with a great deal of discretion and courtesy and always with a smile. I'm going to miss him. I also thank the attendants who have been extremely supportive again to me in my office, not only within this chamber but outside.

When Mr McRae left I said I was always trying to read their faces. Sometimes I can read their lips but can't quite get every sentence. I thank the clerks-Tom and Janice-and the team in the secretariat public services. Hansard, you do an incredible job. I wouldn't want to do what you're doing but I do thank you for what you do.

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