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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 10 Hansard (Thursday, 26 August 2004) . . Page.. 4457 ..

I want to pay tribute to my colleagues because I cannot imagine what it would be like being in here alone. I pay tribute to the outgoing members—Kerrie Tucker, to you because we agree much more than you and Bill Stefaniak would, let’s put it that way. I think from time to time the view from Kerrie is, “What the hell is she saying? It doesn’t compute. How can a Liberal think like that?” I like to keep you guessing, Kerrie. I want to thank you for your hard work and I pay tribute to you and your staff because never a debate goes past where you do not contribute, and that is a testament to a vast amount of work.

Bill Wood, the father of the house, I hope that you and Beverley have a very successful other life, not a retirement. Don’t ever retire. And to Greg Cornwell. What can you say about Greg Cornwell? He is irascible; I do not agree with him on a lot of things; I agree with him on many more. He taught me a lot. He taught me about constituent work, because he is the master. No constituent is left unattended by Greg Cornwell. Most of all, it is his fantastic sense of humour and his capacity to lighten a discussion. At the same time, his feet are on the ground: he is always saying to us, “What do the people out there think? I don’t care what you think. What do the people out there think?” That groundedness has been a great tutor for me, and I thank him for it.

I would like to thank my staff—Norman Abjorensen, who set me on my way, and Lyle, Olivia and Kate. I also thank my family—there is a bit of crossover here—Lyle, Olivia, Tom, Julia, Isabella and Connor. Without them I would not be here.

MR SPEAKER: Ms Tucker.

MR HARGREAVES: Oh-oh! Another long speech!

MS GALLAGHER: No extensions!

Valedictory

MS TUCKER (12.37 am): Actually, you probably will not believe this, but I do not like making speeches. I know I talk a lot, but you know it is because I am talking about issues; I am talking about legislation. I can do that—as you are well aware—but I do not like making speeches like this very much. However, I want to thank everyone for their kind words. I really appreciate what you have said. I know I am not that good and that I stuff up quite often. I also know that I have learnt so much from my experience in this place. When I arrived here with Lucy Horodny and we went into those two empty offices, I was so scared, and I was that scared for at least six months. I had nightmares for six months.

I remember talking to a friend of my sister’s, who is a psychologist, and she said, “That’s good, Kerrie. You’re processing it.” I did not really feel good about that, but then I met this other sort of psychologist person too. I told her and said, “But I’ve been told that’s good and I’m processing it.” She said, “No, that means you’re really traumatised.” I think that is the truth of it, actually. I was so ill-prepared in lots of ways. But I have always had really amazing people working with me, whom I have grown to love very much and still love very much.

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