Page 597 - Week 02 - Thursday, 9 March 2006
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is an intimate place and I have enjoyed it. In opposition, and even in government, I have looked forward to question time. I want to register my disappointment at the paucity of the questioning of me over the last four years. Nevertheless, I have truly enjoyed it.
I have to say, to be a little bit negative along the way, that the repartee has been falling off a little bit, guys. You guys have an obligation to the people of Canberra to maintain a standard of wit and repartee that is up to, if not better than, that of any other parliament in Australia. Over time, in earlier days, there have been a number of people in this place—Kate Carnell; Gary Humphries; Bill Wood; Kerrie Tucker; Paul Osborne, like him or not; Wayne Berry, when he was unshackled by the chains of office that he now holds—who have been contributors to the wit of the place. I do counsel you to put a little bit of work into that. It does not matter how harsh you are, if you can put a little bit of humour into it. I think that this place would be a better place for that.
I would like to close by wishing this Assembly well. I am very confident that this government will continue and go from strength to strength. I am very confident in the revised team that you will see operating over the next couple of years. May I say that I wish the opposition in its current form, and all of its support structures, a long life in politics.
I do wish more success to the true hearts. To come into this place, you have to have some form of ego, so let us admit it. You do need that to put yourself forward and get into politics. But most of us, most of the time, are genuine in our motivation to contribute to the benefit of the city and the territory in which we live. I wish everybody in this place in that pursuit, and future members of this place, every success in so doing. On the days when you think it is all about you, just remember that it is really all about Canberra, and we constituents and pensioners that need you. Where is my seniors card?
I close by saying to all of you that I am happy to have served in this place and I am happy that it is time for me to depart from this place. Thank you.
Adjournment
Motion (by Mr Quinlan) proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Mr Ted Quinlan—retirement
MR STANHOPE (Ginninderra—Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for the Environment and Minister for Arts, Heritage and Indigenous Affairs) (5.58): Today, the Assembly farewells from its ranks a man of many parts and, unlike the curate’s egg, all of them are good. It is often said in criticism of politicians that they lack a certain knowledge of the real world. This ACT Assembly, perhaps more than most parliaments, is immune to a great extent from that handicap. Most who end up on these benches in this Assembly have enjoyed very real lives indeed before their election. Most of them, of course, hope to enjoy very real lives afterwards as well.
In nobody here today are that prior reality and that future hope better embodied than in Ted Quinlan: a proud member for Molonglo, Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for
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