Page 1266 - Week 04 - Thursday, 4 May 2006
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
recognised as a centre that promotes active healthy programs that engage the community and will receive some $36,000 in Healthpact funding this coming financial year. The success of the choir and the ongoing support of the Tuggeranong Arts Centre reflect the work done by Healthpact in promoting innovative programs and providing upfront funding for those ideas that challenge the norm.
I am sure that the greatest accolades for the coordinators, for the centre and for Healthpact come from the changes that this choir has made for its members. Choir member Adrienne Johns said of the choir:
OOTS Choir has made my year! It started me on a learning curve and I’ve never looked back. On Tuesdays, I stand taller, smile broadly, feel cheeky, breathe deeply, laugh with friends and sing my heart out.
I congratulate the Tuggeranong Arts Centre on its continued support of the people of Canberra, the members of the Out of the Shower, On with the Show! choir on their dedication to the arts, and Healthpact on 10 years of wonderful work supporting our community.
Greg award
MR SESELJA (Molonglo) (6.17): Yesterday evening while I was sitting in my office I heard someone reading a speech having a go at me. I recognised the reader. It was Mr Gentleman. Of course, it was no surprise that Mr Gentleman was having a go at me. His speeches are normally a mix of vitriol and stupidity. I thought I should highlight some of what he said and address some of what he said because the argument that he was putting forward was quite ridiculous. I would like to address the arguments on their merits, as far as they go. One of the pearlers he pulled out was:
It always amazes me that there are not more awards out there that seek to acknowledge the comments of the ill-informed and the ignorant.
“The ignorant”, coming from Mr Gentleman! Mr Speaker, he was talking about my illustrious Greg award, as reported in the Canberra Times, which was a great honour. I got the award for something I said in my maiden speech. It was about saying that there are serious issues that affect many young men and that because of that we should look at having a minister for men. For that I got an award allegedly for being sexist. Mr Gentleman unquestioningly takes that on board. He says that there was an award there, so it must be true.
Mr Gentleman is saying and the Women’s Electoral Lobby is saying, in giving me the Greg award, that identifying issues for young men and highlighting strategies to address them is somehow an attack on women. That is utter nonsense, Mr Gentleman. Is it any wonder that you are still on the backbench and did not get a ministry. It was just a ridiculous assertion. In fact, it was so ridiculous that when the Canberra Times ran it, it did not actually say what I said. I do not think that that would come as a surprise because, if it had actually put what I said next to the sexist award, people would have been scratching their heads and saying, “What is sexist about that?” Maybe I should give Mr Gentleman the benefit of the doubt. Maybe Mr Gentleman was handed the speech and just read it without thinking about it, whether out of malice or stupidity I am not sure.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .