Page 4222 - Week 13 - Thursday, 14 December 2006
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and the attendants. At times the guys and Lainie have kept us all sane. I also thank executive support under Laurel Coyles for the assistance we received this year.
At times this year has been difficult for me. There was a time mid-year that I would prefer to have forgotten and I view it with deep regret. I thank my colleagues in this place for their support and understanding and I say to those who did not offer support that they should take a leaf out of the book of their colleagues. I am proud to be a member of the Stanhope government and I thank my Labor colleagues for the privilege of being a part of that team. I wish everyone a safe and happy festive season.
At this time of the year, when we reflect on Christmas things, I cannot let the opportunity go by without thanking Mr Pratt for his contribution to the humour of the chamber. I am reminded of the wording of one of his questions on notice, which is as follows: What is the purpose of the TAMS Christmas craft markets and how often do these markets occur? I will undertake some deep research and reply in good time before next Christmas.
Thanks go to you, Mr Speaker, and to the families of all members. Have a safe and happy season.
Valedictory
DR FOSKEY (Molonglo) (5.43): This is the time when we forget that we were shouting at each other a couple of hours ago and wish each other a merry Christmas. Christmas is especially a time of being with families and people we love and feel comfortable with who allow us to be ourselves. It is a time when we hope to God that next year will be a year when we can be optimistic about our future.
I want to take the opportunity to extend all the usual greetings to everybody in this place, including other members and everybody who makes it work. I want to thank my own staff in particular. Without their support, their skills, their commitment, their humour and friendship I would not be able to function in my job as the sole crossbencher.
I must also thank my daughter—although I have to say she is not the most tolerant person I know; nonetheless, I am thanking her. She does need to be very tolerant when I am out every night. I thought that for Christmas I would open a library in this place.
Mr Hargreaves: We will rent you some space in a school.
DR FOSKEY: For the government members we can have a mobile library which delivers books, but the opposition and I will have a local library because we like local libraries. I thought I would make sure that we have certain books for members. I will go through my list, in no particular order.
I will start with Mr Stanhope, as he is the Chief Minister. The book I would like to get for him is We Get What We Vote For … Or Do We? by Paul E Scheele. Turning to Ms Gallagher, who is not here today, who has to juggle many balls in the air like
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