Page 2837 - Week 09 - Thursday, 27 September 2007
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In the time remaining I will focus on some of the interesting comments from two of Labor’s “star” recruits—and that word has rarely been used so recklessly—and they are Mr Bill Shorten and Mr Greg Combet. Remember that Mr Combet said in June last year:
I reckon we used to run the country a while back. I reckon it wouldn’t be bad if we did run it again.
Of course, I dispute Mr Combet’s assessment of the old days of union and Labor control. High unemployment and high levels of inflation are just two of the trademarks that spring to mind. But even more blatantly, the Northern Star newspaper just a few weeks ago on 26 August reported:
Mr Shorten told his audience that after the election Labor would use the goodwill generated during the campaign to re-unionise Australia, beginning with the bush.
I know they are desperate to do this, because the confidence of the Australian people in the union movement and its methods, particularly the antics we have seen from the thuggery in Western Australia, is now well-known, Mr Speaker. I am quite sure that people nationally will come to their senses and vote the Howard government back in when the opportunity arises.
Communities@Work
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella) (6.10): On a more serious matter, I spent the evening last night joining in recognising the important contribution of Tuggeranong Communities@Work at the Tuggeranong Community Centre. I was delighted to attend the event with the federal member for Canberra, Annette Ellis, and Communities@Work members, Maureen Cane, John Turner, Jill Faulkner, all of the staff, of course, and the carers and volunteers as well. I was also pleased to see Rosemary Lissimore from Tuggeranong Community Council there and Frank Cassidy, another of the hard workers behind the scenes.
Communities@Work has contributed greatly over the last 30 years not only to the Tuggeranong community but all of Canberra. Communities@Work provide a vital service to the people of Tuggeranong and Weston Creek. From this government’s perspective, valued organisations like Communities@Work are to be cherished as a highly valued partner.
Let me thank the organisation for allowing me to unveil a picture graph depicting the 30 years of achievement of Communites@Work, a milestone in anyone’s book. It is important that our history, the history of the community, is recorded and retained for future generations. It is important for us to remember these achievements, and the picture graph which was launched yesterday will allow the staff, the carers, the volunteers, the families and, most importantly, the children to reflect on the benefits received from services provided by Communities@Work.
The quality of the contribution to the social health of the ACT is evidenced by the longevity of the organisation. Over the last 30 years Communities@Work has quietly
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