Page 6168 - Week 14 - Thursday, 9 December 2010
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regularly because it is good for us and it is good for our outlook on life. I compliment the Chief Minister on the Diddams Close dog enclosure for that purpose. I do not know that he goes down and walks—do you have a dog to walk?
Mr Stanhope: I don’t have a dog.
MRS DUNNE: You need a dog to walk as well. Everyone should get a puppy. I know that even a puppy would be safe with Ms Le Couteur. Although she said we should eat the dog, it would be safe with Ms Le Couteur because of her vegetarian proclivities. Mr Speaker and everyone here, I wish you a very happy Christmas, and I look forward to our return in 2011.
Valedictory
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Planning, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation and Minister for Gaming and Racing) (6.15): 2010 has indeed been an extraordinary year in local politics. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all members in this place for their heartfelt contributions to public debate in this city. Although we disagree on most things, what I think we all bring to this place is a great passion for public service and a passion for this city.
We all have very different views about how the city should develop and where it should be heading in its second century. What I think we can be assured about and the people of Canberra can be assured about is that all 17 people in this place work hard and deliver great things for this community. In a social climate where politicians are not particularly highly regarded, I look around this chamber and, regardless of the political affiliation, see people who I think work very hard for their local communities. It is appropriate on an occasion like this to acknowledge that.
Politics is a difficult game. I am reminded tonight of a quote or two from some friends of mine within the Labor Party who observe that in politics friends can come and go but enemies accumulate. I think that perhaps adequately describes political life. You cannot always please everyone, Mr Speaker. I have certainly found in some issues that I sought to raise this year that there are a diversity of views.
I was contemplating what I might do over the summer. One of the things that I will be doing, Mr Speaker, is spending a great deal of time in the wonderful suburb of Dickson, enjoying all that the vibrant and diverse suburb of Dickson has to offer, and particularly hoping that in future more people will be able to share in the experience that is living in the inner north of Canberra.
Can I thank my staff, Mr Speaker, who work incredibly hard. Without their support, I could not possibly do this job. On a sad note, Lorna Clarke from my office is leaving us and moving on to bigger and better things up in the federal parliament. I thank Lorna for all of her work. She has been terrific to work with. She often comments that she feels that, with all of this new technology, she was born in the wrong century and she would prefer a simpler time when everyone was not contactable with BlackBerries and there weren’t emails flying back and forth.
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