Page 6026 - Week 14 - Thursday, 8 December 2011
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Valedictory
DR BOURKE (Ginninderra—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Corrections) (6.21): Mr Speaker, representing the people of Ginninderra is a privilege and personally satisfying. My goal for my political life is to make a contribution to improving the lives of the residents of my electorate and, as minister, for the residents of Canberra. But even the small personal changes to people’s lives give me much happiness. For example, recently I was at one of my regular shopping centre stalls focusing on the lost superannuation campaign. A constituent came up to ask me how he could find his lost super. I had my laptop computer and using the SuperSeeker website I was able to find his lost super there and then. Needless to say the man was delighted.
Road and traffic issues are raised with me regularly. Another example occurred several weeks ago when an elderly constituent wrote to me to point out that on a busy street in her suburb cars were parking regularly on a bend in the street, potentially dangerously. I raised the matter with the Chief Minister in her capacity as Minister for Territory and Municipal Services and earlier this week the Chief Minister advised me that Roads ACT had agreed with the constituent’s assessment and that parking restrictions would be placed at the bend in the street. The constituent was thrilled with the result. Every day the concerns of my constituents are a priority.
Mr Speaker, the final adjournment debate of the year is an opportunity for me to thank the many people who have assisted me in my first six months in the Assembly. I would like to acknowledge the help given to me by you, Mr Speaker, and your office; the Clerk, Tom Duncan; his deputy, Max Kiermaier, and their staff who ensure that the Assembly operates smoothly for 17 demanding members; the staff of the committee office who do so much research and report writing on behalf of committee members; the Assembly library staff; the attendants, who do a tireless job throughout the building; Hansard and support staff who record almost every word we utter; Chamber Support; Strategy and Parliamentary Education; Corporate Services, who ensure members and staff are paid, which is really rather important; and the necessary services provided at executive support.
I must thank the former Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope, for his leadership and strong representation of the Ginninderra electorate over many years. His retirement earlier this year allowed me to come into the Assembly in June. Of course I also thank my Labor colleagues for their patience and support for the new boy on the block. I thank them for their friendship and their good humour. I also thank my wife for her encouragement, her help and her forbearance. Finally I wish to thank my staff for their hard work and their loyalty. I wish you, Mr Speaker, and the opposition and crossbench members a merry Christmas and an enjoyable end of year break.
MR SPEAKER: I might, as is the tradition, take the opportunity to speak from the chair on this rare occasion in adjournment. I would like to, like many others, thank a few people. I would particularly like to start with the Secretariat through the Clerk, Tom Duncan, and the team of staff across the chamber and across the building who do
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