Page 3680 - Week 08 - Friday, 24 August 2012
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think we all sit back and reflect on the journey since we were elected in 2008. It seems like yesterday and it also seems like a lifetime ago. It seems hard to imagine that I ever did anything else, yet it has also gone incredibly quickly. It certainly has been a journey and, as many people have said tonight, it has also been a tremendous privilege.
One of the things is we have been able to make a difference, and I think we all do that when helping constituents with the very real and individual problems they face at times. The advantage we have in our role is that sometimes we can cut through where an individual cannot through the access we have to ministers, departments, agencies and the like.
Whether it is the day-to-day issues of keeping this city ticking over which, again, we all play a part in, or whether it is dealing with the big picture issues such as tackling climate change, we all in this place make a contribution. That is something I feel very privileged to get to do. Particularly as so many of my friends and family live here in this city, there is a very personal side to it as well as that general desire to make this city as good a place as it can be.
I thank members for the privilege of voting me in as the Speaker. It is a fascinating and, of course, at times very challenging role. I have a deeper respect for sports referees everywhere as a result of having gone through the last three years and 10 months sitting in the chair up the front. I particularly thank the Clerk, Tom Duncan, for his outstanding support of me in the role as Speaker and, of course, Max Kiermaier, during his time as Acting Clerk, and all of the staff in the freshly minted Office of the Legislative Assembly. They are very professional to work with and a great bunch of people.
I particularly acknowledge my Greens colleagues—Meredith, Amanda and Caroline. It has been a lot of fun. Someone said it earlier; we have been a great team, and coming here all together at once has given us a special bond that has been very important to me. We have, of course, all the staff down the “Green Mile”. I would particularly like to thank my own staff. You have all been fabulous and fun in various ways through the course of the term. Some have left, but among those who are still with us, I particularly acknowledge Helen Oakey, who at the moment is off learning to be a parent. Whilst I am rather unqualified to judge it, she does seem to be doing a rather excellent job of it.
Mr Barr: We miss her in the netball team.
MR RATTENBURY: Yes, I have heard she is a fierce netball player. Having just played my first ever game of netball, and now spending a lot of time at the physio, I can guarantee it is not something I plan to continue to play.
I would particularly like to acknowledge Richard Griggs, who took a punt and moved up from Tasmania to join the team and has been an absolute star in my office. I would also acknowledge Tom Burmester, Andrew Collins, Anna Landon, Laura Stuart, Charlotte Wood, MyLinh Li and Maiy Azize.
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