Page 7 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 6 November 2012
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means doing things differently from how they have been done in the past. Today I extend the offer to Mr Seselja and Mr Rattenbury to explore how that could work in practice.
I also live in hope that this Assembly will be able, during this term, to reach agreement on an expanded size commensurate with our population growth and with the responsibility bestowed upon us. No longer can we avoid this debate. The people of the ACT want good government, and, to ensure we keep delivering that, the Assembly must grow.
In recent months I have spoken at length and in detail about our vision for the city, and I do genuinely believe that our future is a bright and prosperous one. At its core the Labor vision is to set this city free from some of the constraints of the past, to allow us to fulfil our destiny as a city-state that is less dependent on the whims of the commonwealth and on commonwealth spending decisions.
It is a vision that will see us cement ourselves as the natural economic and service heart of the south-east region. It is a vision that will achieve these things by leveraging on our strengths and by seeking and exploiting the connections between education, health and jobs of the future. This vision, expressed in part through the new parliamentary agreement, will have us move forward with a light rail network, pursue active and sustainable transport solutions, further action on climate change, fair funding for education for all ACT students, taxation reform, the provision of services to disadvantaged and vulnerable Canberrans, and a desire to deliver high quality and sustainable local government services across the town.
Madam Speaker, I am very proud to have led a Labor team back into government at this point in the national political cycle and to have managed to secure a swing towards us—the first state Labor government to achieve this since March 2007.
Can I thank all the voters of Canberra, both those that voted for us and those that did not. A Chief Minister’s job is to represent the entire community, and I will work hard
to do that. Canberrans know I have never been one for hubris and I can assure every member of the community that Labor will be listening hard to the verdict from 20 October, heeding the messages both positive and negative.
I would like to thank the voters of Molonglo who have placed so much trust in me and my leadership. As a person who has lived my entire life in the electorate of Molonglo, I value that endorsement, and there is really no greater honour than being elected to represent your home constituency.
I would also like to place on the record my thanks and appreciation for all the hard work of the candidates and volunteers who participated in the 2012 election. Without that willingness to be part of the process, our democracy would simply not function.
I would like to thank the Electoral Commissioner, Phil Green, and Elections ACT for a smoothly run and inclusive campaign, and also to thank the Assembly staff for maintaining a semblance of order and normality in this place over recent months. It is
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