Page 4267 - Week 13 - Thursday, 27 November 2014
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
I am also a proud member of Canberra’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. I especially appreciated the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of the ACT public service who took part in the Assembly inquiry I chaired into the ACT public service Indigenous employment strategy. I thank my fellow committee members for their work on that inquiry as well. Their commitment to achieving a useful outcome with meaningful recommendations showed our committee system working at its best. I look forward to the opportunity to review the ACT public service’s progress on our recommendations.
I am grateful for the professional support my office has received over the year from the Clerk and chamber support, the committee office and the secretaries of committees, the Speaker’s office, the Office of the Legislative Assembly, Hansard, Technology and Library staff, the helpful and diligent attendants and facilities staff and the education office for encouraging the public to the Assembly, and thank you to all involved in our magnificent display of artworks.
I thank my Labor colleagues for their support, friendship and good humour, and our colleague Shane Rattenbury and all of the executive staff who have assisted with my representations. I also thank our sparring partners across the chamber for keeping us on our toes, providing occasional amusement.
I thank my wife for her encouragement, her help and her forbearance. I thank my staff and my volunteers for their hard work as well.
Valedictory
MR DOSZPOT (Molonglo) (6.45): Once again we have reached the end of an eventful year, a year that has seen some major events globally and locally. On the international front, I would like to remember the 298 people, including 38 Australians, who lost their lives in the tragic Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 that was shot down over Ukraine near the Russian border. I pay tribute to Prime Minister Abbott for having the courage to confront the Russian president on this tragic event.
On the local front I would like to remember Kurt Steel, a young Canberra man who was taken far too early in life from his loving family.
There are many people I want to thank for their support during 2014, starting with my own staff: senior adviser, Sue White, who has been, as usual, a most valuable contributor to my office as well as to the staff members on our side of the Assembly who occasionally need supportive advice or a shoulder—Sue, a sincere thank you for your valuable ongoing contribution; Paula Nash, who has done such a great job with the ever-increasing constituent issues that our office handles; and newcomer to our office, Harry Hughes, who has made a good contribution in a very short time.
To all my Liberal colleagues—Jeremy, Vicki, Alistair, Brendan, Andrew, Giulia and Nicole—thank you for your continued friendship and support during the year, especially for your great support at our annual charity fundraiser, which this year was for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video