Page 4306 - Week 13 - Thursday, 19 November 2015
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Valedictory
MR HANSON (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (5.52): It seems rather early to be giving our final adjournment speeches of the year. Indeed it gives me great pleasure to stand here tonight and to wish everybody all the best. It is a long break that we are now going to have, and I am sure that we will all use it productively, in the best interests of our community.
I will not reflect too much on the year in this place, other than on the issue of domestic violence. I think that we can be very proud—all of us, the 17 members—of the action we have taken together to further the cause of tackling domestic violence in the ACT. The Canberra Liberals have played a significant role here, as have the Labor Party and the Greens. It is good that we have done something this year, hopefully, to ease the suffering and the distress that many people experience through that scourge of domestic violence.
I look forward to the debate continuing next year on a range of issues, be it light rail or rates. For an opposition, something that you certainly look forward to is an election year. The three years leading up to it can be, it is fair to say, a bit of a hard grind. I do commend my team for the three years of discipline, unity and professionalism that they have all shown, which I think has been an exemplar for not just the Canberra Liberals but, to be honest, any political party in Australia. It is a tough gig in opposition, and I commend you all for the work that you have done.
To the Assembly staff, to Tom Duncan and the crew, again, thank you for all of your efforts. They are greatly appreciated. I do not sit on a committee now, so I do not have to attend too often, but I know that the committees have also been very active, and I thank them.
To my own staff, I thank them. I have a lot of portfolios. I am very demanding of my staff and at every opportunity and at every step they rise to the challenge. They are led capably by my chief of staff, Ian Hagan. I thank them very much. I know that all of us in this place rely very much on our staff. I am particularly well served. Merry Christmas, in anticipation of Christmas, to you all.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (5.55): It has certainly been an interesting year here for me in the Assembly, as always, in continuing to straddle my roles on both the crossbench and the front bench of the government. This is the last end-of-year speech with only 17 members in the chamber. This time next year there will be 25 of us. It seems our Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition will be staring at each other at close range in the middle of the chamber, which I am sure will be an interesting proposition.
Mr Coe: We will be getting closer to government.
MR RATTENBURY: I feel like I have missed something that I will have to listen to on the tape later.
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