Page 4320 - Week 13 - Thursday, 19 November 2015

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Mr Barr sat sad and wistful—wondering how to win the share

When the Greens demanded the tram

For he held all the power, it was just too much to bear

Because the Green holds the balance of power in his hand.

He hails from Kurrajong, as do most of their crew

Where the Greens are thick and fast upon the ground

Where they like to think they are morally superior to me and you

Yet they’re determined to see the trees come down

And so the average punter can see the folly of this quest

But the Greens have vowed to bring it to our town

And I think it truly will become the electoral test

For Labor and the Greens cannot back down.

So the Liberals are cheering—the light rail is the test

The voters are racing to their corners rapidly

And Mr Hanson gave his orders—team, go at them with your best

This is sent to us like a gift, he said with glee.

And Alistair, will lead us in the fight against the rail

Go boldly forth, and give your best oration,

What with this, and rates a-tripling, we’ll have victory in our sights

Despite their rigged polls and Labor club donations.

So down in Brindabella, blue grey mountains can you see

Their torn and rugged battlements on high

Where once the air was crisp, now it seals from blue green algae

And the roads have potholes to make you cry

Where the locals feel neglected, and few services remain

And the weeds and the grasses grow and sway

The tram from Gungahlin is a common source of disdain

And the voters will make the choice on election day.

Merry Christmas to everyone. I hope you have a safe and happy break, and here’s to 2016.

Valedictory

MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Minister for Planning, Minister for Roads and Parking, Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations, Minister for Children and Young People and Minister for Ageing) (6.35). in reply: To close the debate for the year I want to start by thanking all in the Assembly and all of my Assembly colleagues and wish them the best for the break, especially our new Chief Minister and my Labor colleagues. I also want to thank Tom and Max, Janice and all the crew as well as Michael, Rod and the team in security.

I want to acknowledge some particular achievements through the work that my directorate staff have been doing. One in Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations is the Easter Sunday public holiday. I thank a number of people for helping with that: the DLO, Ashley King; Bill Smith; Rachel Hughes and Michael Young. In the Children and Young People space, a step up for our kids, I think, has been a fantastic achievement. There is still a lot of work to go into it, but I want a special mention to go to Ali Trewalla, who is the DLO in my office, and Kate Starick and her team. In


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