Page 580 - Week 02 - Thursday, 18 February 2016
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Her engagement in the Assembly has been extensive. Her work for older Australians here in Canberra has been among her clearest achievements. She has worked to improve security for people living in retirement villages; she has brought a great deal of compassion and respect to the difficult public conversation about end-of-life issues; her commitment to expanding the use of restorative justice processes, especially within schools and the juvenile justice system, will have lasting and beneficial impacts on the lives of Canberrans. And as Belconnen celebrates its 50th year, Mary is still lobbying for further support of the Belconnen Arts Centre, something, as we have heard—as has the new arts minister—that Mary is very passionate about.
In her inaugural speech to this place Mary said:
I was moved to stand for election based on my own sense of social justice and my belief in the power of people working together to achieve positive outcomes for the community.
Today, as Mary has delivered another excellent speech, her valedictory, I think we can all agree that her values, her hard work and her dedication have been an asset to this community, to this place and to the Labor Party.
Mary, as a colleague and a friend I thank you for your commitment to making Canberra a better place. I wish you and Ian all the very best in Lake Macquarie. I encourage you to resist the temptation to set up a mobile office; I know it will be hard. Anthony and I look forward to coming to visit you in Lake Macquarie. I want to take this opportunity publicly to thank both you and Ian for your very strong support of us as a couple. We have known each other for 25 years now. You have been a great friend. We have not always agreed on everything, and you are often the first person to tell me when I am wrong, but I thank you for that and for everything you have contributed to the community.
Friends, Mary asked that everyone be brief and nice, so I will conclude my remarks on that note, as I always listen to Mary.
MR COE (Ginninderra): I, too, seek leave to say a few words.
Leave granted.
MR COE: On behalf of the opposition, I would like to thank Mary for the enormous contribution she has made to the Assembly and to Canberra. Madam Speaker, Ms Porter has been, is and will continue always to be respected by everyone from all sides of politics and, of course, in the community that she represents. She certainly has much admiration from this side of the chamber. I will mostly remark on my personal experience of being in the Assembly for a couple of terms with Ms Porter, but I will also make some comments on the professional and respectful way in which she has approached her role here.
Mary is someone you can trust. As a new member of the Assembly in 2008 I quickly realised that Mary was someone you could have a confidential conversation with
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