Page 2719 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 10 August 2016
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in the government’s achievements in Planning and Land Management over the last two years: Dorte Ekelund, Gary Rake, Ben Ponton, Jim Corrigan, Tony Carmichael, Bruce Fitzgerald, Annie Lane, Daniel Iglesias, Brett Phillips and of course all of their teams who support them and the government not for self-interest but for the good of the entire community.
I have about 1½ minutes until the end of my speaking time. I seek leave of the Assembly to complete the valedictory.
Leave granted.
MR GENTLEMAN: I particularly want to acknowledge the tireless work of the departmental liaison officers in the minister’s offices. They are responsible for bridging the divide between what the minister wants and needs and what the directorate can deliver. These roles require the utmost professionalism and often work under extraordinary pressure. I have been lucky to have some exceptional DLOs since I became the minister. These include current DLOs Justin McEvoy, Charlotte Miles and Narelle Cross. Of course, DLOs Kathryn Elton, Georgia Harvey and Ali Trewhella from CSD, and Tania Carter, who was my first DLO as a new minister, helped establish the processes we rely on so heavily to be efficient in our daily work.
I make special mention of Sarah Bourne, who has served in several ministers’ offices as DLO in this government and previous ones, and who recently has been recalled to serve where she was needed in the newly formed TCCS ministerial unit. Having been the TAMS DLO for many years in this place, Sarah is one of the most respected DLOs in this building and in the public service. I want to pass on the thanks on behalf of the staff and ministers in the Assembly, and hope to see you back in the building in the near future.
Also thanks to all of the staff of the Legislative Assembly, including the attendants, the clerks, the cleaners and executive support—Pam Darville and Sam Engle and their teams—who ensure that my work as manager of government business runs so smoothly.
I also want to thank all of the staff in my office who have contributed during this term, including office managers, Abigail Gallagher, Natasha Apostoloski and Eben Leifer; my media team, Hayden McGirr and Ellie Yates; my senior policy advisers, Jason Clarke and, before him, Neil Finch, who followed the Community Services Directorate to Minister Bourke’s office, Brooke Yates, who backfilled as a planning adviser, and my chief of staff, Adina Cirson “the cirsonator”.
I also want to thank the interns for volunteering their time—I hope they have gained some valuable experience in working in my ministerial office—including Max Schumann, Briony Roetlands, Jessica Power and Liam Fitzpatrick.
In closing, I want to thank and also acknowledge the contribution made by my friend and colleague Simon Corbell. As manager for government business, I will certainly miss his photographic memory of every standing order in this place. I wish him luck in the next stage of his life after so many years serving the people of the ACT so diligently and passionately.
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