Page 2734 - Week 08 - Thursday, 11 August 2016
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skin sometimes, but mostly it is fair to say you are less flappable than your colleagues to your left or to your right, whichever way you view it. If we do form government in October, we will invite you to the law courts and we will acknowledge your role.
On a slightly lighter note, a couple of years ago turning up to boot camp at Rivett oval one morning I was horrified to see the ungainly sight of Simon Corbell. If you have seen him in a pair of shorts at 6 am in the morning, it is not a good sight—those big long legs. He actually was an inspiration to me because I was determined not to be beaten by him. I could do him on the push-ups, but the running, as he spent more and more time there, it was enough for me to have to quit boot camp. I might have outlasted you in this place, Mr Corbell, but you beat me in boot camp and saw me off, so well done.
That became the start of a slightly unlikely friendship of sorts, and we would spend time doing sit-ups and push-ups together and then go on air or come to this place and attack each other ruthlessly. We could then walk out of this chamber and walk up the stairs and have a bit of a chat. I think that is a wonderful thing, and I have appreciated that element of our relationship: you have been able to put aside the professional elements, the passion that we have in here, and maintain your humanity as we can then relate to each other as humans. I have really appreciated and enjoyed that aspect of our relationship.
It is remarkable what you have achieved in terms of your longevity; no-one has achieved what you have in the Assembly and, since Mr Smyth’s untimely departure, no-one probably will, at least not for a long time. I congratulate you on that, and I congratulate you on being such a warrior for your cause. We probably will not miss you as much as the Labor Party will. The Labor Party will miss you. Whether the Labor Party is in government or in opposition past October, there is no question they will miss your experience, your courage and your ability in this place.
On behalf of the Canberra Liberals, I wish you every success in the future. I wish you well, and I congratulate you on what has been a remarkable career.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo), by leave: Madam Speaker, on behalf of the ACT Greens I wish to thank Mr Corbell for his work in the Assembly for the ACT community since 1997 through five Assembly terms. It is an interesting fact to note that the Molonglo electorate was only created in 1995 and will cease to exist at the end of this term. So Mr Corbell will have held the seat of Molonglo for every possible turn that one has been able to do so. There is a fitting circle there that is worth highlighting today.
I first met Simon at the Woden pre-polling booth in the 1995 ACT election. We were both, I guess, fresh-faced young representatives of our parties, and in those days not as many people pre-poll voted as they do now so we had plenty of time to sit and chat. I got to know Simon a little bit then. Of course, he came in to the Assembly; I went and did a bunch of other things and ultimately came back.
Simon has held quite a number of roles over the past 19½ years. He has spoken at length today about some of those things and others have touched on some as well. For
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