Page 2850 - Week 08 - Thursday, 11 August 2016
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I would like to acknowledge the work that I have done with many people from the Gungahlin community over the last 18 months—from those people who are regular visitors to my regular mobile offices; Renee and Louise; Betty, who I hope very much is feeling much better today; Olivia, who has advocated very hard for footpaths; the people in community associations and sporting organisations across Gungahlin; the Pyms at the Forde Community Association; and Dave from Crace Community Association, who has very bravely put up his hand to run as an independent in Yerrabi. I wish him all the best. If there is going to be an independent elected to this place, I hope it is someone like Dave Pollard. I would also like to in particular thank the community of Franklin and Franklin Early Childhood School, who worked very diligently and very thoughtfully during a difficult period for that community late last year around some development around the school, led in particular by the president of the P&C at the time, Amy Thomas.
I would also like to thank two families whom I have mentioned on many occasions in this place, the Wills family and the Anthoney family. It was an enormous privilege for me to turn their stories of enormous tragedy in their families into something that a member of parliament could take through and see a funding commitment delivered on for the first ever paediatric palliative care nurse in this city, in memory particularly of their two children, Benny Wills and Dainere Anthoney. I wish all the very best both to Jarrett Anthoney and to the quite indomitable Mark Scarborough from My Gungahlin, who are both running in the city to surf this weekend in honour of Dainere Anthoney and to raise funds for her trust.
I would like to thank very much my colleagues for welcoming me into this place, into the Labor caucus. As Simon said earlier today, the Labor Party is a party where everyone has a voice. That is true, and that is very dear to me. As I said when I was first elected, we are greater than the sum of our parts. We bring so much diversity to our caucus. Our fabulous candidates who are out there campaigning very hard for their communities and for the Labor Party will also do that. I thank very much the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister for their leadership.
In particular, Simon, you have been a presence in the Labor Party since I joined over a decade ago. On the day that we spoke and you told me you had decided not to run again, I gasped and said, “What will we do without you?” I never really appreciated your enormous skills and expertise until I came into this place—and your mastery of this chamber, your mastery of your portfolio areas, your calmness and temperament. I have learned so much from you. It is a privilege for me to have particularly taken on a project which I know is very dear to your heart. You encouraged me to see the long game and that is incredibly good advice. I will have valued enormously the 18 months we have spent in this place together and I wish you all the very best.
I would like to also thank the staff in the directorates with which I have worked. I acknowledged earlier that I know that it has been a time of change for the staff in now Transport Canberra and City Services. There is enormous opportunity in this directorate to achieve so much across the city. The leadership in each of the directorates has been very responsive. People have given me great advice. They show incredible leadership throughout their own organisations. I often reflect upon the fact
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