Page 5493 - Week 14 - Thursday, 30 November 2017
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trying to achieve some of those things that perhaps we did not get to this year and iron out some of the glitches that still float around our city.
I take this opportunity to thank a range of people, as other members do at this time of year, particularly the Assembly staff. Comments have been made already tonight about how well they support us. I spoke earlier today about Max’s retirement and I wish him very well in that.
I thank the Chief Minister and his ALP colleagues. As the Chief Minister noted, our parliamentary agreement continues to serve us very well. We certainly strive together to make this city as good as it can possibly be.
I thank the staff in all my directorates. There are many of them and obviously I will not be able to name them individually. When you become a new minister, you pick up all these new people you start working with and it takes a little while to get to know them, and for them to get to know us as ministers. I have really enjoyed working with the staff in all of my directorates. Each of them brings different skills and a different passion to the job, but I know that all of them are committed to doing the best job they can for the Canberra community.
I have some portfolios with a few tough responsibilities. Some of the staff that work in my areas of responsibility will be working very hard over Christmas, particularly those in mental health and corrections. They are tough jobs, I acknowledge that and understand how hard it is for them on the front line. We will be thinking of them over Christmas particularly as they continue to serve this community as well as they can.
I particularly acknowledge my Assembly colleague, Caroline Le Couteur, and her team. It has been great having a year in which there were two Greens in the Assembly, having a colleague to share the crossbench with and to seek wise words from on some of the issues that confront us, and to share the ideas that we have.
I thank the staff in my office. I will start with the directorate liaison officers: from Health, John and now Cathie; from the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate, Kim—enjoy your holidays, Kim; I think she has already bolted out the door for a flight this afternoon and I hope she has a great break—and from JACS, Sam, who has now returned to the directorate, and Elizabeth, who has just joined us. I appreciate their professionalism as well as the fun that they bring to the office.
To my own staff, Indra, Matt, Michael, Lisa Gelbart, Lisa Gardiner, Jarrah Aguera and Christian, I could not do this without you. They are fun, professional, passionate and just a terrific team to work with. It gives me confidence every day that I have got them with me as we seek to do the best we can for this city and for those that support the Greens.
Tonight I particularly want to mention Jarrah Robbins. He has been working with me for many years now and is someone I have the most enormous respect for. It has been an incredibly tough time for Jarrah and we will certainly be thinking of him this Christmas and assuring him that whenever he needs us we will be there for him.
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