Page 5498 - Week 14 - Thursday, 30 November 2017
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planning regime. There have been hospital fires and ongoing data issues, light rail, ICAC, land deals, rates, dangerous dogs and many others.
For a small team there is a lot to get across. There are those that have never experienced opposition, which is everyone on the other side of the chamber now. Just as we do not know what it is like to live in their shoes, I do not think they quite understand what a day in the life of opposition is like either. But I very much look forward to the agenda and the issues that we will be presenting next year.
I want to say thanks to Max, again, for all that you have done over the last 14 years. I also want to thank all the offices within the Assembly, particularly the committee office, the library and Hansard. To the officers of the Assembly, I wish you a merry Christmas too; and to all the public servants that diligently prepare answers to our questions on notice, thank you very much. I realise that that is a burden but it is probably a necessary burden. However, I imagine they do not always agree with me as they are preparing those statistics.
Finally, I would like to thank Yasmin, Angus and Annabel, who each morning and each night when I see them remind me of what really matters in life.
Valedictory
MADAM SPEAKER (7.15): Members, with your indulgence I will say a few words from here. I want to end this year by thanking all of the officers of the Assembly, from the attendants to all that goes on behind the scenes and in front of the scenes. We now know there is Midnight Max, so next year what we call Mr Duncan needs to be revealed. I look forward to that. To my colleagues, thank you for a very big year, a successful year. I am enjoying the view from here, so thank you for that opportunity.
Much has been said about friends and family over this time, so I will provide two quotes. The first one is from Kahlil Gibran:
You may forget with whom you laughed, but you will never forget with whom you wept.
And, on a more positive note, Ralph Waldo Emerson said:
It is the blessing of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.
And I think that through the year we have seen many such activities.
To my great staff, Melinda Gonczarek, Emma Cooper and Tom Nock, I simply say, “Fangleberry and well job,” and they will know exactly what I mean. I wish Mel and Emma all the best because within the next two weeks we will have two new babies associated and connected with the Assembly. If they are completely coordinated and organised they will make it for Speaker’s drinks next Friday. I very much wish them a happy Christmas.
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