Page 2281 - Week 07 - Thursday, 27 August 2020
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MR BARR (Kurrajong—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Social Inclusion and Equality, Minister for Tourism and Special Events and Minister for Trade, Industry and Investment) (5.02), by leave: It has certainly been an afternoon for the Northern Rivers, although I think we have very clearly established a Nimbin-Lismore divide that we are all well aware of. I was born in Lismore Base Hospital as well, Ms Le Couteur, so there is a sort of strange symmetry around this afternoon’s—
Mr Hanson: Is there something you are not telling us?
MR BARR: That is the best interjection of the parliamentary term from Mr Hanson.
Caroline, you are the Assembly’s greatest planning nerd. That is a title I might once have held, behind perhaps Simon Corbell, but you have certainly been, through your two terms in this place, very much into the fine detail of the territory’s planning legislation. In fact, I am not sure there is another member who has contributed so much to the detail and who has desired so much to achieve what many believe to be the impossible: the perfect planning system. We have not always agreed on what constitutes the perfect planning system, but I have never doubted your integrity and desire and intent to get closer to that seemingly elusive goal.
I also want to acknowledge your great passion for all matters environmental. I understand and acknowledge your anxiety and concern around global responses to climate change. I hope that you see your time in this place and the work that our two parties have been able to achieve together as being nation leading and in many instances world leading. You have contributed so much to achieving those outcomes.
Where we have had shared goals, we have been able to work well together to implement them. I know I speak on behalf of all of my colleagues in that regard. We have never doubted where you have been coming from. We have sometimes disagreed on the path to get from point A to point B, and sometimes we have disagreed on where we think we are going. But we have always understood your passion and your commitment and that you do live those values.
On a personal note, I want to acknowledge your support every time it has mattered on a matter of social inclusion for the LGBTIQ communities in this city—every time, without fail, and at times when you have been pressured by others, I know. I want to acknowledge that. That has been really important for those communities and was demonstrated again today.
While we have not agreed on everything in this time, we have probably agreed on more than we have disagreed on. I know that that is the view held by my colleagues as well. Those who have worked on committees with you have acknowledged to you, and I know would like me to say again today, that they valued working with you. They found it at times to be challenging and that you pushed them on issues. I am sure Mr Parton, who is laughing, would agree on this as well.
I want to acknowledge the particular examples that you mentioned in your valedictory speech. They are worthy achievements across many different policy fields, and you should be very proud of them.
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