Page 2300 - Week 07 - Thursday, 27 August 2020
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political career too well. I would describe the epitome of one’s political career as getting interviewed by Kochie on Sunrise. Unfortunately, I have ticked that one off, and seemingly you can only go down from there! I think in the future I am going to need to reacclimatise to ABC local radio, which does not really have the same pizazz.
I want to thank, most importantly, my staff. They have been with me through this journey. As much as it has been a learning experience for me, similarly it has been a learning experience for many of them. I want to make particular note of my adviser, Joshua Orchard. He is soon off to bigger and better things. I have always liked to describe him as the most popular member of the Pettersson office. There is always a steady stream of people popping by the office to visit—never for me; always for him, which has always given me some cause for consternation. But I do not begrudge him.
I want to thank my Labor colleagues, from the old hands who have offered guidance in moments of need, to the newer members who have been on a similar journey to me. I am very proud of the work we have done this term, and I am very much looking forward to the work that we will do next term. Whilst there have been many disagreements with my colleagues in the Greens and the Liberals, I have enjoyed getting to know them, whether it be in the committee room or in the hallway. There is something about a long chat in the hallway that glides over partisan differences, even if it comes right after some silly committee recommendation.
I think it is also important that we take a moment to truly thank the people that make this place work. It is not us, the politicians, that make this place work; it is the working people in the OLA—the cleaners, the attendants, the people in HR and the education office. All of them make this place work, so I want to make sure that they know that they are appreciated. I appreciate them. They are fundamentally important to our democracy.
For me, one of the great pleasures of this term has been chairing the Standing Committee on Education, Employment and Youth Affairs. I want to make particular note to thank all of the committee secretaries that I have had the pleasure to work closely with this term—Andrew, Nicola, Kristy, Kate and Sarah—a few of them twice. They are all absolutely wonderful to work with. I am sure the turnover in that committee had nothing to do with us and all to do with their life circumstances! I have considered EEYA the coolest little committee in this place, and I hope that my fellow committee members can attest to that.
In closing, I am genuinely excited about the coming weeks. I have always considered myself to be someone who is inclined towards the campaigning side of politics. I am greatly excited that we will get to hit the hustings again, knock on some doors, make some phone calls and hold some street stalls. We will be doing it in strange times. As no doubt all members have experienced, COVID-19 has made our normal celebration of democracy a strange and distant affair. I have no doubt that, amidst all of the uncertainty and stress, we will all do a good job of putting forward our vision for Canberra. I just hope our vision comes out on top. With that, I thank you, and will hopefully see you all soon.
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