Page 2317 - Week 07 - Thursday, 27 August 2020
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To my niece and nephew, Zoe and Angus, who have seen more of me on TV than they do in person, I certainly hope to spend more time with you, maybe not during the campaign but immediately after. Thank you, Madam Speaker, and thank you, everyone, for a very constructive four years in this parliament.
MADAM SPEAKER (Ms Burch) (8.16): I start by thanking the Clerk, the Deputy Clerk and the OLA staff, both front of house and back of house. Our days would be much more chaotic, and we would be here until 10 o’clock most nights if we did not have OLA to support us.
To the good folk of Brindabella, I want to thank them for having faith in me over the last couple of terms. I will always keep on working for them on a variety of things—from knocking down the gazebo, getting on with the laneway projects—I refuse to call it anything else but the laneway projects—a STEM centre in Caroline Chisholm School, to even fixing a local storm drain. It is all important for our community.
I thank my staff, Mel and Emma, who have been with me since my first term. The Clerk put out a long and short of MLAs; I think we should have a second volume—the long and short of MLA staffers. Indra has been here since the first term of the class of 2008, and so have Mel and Emma. I want to thank James, Frances, Eliza, Lauren and Tom.
Since 2008 I have had many roles—I have been on the backbench, I have been a whip, I have been Assistant Speaker, I have been a minister, I have been Deputy Speaker and I have been Speaker. I have enjoyed every role. One role I have never wished for and will never seek is sitting on that side of the chamber. I am just saying: I am going to do all I can over the next eight weeks to make sure that we get over the line, so to speak. It is character building. The other thing I will never do is start putting “O” on people’s names. I cannot imagine having a Burcho, a Gentlemano, a Barro or a Berryo; it just does not quite work.
A final thanks to my family. My husband and sons—Cam, Kain, Tom and Lloyd—have stood by me each and every day. Thanks to my grandsons—Hunter, Kade and Fletcher—and to the very newest addition in July this year, Loup Henry, who I have not yet seen because COVID prevents interstate visits. The sooner we can resolve that the happier I will be. My car is packed for 18 October, just in case you want to know. Quarantine—I do not care. I am getting there, all legally, members!
Just on COVID, I put my hand out and say a big thankyou to all the health workers, and whoever is involved in keeping our community safe and strong. We would not be where we are as Canberrans without them, so thank you for that.
I was speaking to my grandkids this afternoon and I asked them for funny words, what were their words. Kade offered “lemonade”, Fletcher offered “potato” and Hunter offered “peristalsis”, and I refuse to make a sentence out of those three words.
With that, I wish all my colleagues well. We will go out and contest the coming election with energy and conviction, as we always do. I end with a quote:
Build your life on your dreams, because dreams never have bad endings.
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