Page 2318 - Week 07 - Thursday, 27 August 2020
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MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Manager of Government Business, Minister for Advanced Technology and Space Industries, Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Minister for Planning and Land Management, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for Urban Renewal) (8.20): It is an honour to rise as the last speaker of the Ninth Assembly. Thank you, first, to the good people of Brindabella for their support. Madam Speaker, over the past four years you and I have worked tirelessly for our constituents of Brindabella. Together we have made Tuggeranong an even better place to live. Our valley amongst the Brindabellas is truly a special part of the world.
We have upgraded roads, improved our town centre and waterways, invested in our sporting clubs and made our schools even better. We have achieved this while protecting and growing jobs. There is a clear choice—Labor, who stand by workers, or the Liberals, who cut and slash jobs. We just look at what the Liberals have done today—cutting jobs from the federal public service and hurting our city.
We cannot make our city the best place in Australia to live without the hard work of our public service. I have had the privilege of working with many of our public servants over the last four years. These people care deeply about our city and work tirelessly for every Canberran.
This year has been a year like no other and our public servants have ensured that we have remained safe. Whether it is on the front line—our doctors, nurses, paramedics, teachers, firefighters, police officers, rangers, ecologists, EPA officers—or working in less visible roles—our planners, administrative and policy staff—our public servants have made us all proud.
I want to thank all public servants, particularly those that work closely with me—staff in EPSDD, JACS, CMTEDD and Access Canberra. It has been a pleasure working with you all. I cannot mention all of you by name or some, like Ash, might feel a bit left out.
To our men and women in uniform—ACTAS, ACT Fire & Rescue and ACT Policing—thank you for being there for Canberrans in need. It has been an honour to be your minister. It is very important that these services have operational independence and a minister that respects and stands up for them.
To our volunteers—our Rural Fire Service and State Emergency Service—thank you. Without you we could not keep the city safe. Come what may, in October I will keep working hard to ensure that we keep investing in you and your equipment.
We also could not do our roles without the support of our Assembly attendants and staff. It has been a pleasure working with them, particularly in my role as Manager of Government Business.
Thank you to all of my staff over the last four years. We have achieved much in this time. Our record investment in ACT Policing, ACT Fire & Rescue, the ACT Ambulance Service, the Rural Fire Service and the SES would not have been possible without your efforts.
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