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- 20 November 2002
Valedictory Speeches
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Mr R. H. L. SMITH (Bega) [10.03 a.m.]: This is my final speech, my valedictory speech, to the New South Wales Parliament. Looking back, it seems quite incredible that 15 years have elapsed since I was first elected in March 1988 when there was a change of government in New South Wales. At that election we went from the Labor Unsworth Government, after Labor had been in power for 12 years, to the Greiner Coalition Government, with Wal Murray as the Deputy Premier and Leader of the National Party. There was elation on our side of the Parliament, not only for winning the seat of Bega in 1988 but also because there was a change of Government; it was quite electrifying. As many of the older people in this Parliament would remember, Bega was a new seat, created following a. redistribution. Previously the area included portions of the then Monaro electorate, covering the Snowy Mountains, parts of the Monaro and from Bega to the Victorian border.
The other part included the South Coast electorate, which went from Bega to Batemans Bay. I am sure that many people in the Batemans Bay area would remember the boundary at Joe's Creek. John Akister was the Labor Member for Monaro and the then Minister for Corrective Services, and John Hatton was the Independent Labor Member for South Coast. The new Bega electorate at that time was a key seat, which Nick Greiner had to win if he was to form government in March 1988. There were some big issues at the time. One of them, central to my electorate, was the issue of the south-east forests. This was not only being debated hotly in my electorate, but the future of the timber industry as a whole was being debated throughout Australia.
The other significant issue, which is in the headlines again at the moment, was the firearms debate. After a nerve-racking election campaign, the Coalition comfortably won the electorate of Bega. There have been many major issues over these 15 years, most of which I am proud to say were successfully resolved. Others, unfortunately, we are still fighting for in an ever-changing world. Some of the proudest achievements in my 15 years of office are the major upgrades of the health and hospital system, particularly during the seven years of the Coalition Government. In that time we practically rebuilt the hospitals at Moruya and Batemans Bay, expanding and refurbishing almost every section.
I vividly recall attending a meeting in Batemans Bay regarding that upgrade, and I am sure local residents will recall that standing-room-only meeting. It was quite a shock for me to go into this meeting, having virtually been given the go-ahead for a multimillion-dollar upgrade of the hospitals. As a young member of Parliament, I was trying to work out why I seemed to be so off side with the crowd when we were going to upgrade their hospitals. But, of course, it was a matter of who got how much, and Batemans Bay were simply making sure that it got its fair share Bega hospital also had extremely run-down operating theatres, yet we were able to have those upgraded so that they could undertake even orthopaedic surgery. This was possible because Dr Robert Hartemink and his group were able to perform operations in the new day theatre, allowing the work to proceed at Bega hospital.
Education has been greatly improved, particularly with capital works funding over the 15-year period. We had new schools at Broulee and Bodalla, major upgrades of Ulladulla and Moruya public schools, and Narooma High School was rebuilt after being almost completely destroyed by fire. The Narooma High School had new classrooms, also to replace those damaged by fire. Tathra Public School had a major upgrade, and within the former boundaries of my electorate, Eden High School and Braidwood Central School were substantially improved. We are now looking forward to approved upgrades taking place at Merimbula Public School and Bega High School. Moruya High School finally gained a long-awaited and hard-fought-for multipurpose hall. I vividly recall the excitement when the Minister of the day, Virginia Chadwick, announced that it would go ahead. Moruya and Ulladulla got new TAFE colleges, and Bega's TAFE college was substantially improved.
Many other capital works projects were undertaken during the period. Some that come to mind are new police stations at Batemans Bay and Ulladulla, relocation of the Bega police station to the former Roads and Traffic Authority [RTA] building, a wonderful new courthouse at Bega, the Batemans Bay marina and boat-launching ramp at Kianningy. Road funding has always been a priority with me, and I was very proud in the Coalition period of government to have a series of major road improvement projects, particularly along the Princes Highway and the Kings Highway between Batemans Bay and Canberra. Some of the major works that were done during the 15 years were a bypass of Merimbula, Yellow Pinch between Bega and Merimbula, McLeods Hill between Bega and Narooma, Tilba bypass, a new bridge at Trunketabella, and Higgins Bridge between Batemans Bay and Ulladulla. Also at this time the 3 x 3 road funding scheme was introduced, which gave a tremendous shot in the arm to road funding generally throughout New South Wales. It is disappointing that the present Government has abandoned this program, even though it still receives the taxes.
By 1988 the Kings Highway had been totally neglected, even though Batemans Bay was Canberra's playground and had tremendous traffic from that area, particularly at holiday times. The previous Coalition Government spent around $4 million on basic improvements for this vital link road. On the subject of roads, I recall the arguments for and against which of the two main roads in the Bega valley, Main Road 91 between Pambula and Bombala or Main Road 272 between Bermagui and Tathra, would get precedence and be sealed first. Main Road 91 is now sealed all the way and Main Road 272 has only some five kilometres to go. There is still much to do in this area and improvements will never be complete, but I am proud of what we have achieved. One of the major debates for almost the entire 15 years I have been in Parliament—it continues to this day—is the allocation of resources, which affects almost every industry on the far South Coast, whether it be fishing, the timber industry, farming and grazing or tourism.
Without a crystal ball it is hard to see many of these issues being resolved in any permanent way, as there will always be changing aims and objectives with regard to the assessments of different resources. For example, in the timber industry there has been a trade-off of 20 years security against a reduced availability of resource through the regional forest assessment process. The fishing industry is under tremendous pressure to reduce its catch in many fisheries. There are also closures in the river and coastal estuaries and buyout schemes which are particularly unpopular with professional fishers. In the coastal towns there are continual restrictions on the availability of suitably zoned land for the ever-growing population. The then administrator of Bega Valley Shire Council recently stated that Merimbula had virtually no land available for expansion of the town. Most people were amazed to hear this as it had always been assumed that we would be able to continue to accommodate the increase in population for many years as people discover the far South Coast. Of course there is land available, but for one reason or another it is excluded from development because of the prevailing philosophy of the present Government.
Over the past four years I have seen a serious decline in basic medical services in my electorate. Of the many such issues that affect constituents, I receive the most calls about dental health. The public dental health clinics at Moruya and Pambula did not have full-time dentists, and the school mobile dental van has been off the road since December 2000. This means that we not only have hundreds of people suffering severe pain while on long waiting lists, but children are left without preventive therapy. The last major injection of funds into dental health was to install a computer system to assess and prioritise people. Only two weeks ago the Southern Area Health Service informed my office that "pain is not a priority". I think the Southern Area Health Service should reconsider its priorities.
Another area of major concern at the moment is the crisis facing the insurance industry almost right across the board. Although many people are working on a solution, and legislation has been passed recently in both the New South Wales and Federal parliaments, I do not believe by any stretch of the imagination that the problem has been resolved. Public liability is of great concern to all sections of our community, from non-profit community organisations through to business, both big and small. We have the continuing debacle where the Government continues to sit on its hands over the home warranty scheme. Many builders are experiencing great difficulty in getting this insurance, which is a statutory requirement for them to carry out their legitimate business.
In many industries workers compensation premiums are exorbitant and almost unaffordable. Some industries, such as forestry and farming and grazing, are inherently dangerous industries, so they attract high rates. To give an example, a sheep shearing contractor today must pay 22 per cent of wages for workers compensation insurance. I should like to spend a little time talking about the farming and grazing industries, which are in particularly dire straits. I shall broaden the horizons a bit to speak generally about the problems facing these industries, which are not confined to my electorate. There has been a myriad of legislation in recent years which farmers must abide by and which dramatically curtail their opportunity to carry out their legitimate right to farm or graze.
One of these pieces of legislation, the Native Vegetation Conservation Act, severely restricts the opportunities for farmers to get the full potential out of their freehold land. At the best of times, farming and grazing is an extremely low return industry, and at present farmers feel that everybody bar them is having a major say in how they should operate their freehold land. An example of this is the make-up of the regional native vegetation committee, which has little industry representation. Because of this imbalance, most native vegetation plans are in limbo. The Native Vegetation Conservation Act provides that land with a high native grass content cannot be ploughed. However, it has always been regarded as good farming practice to improve pastures to ensure the production of increased quality and quantity of stock and grain. For example, if a farmer wishes to put improved pasture into a paddock with native grass he must make an application to the Department of Land and Water Conservation to do what is simply good farm management practice. [Extension of time agreed to.]
Similarly, if he wished to buy the rundown paddock next door with potential for pasture improvement, he may be prevented from doing so. I shall put this into context for the non-farming community. Imagine a business entrepreneur seeing an opportunity to buy a rundown building in an ideal location in which to expand his building, only to be advised that he cannot carry out any renovation works due to the discovery of an endangered cockroach or nesting birds in the vicinity. I believe that in the next few years decisions by Sydney-based politicians will require farmers to fence off rivers and streams. Who will look after the area of no man's land between the fences? Who will keep down the weeds and feral animals? I am sure that it will not be the Government. As this is where the river flats and regular floods occur, who will erect and pay for the fences that are continually washed away?
We now have limits on how much water farmers can store on their farms, and environmental flows are being put back into rivers. Farmers now pay for this luxury. It was interesting the other day when I suggested to a city member of Parliament that we should let some water out of Warragamba Dam to clean up the Hawkesbury River. His horrified comment was, "But that's Sydney's drinking water". Many of these dams and resources are farmers' drinking water. If we are to continue with these idealistic environmental objectives, the community as a whole must take responsibility. We already have a decreasing population in country areas, particularly west of the ranges. If something is not done to maintain people in these more remote areas, it will cost this State and country dearly.
In the 1940s and 1950s we paid people to go into country areas through tax incentives, providing phone and power, and I can foresee a time when we will have to resort to such drastic measures again due to the short-sighted, city-centric policies I mentioned earlier. I could go on with this and other topics for much longer, but we should recognise that we have a great State and a great country. To keep it that way, we need to preserve and protect what we have but also appreciate the realities of trying to make a living off the land. We must retain the ability to have a thriving agricultural industry.
Finally, I thank the many people of the Bega electorate who have been of assistance and help to me over 15 years. In particular, I thank my wife, Lesley, for the exceptional effort she has put into helping not only me but also people generally within the community. I also thank the three electorate staff I have had since I was elected. They have done an exceptional job in what at times have been intimidating and harrowing circumstances. I am proud that my office manager Maxine James, who is present in the gallery, has been with me since I was elected, and that Sue Whyman was with me for 13 years since my election. Lori Hammerton, who replaced Sue, has been with me for the past two years. They are not only excellent employees but also close family friends.
I also thank the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party for giving me the opportunity to represent the electorate of Bega in the New South Wales Parliament for the past 15 years. Half of that time has been in government and half in opposition—one would have to say that I have had a very balanced political career. I take this opportunity to thank the many people within Parliament who have assisted me or who have assisted in making sure that the Parliament as a whole runs smoothly. On a finishing note, although I will be retiring from politics I certainly will not be retiring completely. Initially I will go back to my previous occupation of farming. I will always continue to be involved in my community and I look forward to future visits to this Parliament as a past member. I wish all members who are retiring all the best for their retirement and future. To all those members who are remaining and representing their communities in this Parliament, I wish them good fortune at the next election.
Mr MOSS (Canterbury—Parliamentary Secretary) [10.21 a.m.]: This is possibly the last time that I will be speaking in this House and naturally I want to thank a number of individuals and groups who have assisted me throughout my political career. I say that this is "possibly" the last time because on 22 March next year I will resign as a public office representative, but I stress that I am resigning, not retiring. While I do not know what the future holds for me, I certainly do not intend to retire. On my resignation from Parliament I will have clocked up more than 30 continuous years as a public office holder. Of those years, 17 have been spent in this Parliament and the remaining in local government. For a 20-month period I had the good honour of serving as both the Mayor of Canterbury and the member for Canterbury, at the one time. After 10 campaigns running as a member of the Legislative Assembly on five occasions, as mayor on two occasions, and as a councillor on three occasions, it is time for me to move on.
I have regarded my role as a member of this Parliament as productive and fulfilling most of the time but not always enjoyable. There have been some grim times, there have been some black moments. One event that affected all of us in this Parliament at the time was undoubtedly when our colleague John Newman was murdered. At that time we all felt extremely vulnerable, because John Newman lost his life for one main reason: he was a politician. The sad times must be balanced against the good times and joyous times. Undoubtedly one such good time that stands out in my mind was the election of the Carr Labor Government in 1995 when, after being in the wilderness for seven years, the Labor Party came back into office.
I came into this Parliament on 1 February 1986 in a by-election. I was elected on my fortieth birthday. In my maiden speech I said that being elected to Parliament on one's fortieth birthday sure softened the blow of turning 40. That by-election was interesting in that it marked the beginning of the end of Labor's long term of office, which had lasted more than 12 years. I was very proud to have been a member of this Parliament within that term and very proud that I had the good fortune to serve with Neville Wran, who led Labor to victory in four State elections. I was a member of this Parliament with Neville as Premier for the last six months of his term. I spent the next 20 months as a member of the Unsworth Government, which was voted out of office in 1988. I feel that we were defeated not on gun issues, but because in 1988 Labor was the victim of the time.
During my time in Parliament I have contributed in a number of debates on a variety of legislation and other issues. I consider the overwhelming majority of members with whom I have debated, both Government and Opposition members, past and present, to be extremely decent and extremely caring people. Most politicians with whom I have had the pleasure to work possess a real passion for what they believe in. We all know that politicians are not society's most favoured citizens, but, and I might be accused of being biased, I feel that if society were judged generally, members of the Legislative Assembly in the New South Wales Parliament would have to rate high because of their integrity and commitment.
I thank all people in this building who have supported me. Within the Parliament there are many units, and I have had a good rapport with all of them. I single out and thank Russell Grove and all his staff members in the Legislative Assembly for the invaluable assistance they have given me over the years. I give a big thank you to the Hansard staff, who are tremendous. Hansard reporters are more than expert stenographers, they have the great skill of always reporting accurately what we say but at the same time making us sound far more eloquent than we really are.
I single out two parliamentary colleagues for recognition, one former member and one present member. They are Brian Langton and Carl Scully, both of whom I have had the good fortune to work with over the past eight years as Parliamentary Secretary. I particularly enjoyed my role as Parliamentary Secretary, because of the fantastic co-operation and support I have received from both Brian and Carl and their staff, who are second to none. In fact, I regard Carl Scully's current staff members as the team who are, in Tina Turner terms, simply the best.
My secretarial staff deserve a lot of accolades. I refer, first, to Claudia Harrop, who has not been with me for long. Claudia has assisted me in my role as Parliamentary Secretary and has managed to fit in so well with my other staff members. Claudia, who comes from the public service, is an absolute expert at getting through to departments and individuals in the public service. I am grateful for that, because sometimes individuals are difficult to contact. I thank Claudia for all that she has done for me over the past few months.
I thank my electorate secretaries. My electorate assistant is Janice Dufficy, whom a number of members of this Parliament would know. Over the years Janice has worked for a number of members of Parliament. Janice is always willing to share her knowledge, of which she has a lot. I am indebted to Janice for her help over the years. I admire Janice particularly for her tremendous energy, she is a ball of energy and she never stops. I also thank Maria Acuna, my main secretary. However, I do not know what I can say of someone who has been with me for 14 years, she came to me virtually out of school. I do not know of anyone in the world who is more obliging than Maria. Both my electorate secretaries have families and, for that reason, they have all worries and cares that come with being mothers. But when they come to work for me one would think that I was the only person in the world. I thank them for putting up with me over the years, particularly with my mood swings. I particularly thank them for their loyalty and cheerfulness at all times.
I came into Parliament in 1986, when Labor was on the verge of decline. In 1988 we hit an all-time low. In the 1988 election the Canterbury electorate, like many Labor electorates, went to preferences. Since that time the Labor vote in Canterbury has clawed its way back and despite the Canterbury electorate picking up some conservative areas it is now one of the safest Labor seats in the State. There are many reasons for that, but I like to think I can claim some credit. I am well aware that I have held the seat as a Labor candidate. One does not win in Canterbury without running under the ALP banner. That has not been hard for me because I have had a deep and lifelong commitment to the ALP and what it stands for. I place on record my gratitude to the hundreds of ALP members who, over the years, have shown great faith in me by supporting me in selection ballots and working for me in a number of campaigns.
Naturally I thank the people who voted for me. Over 30-odd years in public office I have covered a lot of territory. When I was mayor, the Canterbury municipality ran from Dulwich Hill to Narwee. Over the years the electorate has taken in sections of the municipalities of Bankstown and Strathfield, as well as falling within the Canterbury council area. Today the electorate falls within the local government areas of Canterbury, Ashfield, Burwood and Marrickville. I have always represented the suburbs of Hurlstone Park, Canterbury, Campsie and Belfield—as an alderman, as mayor and as a member of Parliament. For 30 years people in those suburbs have voted for me. I am extremely indebted to those people. It is humbling that people have given me that sort of support for 30 years.
I am sending out to my constituents a letter in which I mention that over the years a number of problems have been solved and many projects have eventuated with positive results for the area. I say in the letter that I am grateful to have played a role in achieving those outcomes. I can mention many outcomes but two of the most notable have to be the new Canterbury Hospital and the soon-to-be-opened redeveloped Campsie railway station. As a seventh generation resident of Canterbury I do not intend to move. I say in my letter that the residents can be assured of my continued interest and support in the years ahead. [Extension of time agreed to.]
When I retire, Labor's claim on the Canterbury electorate will not change but the nature of its representative will. I am a male Australian, descended from convicts. I have some fairly strong Irish connections. I am being replaced by a female Aboriginal Australian. I wish Linda Burnie every success as the next member for Canterbury. If she enjoys representing the area half as much as I have, I am sure she will be fulfilled. I once saw a little anecdote on a desk calendar that read:
A little rule, a little sway,
A sunbeam on a winter's day,
Is all we have really
Between the cradle and the grave.
I can relate to that. I think we all can. It is saying that no matter what we achieve, in historical terms it is minute and brief. The time I have spent in this Parliament seems just like a sunbeam on a winter's day. However, I am keenly aware of the honour of having served for 30 years in public office. That is a long time. I thank God for the opportunity to be able to serve. I am for ever in debt to all those people who, in so many ways, have supported me throughout my political journey.
Mrs LO PO’ (Penrith) [10.35 a.m.]: I take this opportunity to take my leave from Parliament. I have had the good fortune to have spent eight of my 12 years in government and seven of those as a Minister. For someone who was already a senior citizen when elected in 1991, this is not only remarkable fortune but an honour and privilege. I have spent my parliamentary life pretending I was 39. It is now time to confess that I am not. My public life covers 18 years in local government and 12 years in State Parliament. Some people believe that learning is a lifelong process. I have learnt many things—about people, bureaucracies and government. Here are a few of the lessons I have learnt.
Lesson one is that politicians, in the main, are extremely hard-working and caring. Conventional wisdom, alive and well in the community, would refute that premise. I have witnessed many acts that would be considered to be above and beyond the call of duty. Politicians have not only given moral support to their constituents but have also provided them with physical resources. People who believe that members of Parliament are self-serving and grasping would be surprised at the amount of caring that passes between MPs and their more disadvantaged constituents.
The second lesson is that communities rarely ever make mistakes in their choice of politicians, provided that they are given all the information needed to make a proper decision. I have the greatest respect for the community of Penrith, who have supported me for the past 12 years. This community weighs up the issues and votes accordingly. I am not saying this because Penrith is a Labor-entrenched seat—it is not. When I was elected in 1991 the seat was held by a Liberal. Our current Federal member is also a Liberal. Voting Labor is not a natural trend. On the contrary, the Penrith community looks at the values to be gained by its people and votes accordingly. Bob Carr has demonstrated to the people of Penrith that their lifestyle is enhanced and stable under his leadership, and thankfully for the past 12 years they have acted accordingly.
The next lesson is a lesson for life and one of the most important. Electorates want their representatives to be successful. However, if representatives fail having given it their best shot, voters will still support them, but representatives will never be forgiven for not trying. The moral of this lesson is that if you are not fair dinkum you will not succeed. I would like to list some of the achievements that have occurred in my electorate in my term of office. They are proud achievements. They include five school halls; several sets of traffic lights, particularly one that now saves lives at the junction of the M4 and the Northern Road; an oncology unit at Nepean Hospital; a dialysis machine at Governor Phillip Special Hospital; stage two of the Nepean Hospital redevelopment; a mothers and babies unit and a maternity ward; $8 million improvements at Penrith railway station; an MRI scanner service; $6 million work at Penrith whitewater stadium; $6.4 at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre; the widening of the Northern Road; the widening of Castlereagh Road; and a $30 million expansion of the Penrith sewage treatment plant. The quality of Penrith water is par excellence.
A Japanese company that was looking for a place to establish a sake factory needed a location where the water was pure. Apparently, if there is too much iron in the water it turns the sake sour. There are many places in New South Wales to establish a sake factory but that company chose to establish its factory in Penrith. I praise the Government for the quality of the water in the Penrith electorate. During my seven years in the ministry I held six portfolios—Fair Trading, Women, Community Services, Disability Services, Ageing Services, and Juvenile Justice. Ministers change legislation constantly, but some pieces of legislation have more impact than others.
I believe that the permanency planning amendments to the Child Care and Protection Act 1988 will have long-term benefits for many children. I now confess that that legislation did not go as far as I would have liked it to go. I believe that children who are living with abusive parents now need more speedy protection. Sadly, a great body of thought in this State gives enormous sympathy to the rights of parents. In time to come there will be such an increase in the number of abused children that the permanency planning issue will have to be revisited and abusive parents will be time limited. In other words, they will have to sort out their violent activities and change their parenting methods within a period of 12 to 15 months, or they will lose their children.
Given the fact that we are regularly seeing children being abused, there will be a move towards giving parents a shorter string and telling them that they have to sort out their violent activities, or they will lose their children. Many children will be able to be removed from the foster care circuit and placed in a stable, permanent and caring relationship. In some cases that might mean adoption, which is another problem for some groups in the community. I say to my former Cabinet colleagues—and I am pleased to see Andrew Refshauge in the Chamber—"Best wishes and thanks." At no time did any of them falter in affording children more resources and improved legislation to make their lives better. Carmel Tebbutt is a compassionate young Minister who I believe is doing, and will continue to do, a fabulous job.
When members of Parliament announce that they are going to retire, people want to know what they are going to do. There are usually three general responses: a new career—and I again remind honourable members that I am no longer 39—spending more time with the family, and travelling. It is my intention to engage in the latter two of those three pursuits. I intend to spend more time with my long-suffering husband of 46 years. I am told that one does not get that for murder. We want to travel to Sicily and we want to see those parts of Australia that we have not seen. That is very much on the cards. Some of Sam's family still live in Sicily and visits there are traditionally family reunions. As attractive as Sicilian summers are, Sam is always grateful that he migrated to Australia when he did. Migrant life in the 1950s was hard. To repay his godfather's hospitality Sam cut cane in north Queensland for several years. Early migrants came to Australia with a strong work ethic—to learn the language, to work hard and to make their families secure. Making our family secure, however, led to most of us living next door to each other.
My mother Margaret McIntyre, my younger daughter Simonetta, my older daughter Palmina, her husband Paul and my adored grandchildren Mason Grady, who is aged 10, Callan Grady who is aged seven, and Sienna Grady who is aged 5, and Sam and I live next door to each other in four different houses with either shared yards or gates in the fences. For the last four years I have escaped my fair share of babysitting and I now have to catch up. No member of Parliament is ever successful without the support of outstanding staff. I would like to thank them and I extend to them my undying gratitude. Jody Small, who has been with me for 12 years, Lois Fisher, Jenny Fletcher, Djerki Toorneman and Lorraine Sheehy in my electorate office are the most caring and efficient women that any member of Parliament could have. Their attention to the people of Penrith made me look good.
I owe a great deal of gratitude to other local identities. Pat Shiehy, who is known to the honourable member for Blacktown, is the best campaign director. Members of the State Electoral Commission, in particular, Shirley Konze and Karen McKewon, and members of five Australian Labor Party branches worked hard in hot or wet conditions simply because they believed in the Labor cause. I owe a debt of gratitude also to Colin Fisher, a generous worker and good friend, Harry Toorneman, who helped me on my first campaign, the Hon. Ross Free, who was always available for advice and assistance, Ron Mulock, my former boss, Peter Anderson, the former member for Penrith, and his late mother the Hon. Kath Anderson. In general, those people are the backbone of the Labor Party in Penrith and I owe them a debt of gratitude.
I actually hold the view that while Ministers and members of Parliament get a lot of accolades, the people who stand behind them and do the real work never get mentioned. For that reason, I want to read into Hansard a list of the people who worked with me when I was Minister. The former ministerial staffers to whom I owe a debt of gratitude are: Amanda Graham, Mark Greenhill, Sue Lenne, Marilyn Hoey, Noelene Edson, Francoise Bouton, Kerry Fanker, Judy Mannering, Lara Lloyd, Jeff Lewis, Alan Collins, Mary-Anne Armstrong, Claire Stanley, Anita Westra, Rebecca Magoffin, Paul Gaynor, Alyson Wills, Warwick Neilly, Julie Del Vecchio, Adam Walters, Ross Neilson, Robyn Henderson and Beryl Stevens. For the benefit of Opposition members those people did not all work with me at one time. I do not want an Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry into former staff members. I owe those staff members a great debt of gratitude. I could not have functioned without them. They are great people and I miss their company.
My gratitude goes also to Margaret Allison and Carmel Niland—two women who did fantastic jobs in complicated portfolios and who made a difference to the lives of many disadvantaged adults and traumatised children. My thanks go to Paul Whelan and to George Thompson—the expert mechanics who kept this machine in perfect order. My thanks go also to my Labor colleagues for their support. One thing separates Labor Party members from Liberal Party members. Labor Party members are creatures of caucus. They are not given a portfolio by their leader; they are elected by their peers. If Ministers were honest they would have to say from time to time that the people who elect them probably could do a better job than they do. We do not normally say that openly, but I am saying it now. We have a great deal of talent in our caucus. I am grateful to them for elevating me to the ministry at their expense. I wish them well in the forthcoming election.
Mr Speaker, you have the patience of a saint and the wisdom of Solomon. I hope that my retiring colleagues live long and healthy lives. My respectful thanks go to the officers of the Parliament and to Russell Grove and his troops who are fountains of knowledge and efficiency. Hansard staff extend themselves above and beyond the call of duty. I do not know how they are able to make members of Parliament sound so good. They are skilled artists and performers. I extend cordial wishes to Opposition members. I am really sorry about the fact that I cannot wish them well in the forthcoming election. I just wish them a happy Christmas. I say to Bob Carr and to Andrew Refshauge: May the votes be with you.
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