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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
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Adjournment Debate

VALEDICTORIES

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (16:51): I take this opportunity to thank honourable members and staff for their assistance. As we rise for the summer break, I would like to take a little time to acknowledge, on behalf of my colleagues, the immense contribution of parliamentary members and staff to this session, obviously between rounds of (at times) fairly robust debate which has been pursued in the traditionally fairly vigorous manner. With that, we have indeed accomplished a significant amount, having completed a substantial range of legislative changes and amendments, including, I might say, some very important pieces of legislation, legislation that will map the very future of this state and, I believe, some of which will leave a lasting legacy of honourable members in this place and the other place.

I want to congratulate the chamber on its diligence and I look forward to a similar level of application and hard work being displayed when we return refreshed in the autumn session. I would particularly like to pay tribute to the President for his very calm and principled leadership of this council, often under very difficult circumstances. It is a very challenging job and he does it with deft skill, wit and very good humour. He does, indeed, make the job look easy when we know that it is not.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I am sure he is listening. Working under his direction is a tremendous team of very hardworking people, who make our work more than just possible, they actually help raise our task as legislators to the highest possible standard. I thank the courteous and friendly whips in particular, the Hon. John Dawkins and the Hon. John Gazzola. It is a thankless task and we appreciate your assistance and guidance. It is quite critical to the ongoing good operation of this place.

The table staff, as always, are fantastic, Jan and Chris in particular for their absolutely unerring attention to detail in ensuring that we remain on the straight and narrow and adhere absolutely to standing rules of all shapes and forms. To the rest of the table staff, and the attendants in particular who look after us attentively, thank you very much. To the messengers and Hansard staff, thank you. The work of all of staff makes the lives of all members of parliament much easier and more pleasant. We obviously deal with a wide range of very detailed and often complex work and the staff make our jobs possible and more productive.

While some misguided people might say that our life in the Legislative Council is dull and anodyne, we know that this is where the real work is done. What we do here is incredibly valuable and important to the people of this state.

The Hon. S.G. Wade: And so say all of us.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: There is unanimous agreement. I also wish to record the government's thanks to parliamentary counsel, whose impartial wisdom and assistance is greatly valued by all who work with them and without whom our task as legislators would be simply impossible. We have all benefited greatly from the efforts of our kitchen and dining staff—some showing more effects than others, and again I will not name names.

I thank the library staff and the building staff, who are all part of a very important team. As always they look after our needs in a very considerate and friendly way, and it makes our long hours of hard work much easier to bear and more productive. I particularly thank my own staff. It is a small, incredibly hardworking team who have risen to many challenges, in this session in particular, with great fortitude, unfailing commitment and continuing good humour. They are an absolute delight and pleasure to work with, and I am sure all members here would like to extend the same gratitude to their staff as well.

When we return to the fray next year I hope that all members and staff will come back to their duties renewed, inspired and in good health, and I look forward to seeing you all then and working with you again in parliament. We know that our work does not stop just because there is a summer break.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Yes, I did mention Hansard. Now they have been mentioned twice. Just because the parliament rises over the summer break does not mean that we as members of parliament are on a holiday—we are not. Our work continues in other ways, but obviously our parliamentary work has a break until the spring session. I extend my best wishes for a very safe and festive season and new year for all honourable members.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (16:58): I rise on behalf of the opposition to endorse the comments made by the Leader of the Government, although I think we are coming back in the autumn session and not in spring. I thank all my parliamentary colleagues from a range of different parties and backgrounds for their cooperation throughout the year. I thank the table staff—Jan, Chris and the rest of the team—for all their support. They certainly play an important role in our function here. I thank Hansard also for their ongoing support and for making people's speeches in here sound like they actually know what they are talking about and are intelligent.

Parliamentary counsel are very important because very few of us have that technical drafting ability, and it is certainly important to have their support, and they are always willing to help; even if they perhaps privately think some of the suggestions are not that sensible, they are still always able to help, so we certainly appreciate that. I thank the catering staff, in the dining room, the bar and the Blue Room. An army runs on its stomach, and we are well looked after by all the catering staff.

The opposition is always here very early in the morning and late at night, and we get great service from the building attendants. They look after us well as I come in the tradesman's entrance nearly every morning and go home late every night. I also thank all the staff: my personal staff and also the broader staff of the opposition team and the staff of the cross benches and, in most cases, the staff of government members in that, when we need to get information and talk to each other, it all seems to work reasonably well and smoothly.

With those few words, I wish everybody a very merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous new year. We will see everyone back on Valentine’s Day next year.

The Hon. M. PARNELL (17:00): Perhaps even more briefly, I would like to support and endorse the remarks of both the Leader of the Government and the Leader of the Opposition. They have both comprehensively listed the people we need to thank. We should make sure that we do not forget that our work here depends very much on the table staff, the attendants, the messengers, the building staff and the catering staff. We have the parliamentary research library, the good people of Hansard (I think that is the fifth mention) and parliamentary counsel, of course.

There is also the parliamentary network support group, the people who keep us connected and answer our often simple questions, sometimes our difficult ones. Also, what, I think, we did not have this time last year is some new cleaning staff. Those of us, such as the Hon. David Ridgway and myself, who get here very early in the morning have become acquainted with the cleaning staff. On behalf of Tammy and myself, I wish all members and all of our hardworking staff a restful holiday season, and I look forward to seeing everyone back here in February.

The PRESIDENT (17:00): There being no further contributions, I take this opportunity to thank all honourable members of the Legislative Council for their support throughout the year and their hard work. Also, I would like to thank the staff of the Legislative Council, Jan and Chris in particular, the table staff in the council and all the other staff of the Legislative Council and all the staff of Parliament House, from catering to the library—all of those who come under the auspices of the JPSC.

I would also like to make special mention of the members of the JPSC for their hard work during the year and for their making the tough decisions. I also pass on my thanks to the two whips from the major parties. I make special mention of the Hon. John Dawkins for his assistance to allow me some coffee breaks, and I also thank my Labor colleagues for giving me a coffee break from time to time.

I wish all the staff and all the members a happy and healthy Christmas and a very prosperous new year. I look forward to seeing you all back in good health and good spirits after Christmas.


At 17:02 the council adjourned until Tuesday 14 February 2012 at 14:15.


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