profile
Wobbly Burch finds her feet A year in the ministry and Joy Burch believes she has performed well, and tells ELERI HARRIS that there’s more to being a minister than performance in the Assembly BOBBED and blonde and furiously highlighting pages of notes, on the floor of the ACT Legislative Assembly Labor Minister Joy Burch throws verbal punches sideways at Liberal Vicki Dunne, clearly hitting the mark at an increasingly faster pace. Regularly critiqued on her political theatrics in the chamber, forced to table pages of departmental advice and endure an awkward, failed Liberal censure motion against her, after a year in the job, Minister Burch appears to be finally getting into the swing of things. The former nurse, community worker and childcare operator openly admits she’s acquired many skills on the go in her two years in the Assembly, one as the Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services; Children and Young People; Multicultural Affairs; Ageing; and Women. “To say it’s been a privilege and a learning curve would probably be an understatement,” Burch told “CityNews”. “I do remember my first week. I got announced my first ministry on the Monday and I was in the Chamber on the Tuesday. That was a short time between go and whoa! But that’s okay. I will continue to improve and I hope in 12 months time that I bring more maturity and common sense and depth to the portfolio.” On the back of her censure motion and increasingly targeted by the Opposition in the Assembly, Burch is keen to express disappointment in Liberal tactics and point out there is more to being a minister than participation on the chamber floor.
12 CityNews November 10-17
“Censure motions are a unique experience, you’ve got to go through one to understand,” she says. “While I don’t take it personally, I think it’s more telling on them than it is on anyone on the side of Government if they have to resort to it. I actually don’t understand why they pick on women. “A minister should not be determined just by the chamber alone. “The function of a minister features many layers, it’s around how you talk to your constituency, how you represent their aims and ambitions within caucus and cabinet. “I believe that I have performed well.” As Burch ploughs on with the portfolios linked to her previous career in the community sector, she admits the others have fallen by the wayside. “I don’t think I could have asked for a better set of portfolios that match with my personal interest,” she says. “When I have conversations with either a disability service or a community service, I actually understand each and every one of their nuances because I’ve been there myself. “I think my background gives me the strength of understanding how the sector is delivering services and the challenges they face, down to workforce recruitment, service delivery, ensuring their quality and robust systems on the ground.” But even on Burch’s list of term ambitions, her portfolios of Multiculturalism and Women do not rate a mention.
briefly Flying memories SERIOUSLY ill children will experience a free day of entertainment, fun and the joy of flying on Sunday, November 14, when the Canberra Aero Club hosts the local leg of the national FunFlight day. The club has organised interesting aircraft and the airport’s fire-fighting services to be there. The Rotary Club of Canberra South will also be on hand to make the event enjoyable for the children and their families.
Golf fundraiser
THE Leukaemia Foundation will be holding a fundraising golf tournament at the Murrumbidgee Country Club, Kambah, on Thursday, November 18. More information on 6286 1111 or 0435 659564 or by email to mhuttley-jackson@leukaemia.org.au
Twilight fair
THERE will be a twilight fair at the Harrison School, Wimmera Street, from 3pm-7pm at on November 20. It will feature rides, show bags, an international food court, cake stall, a raffle, auctions, art and crafts, art show, trash and treasure, community stalls and live performances. Minister Joy Burch… “I will continue to improve and I hope in 12 months time that I bring more maturity and common sense and depth to the portfolio.” Photo by Silas ANU political science visiting fellow Dr Gwen Gray says Burch’s neglect of her role as Minister for Women is emblematic of a national trend. “Joy Burch is following in the steps of Julia Gillard, who in announcing her first cabinet didn’t have a Minister for Women,” Gray said. “You could say women’s issues have been put on the back burner, politicians feel that they can ignore them or pay cursory attention to them.”
Majura festival
THE Majura Community Festival, featuring art and craft exhibitions, music and dance performances and an array of food cuisines in various stalls is being held in the car park at the Dickson Shopping Centre from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, November 20. The festival, organised by Northside Community Service, a not-forprofit organisation and primary provider of community services in the ACT for more than 30 years, also features a petting zoo, jumping castle and face-painting for children on the lawns outside the Baptist Church.