Philip Ruddock (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the House for giving me the opportunity to be associated with this condolence motion for Frank Crean. Simon Crean, the member for Hotham, knew his father well. I had the great privilege of serving with Frank Crean in this parliament, having entered this chamber in 1973. I saw him as minister and Deputy Prime Minister and had the great privilege of regarding him as a colleague, although I was very junior. Members may not be aware, but it is surprising how similar our family backgrounds have been. My late father, who served in the New South Wales parliament, had the privilege of serving in the Commonwealth Public Service from the period of the war until 1949. That is why I was born in Canberra. He held a master’s degree in economics. He was qualified as a public accountant. In other words, their qualifications were almost mimicked. And my father had the highest regard for yours. He spoke of him long before he achieved ministerial office and reminded me of the contribution that he was making and would be able to make, and so for that reason I particularly wanted to be associated with this motion.

I have had an opportunity to read some of the parliamentary debates and in particular one—as we did here today—where we wish each other well. I noted that at the time when the late Frank Crean left the parliament in 1977, Ian Macphee, who was spoken of earlier, said it was his privilege to know Frank Crean well before he came into this place. He said: ‘We served together on the Council of Adult Education in Victoria when he was chairman. He was chairman for 20 years.’ Vince Martin will not be known to many perhaps, except for the member for Banks, but he had this to say:

The thing I admire about Frank Crean is his humility. He is a true Christian. He is an elder of the Presbyterian Church and I am a practising Catholic. There was  no difference of opinion between us on true Christian principles. He played a leading part in an organisation about which very little is known outside this Parliament—the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship. He was a fine example to many people in this Parliament, with his attitude of true Christianity.

When I speak of his humility, I do not have to go back very long ago to find an example. Frank Crean had served in very high office. He was Deputy Prime Minister of this country. He was Treasurer, and in my view the best Treasurer we had between 1972 and 1975. He did not consider it a lowering of his prestige to serve as a member of the Public Accounts Committee of this Parliament when he was asked to do so.

He saw his role as a member of parliament as being something that was particularly important and with which he could be associated.

I promised to contain my remarks, but there is one story I hope the honourable member will not mind me telling. It says something of the true humility of Frank Crean that greatly affected me. My wife and I were dining in a restaurant here in Canberra. One of the minister’s nephews was waiting on us and he said, I believe jocularly, that his family probably would not believe that he had been waiting on the enemy. I thought it was jocular; he served us well. But after Christmas we had a note from him apologising for what he had said. He had spoken with his grandfather, who had told him that it was an inappropriate remark to make. I think it says something about the Frank Crean that I greatly admire. It says something about the way in which he brought up his family. It is the reason that I wanted to stand here today and to send my best wishes to the minister’s mother, Mary. My condolences to you, Minister, and your brother, all of your children, nephews and nieces and the great-grandchildren of Frank Crean. They are rightly proud of what he has been able to achieve for this country. Those of us who had the privilege of knowing him were greatly enriched.

Question agreed to, honourable members standing in their places.

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