Russell Matheson (Macarthur, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I pay tribute to a great man and legend, Mr Lionel Rose MBE, who passed away on Sunday, 8 May 2011. I would also like to express my deepest sympathy and pass on my condolences to his family and friends. In 1968, when Lionel Rose beat Japanese boxer 'Fighting' Harada, Lionel became a role model for Aboriginal people throughout Australia. Lionel was a great champion and was rightly hailed as Australia's first Aboriginal world champion, with over 100,000 people attending a civic reception in his honour at Melbourne Town Hall. In that same year, Lionel was made Australian of the Year—what a great tribute to a great man. He was an absolute legend and a champion for his people and all Australians.

Lionel Rose was a remarkable man admired by all. He was a wonderful human being and it is fitting that he will be honoured with a state funeral. In a Sydney Morning Herald article on 9 May, Australian boxing trainer Johnny Lewis said:

It seems incredible that on the same day Lionel Rose leaves us Daniel Geale becomes a world champion.

Mr Lewis goes on to say:

Daniel is very proud of his indigenous background and the way was opened for Daniel by Lionel Rose and Tony Mundine. They were great role models. I think Lionel Rose showed Indigenous Australians that they could achieve anything if they worked hard, but he was an inspiration to all Australians.

This was a wonderful tribute to Lionel Rose by the legendary boxing trainer Johnny Lewis. Only four Australians have won world titles overseas—Jimmy Carruthers, Lionel Rose, Jeff Harding and a local boy from my Macarthur electorate, Daniel Geale. Daniel is a resident of Harrington Park; he trains at the Grange Old School Boxing gym at Smeaton Grange. Even though Daniel was born in Launceston, Tasmania, in recent years he has resided in the Macarthur electorate. Daniel won gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester and turned professional in 2004. In December of that year, he won the world IBO middleweight championship. On 8 May, Daniel won the IBF middleweight world championship—an amazing achievement. I am proud to say that my office gave Daniel the Aboriginal flag that he took with him to Germany for the world championship this year.

Daniel Geale is the latest Aboriginal champion to become a role model for the Aboriginal youth in my electorate. I am proud to be the member for Macarthur, a place where Aboriginal heritage is valued and cherished. The Macarthur region is home to one of the largest urban concentrations of Aboriginal people in Sydney. There are more than 5,000 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people living in the Macarthur region, representing approximately 2.3 per cent of the total population of my electorate. The median age for Indigenous residents in Macarthur is 17 years, compared to 32 years for the general population.

Macarthur over the years has produced many Aboriginal role models in sports, the arts, policing and education. People such as Djon Mundine, our internationally recognised Aboriginal curator at the Campbelltown Arts Centre; Constable Brenton Magee, a Campbelltown police officer and a great role model for local Aboriginal youth; and Frances Bodkin, a botanical author, teacher and traditional storyteller at the at the Mount Annan Botanic Gardens, who was recently one of 100 Indigenous women across the country recognised for their tireless contribution to the community. That is to name just a few of our local Aboriginal people who have made a significant contribution to our community. I am sure that Lionel would not mind me mentioning other inspirational Aboriginal leaders here today. There are many throughout all our communities. Lionel Rose was a quiet, unassuming Australian, a role model not only for Aboriginal people but for all Australians. He was a national hero for us all. It has been said that Lionel Rose's decency redefined sportsmanship. Lionel Rose led by example and remained a man of the people. There will never be enough accolades to celebrate the wonderful life of Lionel Rose and his contribution to humanity and Australian society. I am pleased to inform the House that Daniel Geale has these same attributes. I have no doubt that he will also become a role model for the youth of Australia and follow in the same footsteps as the great Lionel Rose, who will always be remembered.

See this speech in context