Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It was NAIDOC Week last year when a person walked into the room, and of course it was Lionel Rose, and no room was the same in Drouin if Lionel was in that room, or if Lionel was at the football ground, or if Lionel was around. Lionel did not want any attention whatsoever, as we have heard today from the very generous speakers who have spoken in this condolence debate and who have passed on their condolences to the family, as I do to the broader Rose family. As their local member, I am as distant from Lionel and his family as any other person of my background. But I am not distant from Jacksons Track, and I am not distant from the story of Jacksons Track. I do not think anybody fully understands the incredible story that Lionel Rose is, coming out of Jacksons Track. No-one understands the enormity of the journey of the young boy coming out of Jacksons Track onto the world stage.

I do not think he had much time for politicians, or even NAIDOC Week, but he was out with his family; he was doing what he wanted to do. It was great to hear from members of parliament, especially the member for Bass, who obviously has a very deep and personal connection to Indigenous communities because of the work he has done with young footballers and sportsmen. Lionel, speaking to you now—we were there listening to you on the radio. I do not like boxing, because for all of my life, when I have listened to or watched boxing, my heart was in terror that Lionel Rose or one of his sporting colleagues was going to be severely hurt boxing on behalf of this nation, because that is what he was doing. Maybe it seemed that he was doing it for himself, but the nation was watching Lionel Rose. The nation was listening to Lionel Rose. The nation was hoping and praying for his wellbeing and his success. Fourteen people saw him off when he left to go overseas, and when he achieved that success 250,000 people crowded the streets of Melbourne—all the way from Essendon Airport and all the way in, there were people standing on the side of the road waiting for Lionel's car to come past. He was our new hero. And don't we love a hero!

Jacksons Track was a disgrace. When Carolyn Landon wrote the story of Jacksons Track and put it in black and white, we had an issue. I do not cry reading books, but I cried many times when I was reading Jackson's Track. I had to put the book down, and I could not read the next page until I could get myself back to a state where the tears in my eyes were not destroying my ability to read the book Jackson's Track. As a local member, I know where this guy came from. And he must have had a burning desire within him. You would hear those who are competent in sport talk about his speed, his ability and the power that came from such a gentle soul. The only person I ever met in Lionel Rose on the number of occasions that I met Lionel was a gentle, quiet, unassuming, humble human being. That is the person I knew. He did not have the humour of Syd Jackson. He did not even have what you would call grace and style—but humble!

Here was this guy who changed the world for Australia—to think that one of our Indigenous young people could go and tackle Fighting Harada and win. As you have heard from all of the people today who spoke about how he was rated, if he was on Sportsbet going into that fight, you would not have had any money on him at all. And he won. He won against the odds—as a child, as a teenager and as a boxer.

He could sing as well. I thought he sang Telephone to Glory.

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