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

It says '14' here—a typo, in About the House Magazine! I am glad to have it corrected. David then moved to Channel 10—or 'Channel 0'; you'd correct that, too, I am sure—where:

… he was over ten years a newsreader, journalist and Show Host (he even compered "New Faces") …

Why do I mention these matters? He had the most resonant voice in the parliament that I have ever heard. Gary Hardgrave's may have come close, but certainly I do not think his had the same quality that David Jull's had.

More importantly—and this will be reflected in some other remarks I make—this journal records:

His attractions to Liberal Party philosophy dates from when as a boarder, he was given leave to steer a campaign speech delivered by Sir Robert Menzies in the Brisbane City Hall. The contrast between "Ming" Liberalism and the ideas of … John Gorton led Jull to join the Liberal Party in 1969.

When I went to David's maiden speech, I thought it was important to note some of his observations because they say something of him as a Liberal, and that is something to which I very much related. He said this:

We as a government have a very real responsibility for small businesses throughout Australia, because it was the small businessman, the Australian who was prepared to get out and have a go, who was prepared to work hard, who helped build this nation and who made it great. Even today some 42 per cent of the population is employed by small businesses …

He was saying this in 1976. He spoke about the importance of encouraging the private entrepreneur and noted that, if you were going to keep unemployment at low levels, it was very important to have productivity. This is what you might regard as being the traditional Liberal approach. But he went on to say:

An electorate such as Bowman, because of its nature, has more than its fair share of social problems too.

He was a person with a social conscience, and one of those who reflected, I think, the Liberal view that if you are going to be there to build a bigger Australia it is to ensure that you can bring along with you those people who have needs who cannot necessarily well provide for themselves.

David got involved very early in his public life here in Canberra in tourism. I thought it was of note that he had the opportunity to serve on one of the early committees of review from 1976, the House of Representatives Select Committee on Tourism. In later years he had a role in the Queensland Tourist and Travel Corporation between 1983 and 1984—that short time that he was out of the parliament. And he brought all of that experience not only to serve the electorate that he represented but to highlight the needs of tourism in Australia, in a way which I think few have been able to do in the time they have been involved in public life.

I very much relate to David Jull because of the length of his service. There are not many who have had the opportunity to serve as long as he had the opportunity to do. I noted in his last speech he said:

This is … the 371st speech I have made since 1981 … I suppose you could add 100 on to that—so we are probably getting very close to the 500th speech …

What that really tells you about David Jull is that he was a substantial contributor to the public life of this nation. I do not believe I have seen, in a very long time, a list as long as that which is before us of those who will be contributing to this condolence debate today. That says something about David Jull and our friendship and our love for him. In concluding, my leader said that he mourns David's passing and he expressed deepest condolences to David's former wife, Erica, his brother, Peter, his sister, Gwen, and his sons, Stephen and Andrew.

Mrs Prentice interjecting—

I am being helped by my colleague again. I am not familiar with all the family members. Would you like to speak up? Who have I forgotten?

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