Gary Gray (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Resources) Share this | Hansard source

Labor welcomes the appointment of Peter Cosgrove as the new Governor-General. General Peter Cosgrove has dedicated his entire adult life to serving his country, inspiring others by example and with his leadership. His leadership in a military context is well known. His leadership in our community is deeply understood. His leadership in areas of sport and endeavour brand General Cosgrove in a genuinely special light.

As commander of the international peacekeeping forces in East Timor at the turn of the last century, General Cosgrove helped bring independence and peace to a new nation and stability to our region in difficult times. The brief in East Timor was no easy brief. The brief in East Timor was carried out by General Cosgrove in an authoritative, gentle, tender Australian way, in a way that helped build a nation from the ashes of an invasion. General Cosgrove's contribution to our region as a leader is best understood through his role in East Timor.

As a former Chief of Army and Chief of the Defence Force, General Cosgrove represented the most remarkable qualities of our service personnel both at home and abroad. General Cosgrove continued his unwavering commitment to public service in leading the recovery effort in Far North Queensland following the devastation of Cyclone Larry in 2006. His willingness to be on-site, to be on the ground, to be visible, to speak up where required, to lead by example and to speak directly to all levels of government was not simply appreciated by the community of Far North Queensland. It set an example for how both good public administration and good people can serve our nation in times of need. It added to General Cosgrove an aura of concern, interest and capability for supporting the community that in many ways he had been a leader of his entire life.

I first became aware of General Cosgrove through the role that he played as a vociferous advocate for rugby union, through the Australian Rugby Union and through attempts to establish a licence for the Western Force rugby union franchise in Western Australia. In getting and understanding the particular culture of Western Australia in rugby union, General Cosgrove became not just a great advocate for a great global game but a great advocate for getting that game greater visibility in Western Australia. The great example of leadership, courage and thoughtfulness that comes out of that game is in many ways the hallmark of the general himself.

General Cosgrove was also recognised as a role model for others when he was named our Australian of the Year in 2001. To become Australian of the year is no mean feat. Not only does our nation look up to Australians of the year but our nation sees the Australian of the year as a great example in so many ways of the best of all of us. There is no way that we could not see General Cosgrove and his wife, Lynne, as being very simply that—a great embodiment of the very best of all that we in Australia look to, both in leadership and also in the men and women that we create in our country.

I would also like to recognise and thank Her Excellency Quentin Bryce for her dedicated service since her appointment as Governor-General in 2008. Ms Bryce is Australia's first female Governor-General and has brought a renewed sense of appreciation to this high office, in particular serving as a role model and mentor for Australian women.

I am familiar with many of the visits that the current Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, made to Western Australia through the north of Western Australia and through the Kimberley, and I am sure that, when our new Governor-General, General Cosgrove, makes those visits, he will do it in a lot more comfort than he is used to from his past and he will bring to Northern Australia the authoritative presence of a genuinely outstanding Australian. He and his wife, Lynne, will be welcomed wherever they go, and they will bring pride to communities who simply want to see and understand how our governor-generalship works, to provide the most wonderful level of hospitality to our new Governor-General and to provide insights into how regional Australia operates, how Northern Australia operates, how the Kimberley operates and how our mining communities operate.

This role is not simply a role cast in the narrow mould of a vice-regal representative. This role is the very embodiment of the spirit of government and good governance throughout our country. I look forward to seeing the new Governor-General travel throughout Australia and carry with him a message of goodwill, engagement and understanding, bringing back to us as decision-makers, parliamentarians and legislators the insight that he learns from his experience in this role.

Australia has been well served in the office of Governor-General over the 113 years of the office. We have been served by outstanding men and now women, and their generosity and willingness to serve in this role provides not only an important part of our Constitution's machinery of operation but also a non-political person who can stand above all else in Australia and be simply an Australian and a leader. We all like to see that. We all celebrate in that glow, and our country is made better for the people who fulfil this role.

I of course would like again to congratulate General Cosgrove and his wife, Lynne, on this momentous appointment and to thank outgoing Governor-General Bryce—and her husband, Michael, for the role that he has played in allowing the Governor-General to perform the work that she has performed in the interests of all Australians wherever required to do so. I commend the bill to the House.

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