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

I rise to speak on this condolence motion with great heart and some enthusiasm to say of Warwick Parer that, as the Minister for Resources and Energy of our country, the job he did in a short period of time was simply terrific. Warwick Parer was well regarded in Western Australia's resources sector for many reasons: he understood it instinctively, he understood it legislatively and he cared. In the context of the LNG sector, in which I was employed from the early 2000s before my entry to parliament, Minister Parer performed a number of regulatory simplifying operations that made life significantly easier for that sector.

Members will be aware that the idea of exporting Australia's mineral resources seems to us today to be a relatively straightforward matter, but one of the substantial regulatory burdens on the sector at the turn of the century, in 1999, was that any shipment of LNG from Australia had to be given the approval of the minister for resources. Every single shipment had to obtain that approval—and Minister Parer removed that regulatory burden and obstacle, which allowed the industry to both feel more comfortable about its operations and also perform its operations in a much smoother way. It may seem an odd thing to remark upon, but it takes a minister who cares and understands about the little things to have a big impact, and Senator Parer's impact across the board in resources was not simply the accumulation of those small pieces of caring knowledge; it was a big impact because it was very clear to those in the resources sector that he enjoyed being amongst them. He enjoyed visiting mine sites. He enjoyed visiting the big stuff and he pressed boards, executives and employees of companies on matters from safety and efficiency through to ensuring that these industries had a robust growth path.

He was an executive from Utah's coalmining division. In his latter years he continued as chairman of a power corporation. He continued to serve his community of Queensland in many different ways until his death last week. Mr Parer is in many ways a great exemplar both of public service and of good corporate practice—public service in a man who cared to serve his party as well as he possibly could, to serve his state in the best way possible and to find those value-adding, no-cost initiatives that were so reforming for the resources sector and from which Australia continues to benefit. He did all of this in a relatively short time as minister.

I pay tribute to him for his hard work and his thoughtful efforts, and I express my condolences to his family and his friends and my regret that I will not be able to attend his funeral on Friday. But I am in some hope that my comments today show both respect and admiration for a man who came to Canberra and made a substantial mark that is remembered, acknowledged and understood by those of us in the industry who benefited from his time, his service, his thoughtfulness and his insight.

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