Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I consider it an honour to speak in the debate on these statements of condolence on behalf of many people across the Corangamite electorate who have been touched by the untimely death of Phillip Hughes. It really has been incredibly moving to see the tributes over the past week and the cricket bats outside parliament and outside the homes of so many local people in my electorate. I visited one of my good friends Patrice Savage the other day. Her boys love playing cricket, and there was the cricket bat outside her home.

Later today the Macksville community and the cricket family will join together to farewell this inspirational young man. I wish Phillip's family and friends all the very best as they come to grips with what is an utter tragedy at this very, very difficult time. His death has touched not only friends, family, coaches and cricketers, both young and old, but people from all walks of life, all corners of Australia and around the world.

I think perhaps there are a number of reasons why Phillip's death has particularly reverberated so strongly. He was so incredibly young, just days out from his 26th birthday. I think his death is a poignant reminder that one cruel twist of fate is all that it takes to take someone away that we hold so dear in such an instant. There are so many people across Australia who love their sport and who love their cricket, and we watch and admire cricketers across the nation, as we have for many years, with such a degree of emotion. We watch the successes and the failures, and there is a very deep connection with the emotions of the players. I think it has been particularly difficult to watch Phillip's teammates come to terms with his passing without deeply feeling that loss ourselves.

Phillip Hughes was capable of playing world-beating cricket. He made two test centuries against South Africa and one against Sri Lanka, as well as two one-day international centuries, also against Sri Lanka. And who could forget his memorable partnership with Ashton Agar in England in July last year. Ashton Agar stole the show that day with a score of 98 on debut—an incredible effort—but it would not have been possible without the leadership and the level-head of Phillip Hughes, who finished the innings unbeaten on 81. In first-class cricket Phillip maintained an average of 46.51, with 26 tons and 46 fifties. Australians love an underdog, and there would have been few things sweeter than to see this young man make his return to the test team.

The first test of the summer, against India, was due to start tomorrow. But for a few millimetres, Phillip Hughes might have had his chance to finally cement himself in the national team. That we will no longer see him strapping on the pads and striding to the crease is a very sombre thought.

At this point I want to reflect on the words of Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who said a number of days ago:

People are not supposed to die playing our national game. Sport is supposed to engender pride, not grief.

To Phillip's family, to his friends and to cricketers young and old, this is a very, very sad loss for our nation and a loss that has reverberated around the world. Rest in peace, Phillip Hughes—63 not out forever.

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