Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too rise to offer my condolences on the passing of Don Randall. I got to meet Don on the day I was sworn in, after a by-election, 10 years ago. I thought he was somewhat critical of the government so he must have been on our side. It was not until the next day when we fronted up in question time that I saw he was a feisty parliamentary participant who regularly objected about our side—he was on the other side, contrary to what I had thought from our original conversation. He took the time to welcome me into the parliament and discuss things generally, and I guess we struck up a relationship as fellow parliamentarians. That is why this is such a sad occasion for us to come together—we have lost one of our number.

I had the opportunity to serve with Don on many committees but it was when I served with him as his deputy chair on the Sri Lanka-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group that I spent a lot of time with him and we were able to talk about not only the issues facing Sri Lanka but also the issues facing the people of that country as they rebuild following that dreadful civil war. As many have said today, he had a genuine commitment and passion to see a return to normality for the people of Sri Lanka. I spent a lot of time with him and the former High Commissioner, Admiral Samarasinghe, looking at ways we could better improve our relations but with a view to benefiting the people of Sri Lanka.

Don and I got on very well because of our interest in special education, he being a former teacher, one who had a particular interest in the provision of care for children with autism, and me having a grandson with autism. We spent much time talking about that and about what children do need in respect of early intervention and what they need so they can participate as fully as possible in our community. Don's interest in that regard was certainly not academic—it was a profound interest in special education.

Over the break, since Don's passing, I received a telephone call from former senator Steve Hutchins. Obviously he will not have the opportunity to speak on this condolence motion, but he wanted me to tell the House that he had travelled with Don on many occasions—I think one of those trips was to Sri Lanka—and in particular he wanted me to mention his involvement with Don in the Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program. He and Don travelled to the Middle East together, and he wanted me to advise the House that Don was a sterling travel partner. Steve said Don's wit, his humour and his embrace of all things associated with parliamentary life distinguished him, as he said, as very much a professional parliamentarian—one who could rise above politics and look at the institutions of the parliament itself.

With Don's passing there is absolutely no doubt that we have lost one of the characters of this parliament—one of the people who define much of the interest externally in what we do and also a person, quite frankly, who has contributed in a way that we all know means he will be missed. To Julie and their daughter Tess and son Elliott, I offer my absolute condolences to you. To Don, for being the friend you have been, may you rest in peace.

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