Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

There you go: not a day goes by, as the member says, that he does not miss being in that party room with both of those gentleman. And of course it was always very straightforward and very genuine. But their passion and commitment to rural, regional and remote areas, to farmers and to regional economies was second to none. They encouraged us all to stand up for what we really believe in in rural and regional Australia. I think Wilson would really like me to acknowledge not only his relationship with Alby but some of the good work they did as part of the agricultural committee. When you think about the fact that Alby came in in 1998 and served right through to 2013—a 25-year career—that is an extraordinary effort.

Alby served his community; he served the farming and rural sector. But you always knew Alby loved his wife; none of us were in any doubt of that. He loved his wife—Glo, as he called her—and he spoke so beautifully of her. Anyone who thought Alby was a hard nut—and he was—only had to listen to him talk about Glo to know that he loved Glo in a way that only those who are part of a couple who are married for probably around 53 years can love each other. They shared a wonderful partnership. To Glo, and to Dean and Grant and their five grandchildren and their daughters-in-law, we in this place really want to offer our sincere sympathy to you all and our condolences on the loss of Alby. And yes, I know that you would have known this was coming and prepared for it, but nothing prepares you for actually losing someone, no matter how much you share their journey and you know their time is coming—nothing. Nothing prepares you for actually losing them or for the day after, when you can no longer have that last word, when you can no longer say hello or goodbye, when there is no more. So, to Glo and all the family, our condolences to you. I really hope the support you have given each other through Alby's illness and since losing Alby continues, and from your friends and family. And, knowing Alby, you have plenty of friends and certainly a very close family.

Alby would talk about his lost eye. One day he said to me, 'I'm not one-eyed in just one sense; I'm one-eyed in every sense'—meaning he was a one-eyed Liberal. And he was never backward in letting you know that—the strong and fearless character that we knew Alby to be. But what I respected so much about Alby was that he was an absolutely fearless advocate for rural and regional Australians and farmers. We need more Albys, because it is very difficult for us to get our voices heard. We are a diminishing number of representatives in this place, and we are a diminishing number of Australians, in a sense. Our history has changed the role of farmers. Our farmers still manage the majority of the land. They are still family owned and run businesses. And they bear the brunt of weather and circumstances and the volatility of prices. But they are the salt of the earth, and that is what Alby was, which is why he could represent them so well. Even if you did not agree with Alby, you could never question his genuine commitment. I think that is what everybody in his electorate saw from him and Glo and the work they put in when there were hardships—delivering food parcels and support parcels to people throughout their community and simply being on the ground with people who were doing it tough.

And of course Alby, being the meatworker he was, could talk to anyone. He did not really mind whether it was someone who was very well educated—perhaps far better educated than Alby was—or whether it was the bloke with the shovel: Alby treated them the same way, and he was a genuine bloke. He had friends on both sides of this place. Another person, who is not here now, who was a friend of Alby's was Dick Adams. They did a lot of work together on the committee, along with the likes of Wilson Tuckey. All of those gentlemen were very genuine in what they were there to do, and I know Alby had friendships on both sides of the House.

When I looked at Alby's valedictory speech, one of the things he talked about was:

… 'The Team',—

He called it 'The Team'—

which Glo and I committed to in my first slogan: `You get two for the price of one.' Little did I know that she was a bigger draw card for my ongoing success at the ballot box than I was!

That commitment was to all constituents. Alby never pretended to be all things to all people, but he certainly understood that Glo was one of the greatest benefits he had, and he certainly loved her very much.

I went and had a look at Alby's maiden speech in the local news at the time. He said:

In short, rural producers, despite their best efforts to maintain their well-earned reputations as the most productive farmers in the world, are reeling from one setback to another, much of it outside their control.

When you consider that this was his maiden speech 27 or 28 years ago, the question has to be asked: for rural and regional, nothing much as changed, has it? The article went on to say that Mr Schultz did not 'subscribe to political correctness'. That's a shock, isn't it! Alby did not subscribe to political correctness. Well, if anybody in this House has any doubt about that, I do not have any doubt, because I was on the receiving end on a regular basis. He said:

I intend to defend the mainstream family values which have been pushed aside for political expediency; and I will never compromise my principles, honesty and integrity, no matter the cost. I seek no favours and I ask only that my rural constituency be given a `fair go'.

I say to Alby's rural constituency of Hume: Alby did exactly that in his time here in this parliament, and I think every one of his constituents knew that. Even if they did not agree with him, they knew Alby was out there batting for them.

My final word goes to his family—Gloria, his two sons, his daughters-in-law and his five grandchildren. We express our deepest sympathy to you and our condolences on the loss of Alby. He certainly will be missed. He was very proud of Angus. He recruited Angus and he saw Angus as a suitable replacement. The gesture that I remember Alby doing—and I do not know if other members in the House remember—was having his arms crossed. You would have to just deal with Alby when he had his arms crossed. He was always a very genuine Australian. He had no fear and he represented his electorate very well. I offer my condolences to his family. I know that he will be sadly missed.

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