Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment and Energy) Share this | Hansard source

I first associate myself with the outstanding speeches by my parliamentary colleagues. We just heard from the member for Canberra and, before her, the member for Berowra, the member for Dobell, the member for Robertson and the member for Melbourne Ports. In anticipation, we will hear from the member for Fenner.

Yesterday's memorial service at Old Parliament House, which I had the privilege to attend, was a celebration of Barry Cohen's big life—his good life. We heard speeches from former Prime Minister Bob Hawke, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, the Leader of the Opposition, the member for Melbourne Ports, his son Stuart and others. What came through these speeches was a picture of a man, whom I was fortunate to have met, who was first and foremost a proud Australian. He was a proud Jew and he was a proud Labor man. In his many achievements in public life—21 years in the parliament—he was responsible for a number of significant achievements which leave a lasting legacy. As the environment minister, I can only look back in awe at what he achieved with regard to Uluru, Kakadu, the Barrier Reef and the Tasmanian wilderness. As the Minister for Arts, Heritage and Environment, we have heard about his significant contributions. Indeed, our presence in Old Parliament House in some way could be traced to his commitment to restoring that building and ensuring that it stayed for future generations.

As the member for Robertson, he turned a marginal seat—in fact, a Liberal seat, as we heard yesterday—into a safe Labor seat by door-knocking thousands of homes with his wife, Rae, and a band of loyal supporters and winning respect for his passionate defence of local interests and the local community. He also was the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Bicentennial.

Barry Cohen came to the parliament in a non-traditional way in the sense that he had been a postman and a clerk and had broader business experience. When he came to the parliament, as was said yesterday, he was not a union rep or a party hack. He was somebody who came with a determination to make a difference. In reading his maiden speech to the parliament on 5 March 1970, he talked about how the motivating factor in deciding to become a political activist was: 'I have always been concerned with the question of prejudice, whether that prejudice be based on class, religion or race.' In his maiden speech, he spent the vast majority of the time talking about Aboriginal disadvantage, health, particularly infant mortality, and housing and the need to do better on behalf of our First Australians. We heard yesterday how genuine and long-lasting his commitment was.

My colleagues the member for Berowra and the member for Melbourne Ports have referred to the fact that he cared deeply about his Jewishness. He was always prepared to wear that on his sleeve and he would speak openly about anti-Semitism where he encountered it as well as issues involving Israel. He was born and raised in Griffith, New South Wales, and he wrote about his local school that, 'There were seven Jewish children in a school of nearly a thousand, and that made us a bit of a curiosity.' He did say that he got his first taste of anti-Semitism when he was at Sydney Grammar School and that 'shocked, hurt and bewildered him'.

In the parliament, he had a fellow traveller in his support for Israel in Bob Hawke. But it is apt and timely in the presence of our fellow members of the Labor Party to remind them of what he, Barry Cohen, said about the concerns he saw with a lurch to the Left and a growing antagonism towards Israel. He said, 'I'm sick of Labor leaders and foreign affairs spokesmen making all the right noises to Jewish audiences while an increasing number of Labor backbenchers launch diatribes at Israel.' That is a very powerful statement. I only mention it because I know that my fellow Labor members in the chamber care as deeply about Israel and anti-Semitism as I do and as the member for Berowra does. I know, in the Leader of the Opposition, Israel has a staunch and loyal friend. Bob Hawke, who fought for the refuseniks in the Soviet Union, has a very proud record on that. In fact, 'Doc' Evatt, again from the Labor Party, has a very, very proud record on that. We always need to stand firm on these issues. When we stand on the shoulders of giants like Barry Cohen in this place, it pays to listen to a warning such as that. If we, in this place, can take that warning and act upon it, I will feel better for not just the Jewish community of today but the Jewish community of tomorrow.

Barry Cohen was an outstanding individual. He was decent. He was brave. He was humble. He was passionate. His causes stretched from Indigenous affairs to the environment, from the arts and culture to acting on behalf of our senior Australians and his own battle with Alzheimer's.

He is somebody who shared his views through his columns and his eight books and who has provided wisdom and insight for us here today. To his son Adam, in the chamber; to his mother, Rae; to Stuart; to Martin; to the extended family: you have so much to be proud of in Barry Cohen. I have so much to be proud of as a Jewish member of this parliament. Because we follow in his footsteps, we can learn from his example. And if we do him justice in this place, Australia will be the better for it.

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