Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Roads and Transport) Share this | Hansard source

On indulgence, firstly, I'd like to acknowledge the House for allowing these condolence speeches. It is not normal practice for this House to take condolences on someone other than an Australian or a head of state. So I'd like to acknowledge the Leader of the House and the Manager of Opposition Business for leaving way for Senator John McCain to be acknowledged in this Chamber.

I had the good fortune of meeting John in 2008 when I signed up with the LNP in Queensland to attend the Art of Political Campaigning tour in Washington. Basically, conservative governments or politicians from all around the globe landed in Washington under the auspices of the Art of Political Campaigning. There were some amazing speakers. While we were there, we were given the opportunity to go and lick stamps and just get an idea of how big the campaign machine is in the Americas. They spend a lot of money. Jingo, they spend a lot of money! McCain—John—made a point of coming through and spending some time with us. With all of his achievements that members of this House have acknowledged—and I don't intend to laboriously repeat all of those amazing feats of heroism—he was a humble man. There were five of us in the delegation from Australia, and we had some type of baggage or insignia on us that indicated that we were from Australia. He said, 'Have you guys come all the way to help?' We said, 'Yes, we have, because we believe in the cause.' He said, 'Well, you're patriots for conservatism,' and we said: 'There are elections all the time here in America, but we don't come to all of them. There are only some we come to, and we believe in you.'

Members of this House have role models or political heroes—not war heroes but political heroes. I'm just fortunate, that McCain—John—is one of my political heroes. He was humble, and you know what? He also had a very good memory. When he returned to Australia, as the previous speaker said, he addressed the Labor caucus and also addressed our party room. The member for Canning, Andrew Hastie from Western Australia, who's also a previous serving military person, got up and asked some question with a military background. McCain rose to the occasion and answered it, and he said to the member for Canning—and I'm sure I won't be betraying any confidences about what gets said in the party room—'God, if I looked as good as you, I might have gone further politically,' offering the honourable member for Canning a compliment on his chiselled jaw and that. So he also demonstrated an incredible wit and capacity. When he addressed our room, you knew that you were in the presence of someone who could command a room through the prism of oratory. He had a commanding presence. He commanded through integrity, dignity and just a sense of realism. As Australians, we can smell bullshit coming a mile away, and John McCain was one of those guys that resonated.

I sometimes feel embarrassed when offering words of affirmation to those that have passed from this earth. Why didn't I have the courage to offer these words of encouragement and affirmation to these amazing people when they were alive so that they would find the enthusiasm to continue to do what they do? Maybe, as a result of today, I'll become a little bit more creative in that space and put pen to paper, or, when I have the opportunity to come across those that I admire, I will offer my thoughts probably a bit more readily than I do.

McCain left behind a family, as was said earlier on. I'm not going to just run through the correspondence that all members have already alluded to. But for a child to lose their father and for a wife to lose their husband is painful. It is painful. His mum is still alive. She's 106 or something.

See this speech in context