Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Oh, you're not Catholic? Righto. Before this parliament resumes, Australia and many other nations on 11 November will mark the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that officially ended the First World War—the Great War, the war to end all wars, an indescribably terrible war, a war in which Australia lost over 60,000 from a population of less than five million. In the darkest hours of the Great War, facing defeat, facing terrible odds against the Germans and facing a terrible situation, a leader arose who in 18 months changed the course of the war, turning defeat into victory and bringing the war to an end. He was an Australian. His name was John Monash. Under his leadership, the Australian infantry forces managed to turn the tide of the war to the allies' favour, cumulating in the surrender of Germany.

Monash was a gifted organiser and a strategic thinker, but, let's face it: he was a Jew; he came from the CDF, not from the regular army; he was mistrusted and disliked as a pushy Jew by his peers; he was an outsider working with insiders; and he was disliked by the press. Yet, with all that before him, nothing daunted his efforts on behalf of those he led in the Australian forces. His postwar legacy was the establishment of the State Electricity Commission of Victoria. The Electoral Commission, in its most recent redistribution, has paid tribute to his great leadership by naming the new seat, which takes in much of my electorate of McMillan, the electorate of Monash.

Sir John Monash is an iconic figure in Victorian and Australian history. His connection with the electorate that will bear his name precedes the war by some years. I have recently read two books on Monash: Monash: The Outside Who Won a War by Roland Perry and Monash's Masterpiece by Peter FitzSimons. I also read one on general Australian history and the community around Ballarat at the time of Peter Lalor; it tells the whole story. I put a bit of effort into it to get an idea of the nation as it was at that time. The electorate that's going to be named after him is known for its richness of dairy and beef industries, its deep, majestic forests, its iconic national parks—Wilson's Promontory and Mount Baw Baw—and the tourist mecca of Phillip Island, home of Australia's Motorcycle Grand Prix, which will take place this weekend.

But it was mining that brought Monash to this unique and extraordinary region, connected through his private practice with friend JT Noble Anderson, as civil mining and mechanical engineers and patent agents. The company they established, Monash and Anderson, concentrated on South Gippsland, where coal and gold mining companies were carrying out construction works. They briefly considered setting up the headquarters of the organisation in Gippsland. Monash designed and installed an aerial tramway for transporting quartz at Walhalla. Another Walhalla contract involved about 28 tonnes of machinery from Daylesford to, in those days, beyond Walhalla. Two of Monash and Anderson's girder bridges were built in South Gippsland, one in Kardella and one in Outtrim.

Monash's history is well known, but his influence to this nation in turning the tide of the war has meant that we can stand in this place in freedom. Reading the books on Monash can't help but make you cry, but, at the same, it makes you a very proud Australian. I will be honoured if I am successful in the next election to be the member for Monash.

Question agreed to.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 13:00

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