David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party, Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management) Share this | Hansard source

I firstly extend not only my deepest and sincerest condolences to the family, but also to you, the Labor family. You, as well as this nation, have lost a favourite son—one that will never be forgotten. When Bob Hawke became Prime Minister in 1983, I was a small boy in Western Queensland, six years old. My only appreciation of politics at that time, after my father had been elected to the Bjelke-Petersen government, was Queensland politics. But let me tell you, some years later, as I matured and understood the impact the Hawke years had in shaping our nation and shaping regional Australia, we are far richer for it. He is the father of modern Australia. Reforms that he implemented, his government, with the aid of the opposition, and the courage it took to implement those economic reforms, deregulating the financial sector, meant that there was capital that flowed for the first time into the regional communities. That meant regional communities could finally flourish and grow, by opening up to an outside world, allowing our farmers to not only trade and compete, but compete at a fair level. Bob fought for a fair go for farmers on the international stage. Opening up trade markets but making sure that we got a fair go was so important to each and every one of us.

But one of his biggest legacies that will always live on and will always be seen in regional and rural Australia is that of Landcare, and that was achieved with another great Australian in Rick Farley. That was one of the greatest achievements, I think, that regional and rural Australia will be able to look back on, because that's underpinned our sustainability and our longevity in regional and rural Australia. It took vision and it took courage to bring people from all persuasions together to look for a greater good and a good that was going to last in perpetuity. It's something that I know personally as my own family farm has benefited from the advent of Landcare. We were some of the perpetrators of some of the poorest farming practices in our district, but the advent of Landcare meant that we finally understood our country; we understood how to manage it and make it better and how to live with it.

So, in closing, let me say I think Bob Hawke personifies what's great about this country, that the ordinary can become the extraordinary. Australia has lost a truly great Australian, but we are so much richer for having him. Thank you.

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