Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

It is a great honour to speak on the condolence motion for the Hon. Andrew Peacock AC. Australia has lost one of its greats in Andrew Peacock. Combining style and substance, he left an indelible mark on the Australian political scene. As leader, minister and member for Kooyong for 28 years, he carried the baton of his predecessor, Sir Robert Menzies, championing liberal ideals and providing strong and good government. There was no more popular and respected liberal in the Victorian division.

Andrew held a number of senior portfolios in the Gorton, McMahon and Fraser governments, including foreign affairs; external territories; industry and commerce; industrial relations; and Army during the time of the Vietnam War. His warm and sincere relationship with the people of Papua New Guinea was well known and saw him awarded the Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu, and with it the title of honorary chief. His role in Papua New Guinea's independence cannot be overstated. After his formal political career ended in 1994, he continued his public service as a distinguished and successful Australian ambassador to the United States.

Andrew was authentic, tough and possessed a dry sense of humour. He will be remembered fondly by those on both sides of the political aisle, as he played his politics as he pursued life: with vigour, dignity and the upmost decency. I'll be forever grateful to him for his generous friendship, advice and support, and feel so proud to be part of his wonderful legacy in Kooyong, where he was an exceptionally popular local member. He had so many friends in Kooyong, like Geoff Bowden, his long time FEC chair; Pat Holdensen, his FEC vice-chair; and other Liberal stalwarts, like Jane Hargreaves and George Swinburne.

I remember when he launched my first campaign in 2010 in Kooyong. He gathered among the assembled group and he said to them, 'Josh, if you're fortunate enough to be elected by the people of Kooyong, before you give your first speech in parliament, send a draft copy of your speech across to me for approval,' a bit like Sir Robert Menzies had said to him all those years before.

I asked, 'Andrew, what happened?' And he said he wrote his speech and he sent it across to Sir Robert Menzies, and not long after that the phone rang. He said, 'Hello?' And he heard, 'Sir Robert here.' Andrew asked, 'Did you get a copy of my speech?' Sir Robert said he did. So Andrew asked, 'Sir Robert, what did you think of the speech?' And Sir Robert said, 'It's too long.' So Andrew asked, 'What should I do?' Sir Robert said, 'Cut it in half!'—to which Andrew asked the obvious question: 'Which half?' And Sir Robert said, 'It doesn't matter!'

Andrew had a wonderful personality. He could be serious and he could be jovial. But he was always friendly, and incredibly decent. He will be greatly missed by his friends, by his former colleagues, by the Australian public. But that does not compare to how much he'll be missed by his family. Ann Peacock, together with her sisters, Caroline and Jane, and their father's grandchildren, Andrew, Woody and Christopher, shared a few words as part of the formal condolence motion in the House. These words I repeat, because they go to the heart of his legacy:

What we are left with is the love in our hearts and in our souls of the greatest, most giving, most caring, generous and thoughtful father. He always prioritised us. He was a father, and a mother for many years, all whilst holding down some of the greatest leading positions of the government and the Liberal Party. He will not die. He will live on in us, and we will uphold all that he taught us. We will never cease loving him and, as we were his priority, he is ours forever.

They are the most beautiful words, and my love and prayers are with Penne, are with Ann, are with Caroline and Jane and the grandchildren and extended family at this difficult time.

We will have an opportunity to share some more words at his memorial service in Melbourne. But I take this opportunity, as the deputy Liberal Party leader, as the sitting member for Kooyong, as a dear friend of Andrew Peacock, along with so many others, to say: thank you for what you've done for our country. May your soul rest in peace.

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