Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Science) Share this | Hansard source

Deputy Speaker Chesters, I'm very grateful for your forbearance in allowing me to add some words here. The Fitzgibbon family, as everyone well knows, are a very close-knit, tight family. Having known Joel Fitzgibbon, not just as a parliamentarian but well before my time as a parliamentarian, I know how strongly he felt for all his kids, but that particularly he felt a deep pride about their achievements and accomplishments. I think it's a truism for anyone who's a parent that no parent should be put in the position that both he and Di have been put in. They had great hopes, obviously, for Jack. I know, from times speaking with Joel, how deeply proud he felt of his son. The member for Paterson and I were reflecting on this just in the last 24 hours. In the member for Paterson's case, she got to see all those kids grow up and was very close to them. As much as it deeply impacted on many of us, I do particularly feel for the member for Paterson, given her close relationship and friendship with Joel Fitzgibbon.

I take on board what has been expressed by a number of contributions, regardless of politics, that have been made in the course of this debate. In particular, the words expressed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence weighed heavily, talking about the invidious position in which ministers for defence are sometimes placed, where they're required to call on the families of those who have served in deep sincerity to the nation and have lost their lives in the course of that service. I know that Joel had to make those calls in times past. I'm also aware that the families, as heavy as those calls were, greatly appreciated the words expressed by Joel and, more importantly the sentiments that underpinned them and the sincerity with which they were delivered. Joel would never have expected to be in the position where he was receiving that call himself, and I do recall the Deputy Prime Minister expressing that during his contribution to this condolence motion.

As I said, I'm very grateful for the indulgence, Deputy Speaker Chesters, but I did want to express to the entirety of the Fitzgibbon family—not just to Joel as a deep friend, a great friend, of mine but to his whole family—that we feel the weight of what they've gone through, as we do with everyone who serves the nation in the ADF who does not get to continue that service due to their life being shortened prematurely. To the Fitzgibbon family, we extend our deepest condolences, but, just as much, we extend our deep gratitude for the service of their son, Jack.

Debate adjourned.

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