David Bradbury (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to mark the passing of a great man from my community, Bill Smith. He worked for 43 years on the railways, coming to the profession in 1937, in what was arguably the golden era of rail travel in Australia. Bill’s four decades of service to the railways took him all over the state of New South Wales, from Condobolin, where he began his career as a porter, to the industrial towns of Newcastle and Port Kembla, and to the regional centres of Cowra and Griffith. At each stop on the journey, it seemed, his family grew. Billy ended his career in 1980, serving at Orange as one of only six special station masters in the state, before retiring to Penrith.

Bill’s life on the railways forged within him a devotion to the ideals of the Labor Party. Bill joined 67 years ago as a 21-year-old and was made a life member, like his wife of 64 years, Eileen, in 1980. For Bill, the Labor Party was about a fair go for the worker. Bill, even in his 80s, was a tireless worker in all my election campaigns. I know how happy he was this time last year to see the notion of a fair go restored to our nation.

Bill will be sadly missed by Eileen and his family and by local ALP members. He was a great Australian who was passionate about his country, his sport and his community. We are all better for having known him. My sympathies and best wishes go to Eileen and his family.