Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Monday my home town of Lakes Entrance lost a local legend with the passing of Barry ‘Doc’ McKenzie. I would like to pay my respects to a great father, a great friend, a great community member and a truly great Australian who will be sadly missed by his family and friends. Doc made an extraordinary contribution to Lakes Entrance and the broader Gippsland region as a volunteer for sporting organisations, a community leader and a strong advocate for sustainable management of the Gippsland Lakes fishery. A man like Doc is impossible to replace, but we can all learn from the example he set for us in volunteering his time to a number of community organisations.

As a founding member of the surf lifesaving club at Lakes Entrance, Doc worked hard to encourage younger people in particular to achieve their absolute best. He was very proud of the young people who had worked their way through the nippers program to surf patrols to become valued members of our community. As a fisherman and practical environmentalist, Doc had a wealth of information about the lake system and was widely respected in the scientific community for his knowledge. Doc had a rare mix of common sense, determination and dedication to the future of our community, along with the ability to mix with people from all walks of life. He will be sadly missed. (Time expired)

Arch Bevis (Brisbane, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! In accordance with standing order 192A the time for members’ statements has concluded.