Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to pay tribute to one of the greats of the club movement in New South Wales, Barry Alliston, who for 10 years served as the president of my beloved North Sydney Leagues Club. Barry passed away unexpectedly in December last year and I recognise in this place, the House of Representatives, his contribution to our community.

For those of us raised on the North Shore of Sydney, the North Sydney Leagues Club is a mighty institution. Its association with the great North Sydney Bears meant that, in days gone by, it was the sporting home for many Bears enthusiasts who would return there after a game at North Sydney Oval—perhaps too often—to drown their sorrows.

It remains a great club and is both a centre for and supporter of our community. Its membership is measured in the tens of thousands. To serve as its president for a decade is both an honour and a considerable responsibility. In Barry Alliston’s case his term as president followed 10 years as a director, so he spent some 20 years on the club’s board—something, I might say, that is not uncommon in the great club movement of Australia.

Barry was very much a local boy. He grew up in Artarmon and attended Artarmon Public School and the old Crows Nest Technical High. He married a girl from Croatia and raised his own daughter in the area. Being a fanatical Bears supporter was one of Barry’s great passions and his service to the club was a manifestation of that. Like so many of us, he was passionate about a team that had something of a patchy performance over the years. Loyalty was what was important and you stuck with the Bears no matter what their fate. I know that Barry would have loved to have seen the return of the Bears to the NRL in 2013, even in their new Central Coast incarnation.

As president of the club, Barry oversaw its transformation to meet the changing needs of its members and patrons. We all know that many clubs have struggled in recent years but Norths remains a successful and popular venture. That it has adapted so well is a testament to Barry’s leadership.

On a personal note, Barry was a person whom I greatly admired. He was born and bred a Labor man and I am not sure that I ever received his vote. In fact, one day I remember catching him handing out how-to-votes for the Labor Party at Chatswood West Public School. Nonetheless, I would describe him as a good friend and someone who never hesitated to help me in my work as a federal member of parliament. He was certainly prepared to put aside his own political views in the interests of the club and the community.

He similarly provided considerable support and encouragement to two of my state colleagues, Gladys Berejiklian and Jillian Skinner, and I am sure that they would want to be associated with these remarks. They are of course in the middle of a general election in New South Wales.

Barry will be missed by all those associated with the club. He will be very hard to replace. To the Norths board and members; to his partner, Judy, who was obviously devastated at the loss of Barry; and to his daughter, Diana, I extend my sincere sympathy. I also extend the sympathy of the nation. The club movement in my state has produced some giants and Barry Alliston was surely one of them. I offer a further condolence to all of those members of the Norths club who managed to attend the funeral for Barry and recognised Barry’s considerable service to our great local community.