Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wish to pay tribute to and inform the House of the passing of Mr David Ramsay. Mr Ramsay was an officer from my department who dedicated the past seven years of his life to strengthening Australian-Indonesian government partnerships in the transport sector. Mr David Ramsay was a committed public servant and a skilled negotiator working for the department in Jakarta. Mr Ramsay had given his life to service for his country. Prior to joining my department, David served with distinction in the Royal Australian Navy, initially as a pilot. Later he fulfilled posts as the commanding officer of the officer training college in Jervis Bay and of HMAS Success.

In his role as the in-country manager of the government's Indonesia Transport Safety Assistance Package, David oversaw the implementation of crucial transport safety support projects in Indonesian transport agencies. He was instrumental in developing the search and rescue coordination project with Indonesia that I jointly announced with the Indonesian transport minister during my visit to Jakarta last week. I worked closely with David during this trip and on my previous visits to Indonesia. David's last professional tasks were to provide me with an opening paragraph in Bahasa and to translate in full the joint media statement in both English and Bahasa.

Last Wednesday, we travelled from the conference meeting back to the hotel where the Australian delegation was staying. David had been present at the media conference and had his photograph taken with other Australian and Indonesian officials after that successful meeting. When we arrived back at the hotel from the joint press conference, the Australian ambassador, Greg Moriarty, informed me and other Australians that David had taken ill on the trip back to the hotel. We were then advised that David had been taken to hospital and shortly after we were all shocked to receive the news that David had in fact passed away. This was an extremely difficult period and I pay tribute particularly to the ambassador, Greg Moriarty, and his staff who had to deal with the immediate issues concerned. I think that often Australian officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have difficult issues to deal with when Australians have issues overseas.

David was extremely well respected and liked by both his Australian and his Indonesian colleagues. I am advised his Indonesian colleagues have been particularly affected by his passing. His warmth, humour, dedication and professionalism will be greatly missed by all those who knew him. I would like to acknowledge the presence of Mr Ken Brownrigg, a family friend, who is representing David's family in the chamber here today.

Last week I had the opportunity to ring his widow, Janine, in Jakarta, and pass on the condolences of the Prime Minister and, I am sure, everyone in this chamber today. Janine and their children, James, Nick and Juliette, my thoughts are with you and with David's colleagues at this most difficult time. I thank the House.

Andrew Leigh (Fraser, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister. As somebody who lived in Indonesia for three years as a child I strongly associate myself with his remarks and acknowledge Mr Brownrigg's presence here in the chamber.