Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On 2 August I was fortunate to be at Sydney Airport for the naming of a new bridge, linking the northern airport precinct with Qantas Drive, in honour of the founder of Sydney Airport, Nigel Love. Nigel Love had a distinguished military career with the Australian Flying Corps during World War I, flying missions on the front line, on the airfields of Flanders against the Baron von Richthofen and his Flying Circus. Nigel was actually present at the Red Baron's funeral in Bertangles cemetery.

Upon his return to Sydney, Nigel joined with aeronautical engineer Harry Broadsmith and AV Roe & Co Ltd to manufacture their aircraft in Australia. Part of their contract obliged them to establish an aerodrome in Sydney—and that is exactly what Nigel did on a vacant bullock paddock in the Mascot area. As first managing director of the Avro company, Nigel Love established Australia's first aircraft manufacturing company, sold Qantas their first aircraft and piloted the first passenger flight from Sydney to Melbourne.

Our community and our nation owe Nigel a debt of gratitude. His foresight established Australia's busiest airport, which now contributes $30 billion to the Australian economy. Forty million passengers go through it every year and 29,000 jobs were created, many of those in my community. This is a fitting tribute to a great Australian, and it was wonderful to see so many of his family members there on the day.