Jason Clare (Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to tell the chamber about my mate Bert Collins. Bert is the sort of bloke who deserves to have his name and his story etched into the record of this place. Bert was born almost 104 years ago and he's still with us; he's still ticking. He's a pretty extraordinary bloke. He's the oldest member of the Labor Party, at least in the Bankstown area. He's the oldest member of Bankstown RSL. He's been a member now for 58 years. He was the oldest veteran to march in the Anzac parade in Sydney this year. He's part of that very special generation of Australians that helped to fight, defend and save Australia in our darkest hour, and it cost him. He was hit by shrapnel but survived.

He's a pretty tough bloke, old Bert. He didn't just survive the war; he didn't just survive being hit by shrapnel. He had a heart attack a couple of years ago and he survived that. He has had a stroke and he has survived that. Two years ago he was diagnosed with stage 4 malignant melanoma. The tumour had spread to his brain, liver, bones and lungs, and he survived that. He's the oldest Australian to survive melanoma, to survive skin cancer, through the use of a special drug called Keytruda. I went over to see Bert on Friday. It's important that the chamber knows that, as well as being a tough bloke, he's also a very gentle and loving bloke. I asked him: 'What's the secret to a long life?' He said two things: first, don't eat too much and, second, be nice to everybody.

Tomorrow is my little boy Jack's third birthday, and Bert, who is 100 years older than him, has made him a music box for his birthday. And Bert got a present himself last week. There's an organisation that it's important the chamber knows about called Quilts of Valour Australia. Set up about eight years ago, it makes quilts, as the name suggests. They can take months to make. They cost hundreds of dollars to make. They're made by volunteers and, over the last few years, they've produced over 1,000 for veterans and their families here in Australia and for veterans serving overseas. Last week, Bert finally got his. It's a beautiful quilt, and it's a beautiful gesture for such a wonderful man as he heads into his 104th year—a man that I'm very fortunate to call my friend.