Mark Coulton (Parkes, Deputy-Speaker, Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like the Australian parliament to recognise the life and record the death of Terry Rose from my home town of Warialda. Terry started his working life, following in his father's footsteps, as an apprentice mechanic at Roger Moore's garage under the tutelage of Roger Moore himself. He very quickly progressed to owning a service station in partnership with his brother-in-law, and finally he started a business with his childhood sweetheart and wife of 48 years, Maureen. That business grew and prospered largely because of Terry's exceptional skill as a mechanic and his ability to work incredibly hard over long hours.

If that was his life's work, his life's passion was motor vehicles and racing motor vehicles, starting from a bush track bulldozed around the back of Kellys Gully near Warialda and sprints on Mosquito Creek Road on a Sunday afternoon, with a wink and a nod at the local police sergeant, to running a drag racer at the Gold Coast drag circuit. But he finally found his real niche in off-road racing. Under Terry's leadership, the Warialda Motor Sports Club developed a track on a property, Monomeeth, and developed a reputation for hosting probably the premier off-road event anywhere in Australia. In 1999 and 2000, Terry was the Australian champion, two years in a row, largely because of his exceptional motor mechanic skills, technical knowledge and fearless driving.

Terry was also a very active community member. Maybe some don't remember that there was no rescue squad in Warialda. Terry, along with Charlie Woollett, formed the initial squad that would help people who were severely injured in road accidents. Due to Terry's skill, under the bonnet of a very old International truck was a very large motor. I think it was the fastest rescue squad in New South Wales. I would like to record that Terry's demeanour was as a quiet man. He was a well respected community man, a good citizen, an Australian sportsman, and well regarded. He will be missed by everyone who knew him and he will leave a hole in the small community of Warialda.