Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Defence Personnel) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to congratulate distinguished Queenslander Everald Compton, who has friends on both sides of the House. Everald was recently honoured with an award in the Order of Australia. This is his second. He's now an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia. Everald's work in the community is legendary. A founder of National Seniors, he has worked with the Uniting Church and has advocated for the ageing. He has an effervescent personality and is an author wishing Australia to become a republic. He's an advocate for voluntary euthanasia and an advocate for progressive causes. He's an interesting character. As Wayne Swan has described him, he's one of Australia's true independents. He is a good friend of mine and of many people on both sides of the House. I think you also know him very well, Speaker.

I congratulate Everald. He has been a tremendous advocate for causes in which he believes. He's constantly telling all of us to behave better, to do better, to think in a more humanitarian but also more decent way, to treat each other more fairly and to make sure this country is a better place in which to live. Congratulations, Everald; you thoroughly deserve the honour.

House adjourned at 20:00