Bridget Archer (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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When I was just a boy, about 15, he asked me if I would like to come to hospital and see him operate and I was very keen.

As I was going into the operating theatre, his advice to me was, 'if you faint, fall backwards, don't fall on my patient'—

His dad's words began the young man's career and became the title of his first book, If you faint, fall backwards! Medicine: warts and all. This Sunday that young man turns 80.

Dr Frank Madill AM arrived in Tasmania in 1966, soon after graduating from medical school in Melbourne. He fell in love with Tasmania and his wife, Linda, and spent many decades working as a GP in Launceston's northern suburbs. Between that work, running a Romney sheep stud and raising two daughters with Linda, Frank ran for the state seat of Bass and was elected in 1986. After retiring from parliament in 2000, he continued to practice as a GP, only hanging up his stethoscope in 2017.

In 2014 Dr Madill was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his significant service to the Parliament of Australia, to medicine as a general practitioner and to the community. Dr Madill is still an active community volunteer, including with the Migrant Resource Centre, and he recently celebrated 50 years of service to the North Launceston Football Club. Frank, I could speak for more than 90 seconds about your dedication to our community, but I want you to know you are beloved by so many. On behalf of Northern Tasmanians, happy 80th birthday.