Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts) Share this | Hansard source

The incorporated speech read as follows—

I rise today to pay tribute to a distinguished Liberal Senator for NSW who played a crucial role in representing the interests of both his constituents and his Party.

Sir Robert entered the Senate in 1966 filling the casual vacancy that arose following the retirement of Sir William Spooner, another faithful servant of the people of New South Wales.

He served as a Senator, a Minister in many portfolios and was highly respected as President of the NSW Liberal Party.

Sir Robert was a firm advocate for the importance of the Australian Senate in the Australian political system. In his maiden speech Sir Robert defended this chamber by quoting Sir George Pearce:

‘The Senate was constituted as it is after long fighting, prolonged discussions, many compromises and many concessions on the part of the various shades of political thought throughout the Commonwealth and it stands therefore, in the Constitution in a position that has no equal in any Legislature throughout the world’.

Sir Robert often thought that the Senate chamber was not sufficiently well appreciated in Australia and made it his life’s work to change that perception.

Born in Broken Hill in 1915 to Les and Muriel Cotton, Sir Robert was the eldest son of six children. The family’s rural existence ensured that Sir Robert was brought up with a strong sense of community and a love of the land. He attended St Peter’s College in Adelaide and went to work with his father soon after leaving school due to the pressures of the Depression years.

In 1937, Sir Robert married Eve McDougal. Eve was a constant in Sir Robert’s life. They were childhood sweethearts and remained together until Eve’s passing in 2000.

Like many of his time, Sir Robert felt compelled to serve his country during World War II. He trained as a Royal Australian Air Force bomber pilot in 1941 and was seconded to the Department of Supply in Melbourne.

As a sign of the Cotton family’s tight bond Sir Robert, together with his brothers Monty and John, worked tirelessly to establish Timber Industries Pty Ltd to supply wood products to coal mines in Broken Hill during the war years.

Sir Robert was a foundation member of the Liberal Party. In his first foray into political life, Sir Robert was a candidate at the 1949 Federal election, standing against former Prime Minister Ben Chifley (PM 13 July 1945 -19 December 1949) in the seat of Macquarie. Sir Robert, not satisfied with his first tilt at political life, was again the Liberal candidate in the 1951 by-election for the seat of Macquarie after former Prime Minister Ben Chifley’s death.

The New South Wales Liberal Party has been served by many impressive State Presidents and Sir Robert definitely fits that bill. I believe Prime Minister John Howard remarked that it was Sir Robert’s calm authority and immense personal charm that provided strong leadership to the Party organisation’. Sir Robert went on to serve in the Gorton, McMahon and Fraser Coalition Governments. In 1969, Sir Robert was appointed Minister for Civil Aviation.

In 1975, he was appointed Minister for Manufacturing Industry, then Minister for Science and Consumer Affairs and finally Minister for Industry and Commerce, which he held until 1977.

Upon his retirement from Federal politics in 1978, Sir Robert was knighted as a Commander of St Michael and St George for services to government. He was appointed as Consul-General to New York in August of that year, where he remained until 1980.

In 1981, Sir Robert again answered the call and served the Australian people as a member of the Reserve Bank Board.

In 1982 he was appointed Australian Ambassador to the United States, replacing Sir Nicholas Parkinson. He served both the Fraser and Hawke Governments in this position and remained Ambassador in Washington for two years after the change of Government, a sign of the respect both sides of politics held for Sir Robert.

On his return to Australia in 1985, Sir Robert served on a number of boards and pursued his interest in photography. On several occasions Sir Robert exhibited his photographs in Sydney and he held an exhibition in Washington in 1986. In 2005 Sir Robert held a joint exhibition with his daughter Judy Cotton, a painter.

I had the pleasure of meeting Sir Robert while I was in Washington, working as an attorney in 1986. I found him to be an intelligent man, he was extremely engaging, he had a great wealth of knowledge, and as the saying goes he was switched on to all the issues of the day. Sir Robert spoke glowingly of Australia as the place of opportunity, untapped beauty and untold potential. He advocated strongly for Australia at every chance and was highly respected as an Ambassador.

In our conversations, Sir Robert spoke of his love for Broken Hill and the spirit and perseverance of the people that have made Broken Hill the place it is today. His other great love was Carrington Park, a large pastoral property that he built from scratch, showing the ingenuity that was a trade mark of his belief in the Australian spirit.

Sir Robert is survived by his second wife and her three daughters, by his two daughters, his son, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

On behalf of the Australian Government, the Senate and the New South Wales Liberal Party, I extend my deepest sympathies to Sir Robert’s family on their sad loss.

Question agreed to, honourable senators standing in their places.