Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to add some short comments in this tribute to Doug Anthony. Much has already been said about Mr Anthony's career and his achievements, both in this chamber and at his state memorial service at Tweed Heads lasts Thursday.

I first met Mr Anthony, or Doug, when I was young, a teenager whose main understanding of politics was that it was just something my dad and his friends talked about. At the time I had little concept of the import of the Deputy Prime Minister or the role that Doug had played in shaping our nation, particularly in the regions. And, testament to the kind of man he was, Doug did not stand on ceremony with me. He did not speak down to me or make me feel inferior. He spoke to me like he spoke to everyone: as an equal. His genuine easygoing manner, his warm broad smile and his quick sense of humour were endearing. It was only in subsequent years, as I got to know both him and his wife, Margot, as well as their son Larry, that I got to understand that the kind, warm man I knew had actually been one of our longest-serving deputy prime ministers, a champion for rural industries and a man who had done so much to shape our modern nation.

Indeed, Doug was an original futurist. He was a man who really saw potential and saw what the future might bring. He made much of recognising the future mechanisation of agriculture. As the Minister for the Interior, which was his first portfolio, he helped shape the national capital that we all stand in today. It was not long after being elected, in political terms—only six years after being elected—that he took on the role of Minister for the Interior, and he took it on with the same level of commitment with which he did everything. He was therefore instrumental in shaping Canberra. He was involved in developments such as the Canberra Theatre, Anzac Parade and the Mint, as well as choosing the site for the Carillon. He lobbied for the Captain Cook jet fountain, which ultimately was switched on by his successor in the portfolio but of which he was very proud.

He was also fundamental in starting the work in establishing the new town centres of Woden and Belconnen—which are now part of inner-city Canberra, as the success of the national capital has seen the city expand. He was also a futurist in other areas, as mentioned by Senator Canavan. He identified the trade opportunities in uranium, which is now a zero-emissions product. So he was on the money. He was one of the first to identify the opportunities of working from home, as has been mentioned. He would have done very well in the COVID lockdown, as he was fully prepared for that sort of lifestyle and that sort of working environment.

But you should ask: why was Doug so adept, at such a young age, politically speaking, at both representing his rural constituency and taking on ministerial responsibilities such as negotiating bilateral trade agreements? To understand that, you need to understand a bit about Doug's background. The Anthony family are the only political dynasty in Australia—and there are a few—to have seen three consecutive generations in the same House of Representatives electorate. There was Doug's father, Hubert, who was also known in Canberra as Larry; there was Doug; and there was his second son, Larry. Hubert was a soldier turned farmer turned local MP and then finally a minister, and he taught his son much. Doug's upbringing was split between visits to Canberra and the family home at Murwillumbah on the north coast. But Doug was always encouraged to be his own man and to determine his own destiny.

Doug was not initially drawn into politics. As mentioned by Senator Birmingham, he first turned his attention to farming. He established his dairy and he set about, with full gusto, learning about primary production practices both here and abroad. He travelled extensively and learned a lot. Indeed, in the book mentioned by Senator Canavan, Politics in the Blood, it is revealed that after one international visit Doug returned to be greeted at the airport by his ministerial father, with media in train. His father told him to take the hat off, claiming he looked ridiculous, but Doug left his straw stetson on his head as he regaled the surrounding newsmen about the streamlined production methods, the extensive use of modern machinery and the efficient distribution facilities in the US. He confidently predicted that Australian farmers would have to adapt in order to be able to continue to compete.

Settling back into Australia, Doug found continuing interest in what he'd learnt and he sought to share his experiences, talking at Rotary, business chambers and farming organisations. He spoke eloquently about not only primary production but also mechanisation, technological advances and innovation. His easygoing approach, clear delivery and amicable nature saw him in high demand, which in turn saw him further fine-tune his public-speaking skills and ability to adopt and adapt new ideas.

I believe it was that early career and experience that was fundamental to building the successful politician and leader that we remember here today—and he was successful by any measure. He was a minister in all coalition governments from March 1964 onwards. He was a cabinet minister from October 1967 and Deputy Prime Minister, and frequently Acting Prime Minister, from February 1971 to December 1972 and then again from December 1975 to March 1983. It was towards the end of that time when I first met him. He requested that my father take over the directorship of the National Party, promising Dad that they would make a great team. He wanted to work with my dad, but, shortly after my dad took the role, Doug promptly resigned.

His elevation to the leadership did mark a generational exchange in the party's evolution, as Senator Canavan discussed. He broadened the party's platform and widened its electoral appeal, and that has helped to cement our party's ongoing relevance in Australian politics, and that is why our party has now spanned 100 years. We are all very proud of that. When Doug was leader of the party during the Fraser-Anthony years, it was often said that the Nationals wielded more influence than their parliamentary numbers deserved. That assertion ignores the fact that the success was because the Nationals brought forward good policies and that Doug could champion those policies such that they became government policy. That is the power of a cooperative coalition.

In his retirement, Doug returned to his farm, Sunnymeadows and worked just as hard for his passion projects. Together with his wife, Margot, they donated some of their land for the development of the new premises of the Tweed River art gallery, known today as the Tweed Regional Gallery. It is now recognised as the leading regional art gallery in Australia.

Turning full circle, in 1999 he again took a role that saw him help shape our national capital. He was appointed chairman of the Old Parliament House Advisory Council. The role took him back to his childhood and reminded him of the days when he used to visit his father. In those days, Old Parliament House was a relatively new parliament house, at 11 years old. Being there on that board, helping supervise refurbishments and determine the future for that grand old building, was a job he absolutely loved. And he was fundamental to the building becoming what it is now: a permanent museum of political history here in Canberra. He retired from the role in November 2008 and spent the remainder of his time with his family, surrounded by loved ones, on the North Coast. This was the kind man that I knew.

While many in Doug's position could have easily forgotten that awkward teen, he did not. He always greeted me warmly and remembered my name, which, for some old politicians that I knew, was quite remarkable. He greeted me warmly and always took an interest in what I was up to through all stages of my life, no matter where our paths crossed or when. I held Doug and his family in enormous regard, and I still do. My thoughts and prayers are with Margot, Dugald, Larry and Jane. Doug was a great MP, a great minister and a great party leader, but, most importantly, he was a genuine person and a great man. Vale.