Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

enator RUSTON (—) (): Many go through this place and they are remembered for a myriad of reasons. They may have risen to high office as ministers or leaders of parties. They may have courted a controversy or they may well have got into trouble. They may well have bestowed their views on Sky after dark or the ABC but that wasn't Alex. Alex made his mark and will be remembered here for two reasons. One is because he was a damn good bloke, and the other one is that no matter how long he was here he never stopped fighting for the people that sent him here and the people that he believed in, that is, the hardworking Australians. Alex also never really played politics. He made sure everything that he did in this place was about playing the issue. The way he went about his job here—I can only say I have the utmost respect for him and the way he conducted himself.

Like Senator McKenzie, I have very fond memories of the first committee that I sat on, being the rural and regional affairs committee. Alex and you, Sterlo, were both on that committee and we worked closely together. When we worked together on that committee you could have been excused for thinking that there were no politics or sides of politics, because everybody on that committee just wanted to get the right outcome for rural and regional Australia. I'll acknowledge the fact that Senator Gallacher really understood rural and regional Australia—and you do too, Senator Sterle. It's funny that you should have raised the names 'Statler and Waldorf'. I've often thought of the pair of you as that—a couple of cantankerous old fellas who used to sit on the other side of the chamber giving us on this side of the chamber great cause for mirth, because you were giving your own side as much grief as you were giving us! There was great pleasure in watching that all go down.

Senator Sterle, you and Alex were a couple of peas in a pod, in the old-school mould—you loved a game of golf, you loved a punt and you loved a glass of wine. Hilariously, though, for all the love of golf that Alex had, I still remember the last time I saw him on the golf course. He wasn't much of a golfer but, by God, he enjoyed giving it a red-hot go.

At the last election I can remember Alex decided he wanted to have a bet with me. He said, 'Rusty'—that's what he always called me; I don't think I was ever called 'Senator Anne' or anything like that—'what about a bet on who gets elected first?' I said: 'Okay. You're on.' I'm pleased to say that the bottle of red wine that he gave me after he lost that bet was consumed with great pleasure. It was a great South Australian red wine. He hugely supported his own community, including making sure that he consumed as much great South Australian red wine as he was possibly able to, which is something that I'm sure all South Australians in this chamber aspire to.

I, sadly, was not able to make Alex's funeral, because of the quarantine arrangements that existed at the time. I would have loved to have been there because, to me, Alex wasn't a member of the Labor Party; to me, Alex was a friend. I didn't see him as a political rival; I saw him as a friend. I'm delighted today to be able to put my condolences on the record. I extend my condolences to Paola, to Alex's children—Caroline, Ian, Terry and Frank—and to all of his grandchildren. It's a great loss for this place and a great loss for South Australia. Obviously, it is a terrible loss to Alex's family. Please remember that Alex was one of the great people who have gone through this place. He will be remembered because he made a difference. He will be remembered because he was a great bloke.