Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Queen Elizabeth II was the embodiment of dignity and poise. She was undoubtably the greatest statesman of a generation. The Queen was able to project her leadership, not through the overuse of emotions or self-righteous preaching but by grace, humility and a genuine empathy for the lives of everyday people. There seemed to be few people, if anyone, who, upon meeting the Queen, were not impressed by her—and so they should be, for the demeanour of the Queen harks back to an era, especially during the Second World War, to a time when people would persevere with stoic resolve in the face of hardship and misfortune.

The Queen's life of service, like our forefathers, demonstrated the value of hard work, the importance of self-discipline and the self-confidence and reward that can come from perseverance. In a world of overexposed celebrities and social media trolls, the Queen's capacity for restraint in regard to commentary offers a masterclass to all of us as to how we can influence others in a respectful and positive manner. While it is easy to scorn the pomp and ceremony, it sends a message that Western liberal democracies should take seriously: traditions, and the precision and discipline that come with them, are a reminder of the sacrifices made by our forefathers for which we should always be grateful.

In the debate about whether Australia should become a republic, it is often overlooked that in a true democracy power comes from the people and not from the head of state. Queen Elizabeth II understood the importance of elected representation very well. Indeed, she encapsulated the true meaning of democracy—and her feelings for Australia—in her speech at the opening of Parliament House in 1988, when she said:

Parliamentary democracy is a compelling ideal, but it is a fragile institution. It cannot be imposed and it is only too easily destroyed. It needs the positive dedication of the people as a whole, and of their elected representatives, to make it work. The earliest free settlers brought their ideals of a democratic society with them, and succeeding generations of Australians have inherited those principles and put them to work in what we know as the parliamentary system. Commitment to parliamentary democracy lies at the heart of this nation's maturity, tolerance and humanity. This is surely one of the characteristics that has attracted so many people to come to Australia from countries which do not enjoy the benefits of the parliamentary system in such large measure.

Ultimately, sovereignty isn't about who our head of state is, but whether Australia as a country can defend itself, feed itself and provide its people with gainful employment. If there is to be a debate about our government in this country, it needs to focus on the dysfunctional relationship between our state and federal governments. Australia is not served well by our current federation, where the ambiguous responsibilities between those governments are damaging the welfare of the Australian people. Australia does not need to entertain a symbolic debate about the ceremonial head of state while our health system and many other essential services are falling apart. There are much more important issues that governments should be dealing with.

The Queen's passing also reminds us that we have much to be thankful for when it comes to our British heritage. Despite its imperfections, British institutions, ideas and literature have been a hugely positive contributor to human welfare. Australia undoubtably owes its early success to the systems introduced by the British. All races have been colonised or have done the colonising. The British empire, like any empire, doesn't have a monopoly on wrongdoings and nor should its descendants carry any guilt about those wrongdoings. Let us not forget that Britain passed the Slavery Abolition Act, the first of any parliament in the world, that abolished slavery in their colonies.

The Queen was the last of her generation, a leader who, throughout her reign, touched the lives of so many people across the global community of nations. She will be remembered for her humility, dignity and composure. She set a standard of leadership by which the world's national leaders measure themselves, a standard that will stand for centuries to come. May she rest in peace.