Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I too rise to support and to speak to the condolence motion. Peter Keaston Reith is best described as an old-style politician, someone versed in the ways of negotiation when trying to achieve the right outcome for the nation and also as someone willing to meet fire with fire when needed. He was without a doubt a warrior and a stalwart of the Liberal Party.

Peter was born in Melbourne on 15 July 1950 and was later educated at Brighton Grammar School before he attended Monash University. He received a degree in law and economics and practised in Melbourne before opening his own practice on Phillip Island, where his family had a long and distinguished history in the local community. Peter and his brother, Sandy, were both elected to the Phillip Island Shire Council in 1976, and Peter became shire president just five years later.

As we have heard, Peter came into the parliament in 1982 and served for more than 17 years under Liberal leaders Malcolm Fraser, Andrew Peacock, John Hewson, Alexander Downer and John Howard before retiring from politics at the 2001 election. He was loyal to each leader as he was to his party, whether in government or in opposition.

Peter's political legacy was forged during the Howard government, where he had ministerial responsibilities for industrial and workplace relations, small business and defence. I'm sure Peter would have enjoyed the irony of the fact that his passing came at a time when we are involved in a critical debate about the industrial relations policy of this nation. As the industrial relations minister after John Howard's 1996 election victory, Peter was tasked with drafting and implementing the Howard government's industrial relations policy. In January 1997, Peter and the Howard government successfully amended the Industrial Relations Act. The aim of that legislation was to foster individual choice in workplace bargaining. This was achieved by reducing the powers of unions to intervene. The legislation also reduced the powers of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to arbitrate disputes, and introduced individual statutory employment contracts. Collective bargaining was also restricted.

Those reforms came into play during the 1998 waterfront dispute, in which Peter played a central and critical role. Out of that dispute, Peter was able to secure, importantly, significant productivity reforms and major improvements in work practices. While the exact levels of productivity gains have always been disputed, businesses involved have claimed that, within a few years, crane productivity doubled and productivity per hour of work more than quadrupled.

After Peter's death, John Howard described the waterfront outcome like this, as Senator McKenzie herself has already referred:

However contested the outcome of the 1998 Waterfront Dispute may have been, it was undeniable that world ranking productivity replaced ruinous behaviour which severely damaged some of the most productive businesses in Australia.

People often forget that during this time Peter had a 24-hour-a-day security guard and was under enormous pressure, but he never took a step back from the battle for reform.

Following his passing, Peter's cabinet colleague Richard Alston said his efforts in leading the reform of the waterfront made him one of the best cabinet ministers of all time. Alston said this:

He was peerless in pursuit of the reform objective … He never wavered … I always considered him the most impressive contributor in the cabinet among his ministerial colleagues—quick, creative, consistent, thoughtful, and well-informed.

During his time as industrial relations minister, Peter also introduced changes to the structure of the Commonwealth Public Service. He introduced reforms for small business and a program for the employment of Indigenous Australians.

It is interesting to go back over Peter's first speech in the other place. He talked about a vision for a better Australia. He said:

A vision of a better Australia of course needs the confidence that one can make a contribution to bring such visions to reality. To that extent I am idealistic. I believe that if Australians work together and pursue common goals we can achieve a better Australia for all Australians. I do not doubt that honourable members on both sides of this House share a vision of Australia without poverty, where all Australians can have shelter, are well fed and clothed, can receive a good education and can reach their full potential in a country whose sovereignty remains inviolate.

It is obvious from the incredible service that Peter Reith provided to our great country over so many, many years that he always worked to live up to that vision.

He saw Australia as a lucky country, but he also knew that we have to work hard to capitalise on that luck. Many of his colleagues, including former prime minister Howard, have remarked on Peter's sense of humour, describing it in various ways, ranging from wicked to laid back. Former prime minister Howard said he had seen Peter about five weeks before his passing and that Peter had retained that sense of humour. It's a good reminder for all of us in this place that we can go about our duties with a positive attitude and a sense of humour.

I, too, offer my heartfelt condolences to Peter's colleagues, his friends and family, especially his wife, Kerrie, and his four sons, Paul, Simon, David and Robert.