Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I, too, rise to lend my voice to the chamber's condolences to the Hon. Peter Reith. Peter truly was a giant of the Liberal Party. He had an enormous intellect, and he was what every Liberal minister aspires to be: a true reformer.

Last week's funeral was a fitting tribute to the life of an incredible man who left an indelible mark on our history. He embodied the values and principles for which the Liberal Party stands. His greatest work, of course, was the reform of the industrial relations system in the late 1990s and, in particular, on the waterfront, which has left Australia and Australians more prosperous and more productive. It certainly wasn't without struggle, though. The sheer audacity of this project, the foresight, the intellectual rigour, the personal effort and personal and safety sacrifice, and the self belief that went into it was really quite an undertaking. So it's little wonder that for policymakers and politicians and anyone engaged in civic debate the extraordinary life of such an exceptional man warrants acknowledgement and reflection and, indeed, reverence.

Peter was what so many of us hope we can be. There are lessons in his life for all of us. As a parliamentarian, he was respected and he was respectful. He was principled and steadfast. He was determined and he was effective, but he was also kind and encouraging. His staff tell the story that he never swore and never raised his voice. John Howard referred to Peter's team as 'always a functional office'. That's high praise indeed in a place like this.

As a professional, whether it was in politics or beyond, you could see in Peter's face that he just loved whatever it was he was doing. It didn't matter whether it was a small business portfolio or Defence or industrial relations, there was always a twinkle in his eye. You could see that when he became a commentator on Sky and during his time overseas at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He enjoyed that even if his first task apparently was to suggest that it be dismantled, much to the fury of his board co-members!

As a party man, Peter Reith was someone that we will all aspire to be. He was committed from day one—from his university days right through to the very end. In fact, in 2017, while he was campaigning to be the party president in my home state of Victoria was when he first had a stroke. He was a mentor, a guiding hand and a great friend to so many of us that came after.

Most importantly, though, he was quite clearly an extraordinary man outside of politics. He was committed to his family, first and foremost—his wife, Kerrie; his four sons, David, Simon, Paul and Robert; and his 13 grandchildren, who gave such a beautiful tribute to him at his funeral, who clearly love him so much and who he clearly adored in return. If the measure of success in life is to love and be loved in return, Peter Reith was a very successful man.

Farewell to our vanished but never vanquished friend, a man whose trumpet never sounded retreat. He was one of the very best among us.