James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

I was four days old when John Hodges was first elected, back in 1974. Notwithstanding that age difference, the generation of the 1970s who were elected to this place fighting the evils of the Gough Whitlam government directly resonate—as Senator Cash has pointed out—with the current government and the damage that it is causing to Queensland. I join Senator Cash and my friend and colleague Senator Scarr as fellow Liberal senators to acknowledge the service of John, and to associate myself with their comments. As a Queensland Liberal National Party senator, I give my condolences to John's family, friends and supporters across what is now called the Moreton Bay region, from Bribie to Redcliffe.

John was such a good guy. When you met him, he had that sparkle, that joy of life that comes with someone who has worked hard but has kept true to their beliefs. He was, as Senator Cash pointed out, someone who believed in lower taxes, smaller government and the freedom of the individual. He was someone who kept that flame of Liberalism alive. As Senator Scarr pointed out in relation to the 1987 election, perhaps it was his loss of Petrie to Gary Johns, caused by the three-cornered contest between Labor, the Liberal Party and the Nationals, that led, 21 years later, to the formation of the Liberal National Party of Queensland, in which we've come together as a united conservative cause. John, as a former Liberal member, has helped and worked hard and provided counsel to countless candidates—in particular, Luke Howarth, the member for Petrie. Luke is someone who has turned the swing seat of Petrie away from being a classic battleground seat to being that bit safer, and that is partly owing to the lessons of what happened to John in his term in power that Luke has taken on board.

John lived a life of service—before parliament, during parliament and after parliament. He lived a good life. He had a good family. He was surrounded by friends. To me, as a Liberal National Party senator from Queensland, he kept true to our beliefs, and for that I thank him so much. I thank his family for lending him to us. My condolences, on behalf of the Liberal National Party, go to his family.

Question agreed to, honourable senators joining in a moment of silence.