Andrew McLachlan (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Thursday 28 November 2024, the Senate was informed of the death, on 14 November 2024, of the Hon. John Charles Hodges, a former minister and member of the House of Representatives for the division of Petrie, Queensland, from 1974 to 1983 and 1984 to 1987.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That the Senate records its sadness at the death, on 14 November 2024, of the Honourable John Charles Hodges, former Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs and former member for Petrie, places on record its gratitude for his service to the Parliament and tenders its sympathy to his family in their bereavement.

I rise on behalf of the government to express our condolences following the passing of former minister and member of the House the Hon. John Charles Hodges, who passed away on 14 November 2024 at the age of 87. As I begin, I firstly convey the government's condolences to Mr Hodges's family and friends. I do so as the minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs in this chamber, recognising the portfolio held by Mr Hodges, but I also do so as a fellow Queenslander.

Born in Brisbane in 1937 and raised in Cooktown in Far North Queensland, John Hodges studied to become a pharmacist, in a move that would form the foundation of not just his career in politics but his life's work in community service. Mr Hodges returned to Brisbane to complete his studies, and, after serving as a pharmacist, he began his political career on the Redcliffe City Council, where he eventually served as deputy mayor. He followed on to serve as campaign director for Nelson Cooke in the 1972 federal election and went on to replace him at the next election as the new Liberal member for Petrie in 1974. Successful in his move to federal politics, Mr Hodges went on to serve the division of Petrie, mostly uninterrupted, for over 11 years. John Hodges was re-elected in 1975, 1977 and 1980 but was defeated at the general election in 1983 by the incoming Hawke government. This would only be a short defeat, as he regained the seat after just one term, in 1984. He would hold this seat until 1987.

During his time in federal politics, Mr Hodges served on several committees and was for a time the deputy whip in the House of Representatives. However, his defining legacy would be his brief yet impactful appointment as the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs in 1982 under the Fraser government. Mr Hodges stated:

Immigration is an important catalyst in Australia's continuing development. It is to the credit of the Australian-born and to newcomers alike that we continue to share fundamental values of national unity and equal opportunity for all.

While Mr Hodges and I shared differing opinions on many issues across the political spectrum, this statement rings true today and speaks to the type of man he was.

Mr Hodges was a man of integrity who believed in fairness and the importance of reward for good, honest hard work. As a minister in the Fraser government, he sought to address labour shortages through skilled migration and introduced reforms to the migration system. This included overseeing the introduction of freedom of information laws in the migration system, a significant reform that afforded greater transparency and accountability in Australia's immigration system.

Following Mr Hodges's retirement from politics, he returned to his professional roots and, with his wife, purchased a pharmacy on Bribie Island to continue his service to the community in perhaps a more personal way, and worked to eventually own or part-own four of the five pharmacies on the island. For 30 years Mr Hodges was known as a dear friend to the community in Bribie, becoming the founding patron for the Bribie Island Diabetes Support Group, of which he was named an honorary life patron after 22 years in the role. He was also generous in his support for local groups, sports clubs and schools in the Bribie community and always willing to lend his support to those in need.

Today we acknowledge that generosity of spirit and celebrate the life and achievements of the Hon. John Charles Hodges. The government expresses its condolences following his passing, and we again convey our sympathies to his family and those who knew him well.

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

I rise on behalf of the opposition to speak on the condolence motion. The Hon. John Charles Hodges rose to be a minister in the Fraser Liberal government in 1982, but, in many ways, it was his involvement in and contributions to his local community that he will be best remembered for. In fact, I suspect it was that connection to his community that he would have been most proud of.

John was a politician who never forgot where he came from or the people who put him there; that, of course, was the voters in his electorate of Petrie on the northern outskirts of Brisbane. He was born in Brisbane on 3 October 1937 but was actually raised in Cooktown in Far North Queensland. John was educated in Cooktown and Cairns and undertook a pharmacy apprenticeship after finishing school. Qualifying as a pharmacist in 1958, he pursued what he described as 'a very noble profession'. But pharmacy was more than just a profession for John; it was quite literally a labour of love. John, in fact, married fellow pharmacist Margaret in 1962.

While caring for his community by preparing medicines for them, John developed his interest in politics. No doubt this was fostered in his early years in Cooktown by his father, who was chair of the Cook Shire Council. John jumped into local politics at the age of 29, serving on the Redcliffe City Council as an alderman for nine years, including for six years as deputy mayor. The chance for a seat in Canberra came abruptly. Four weeks prior to the 1974 election, the Liberal Party threw its support behind John to contest Petrie in favour of Nelson Marshall Cooke, for whom John had been a campaign manager. John won almost 55 per cent of the two-party preferred vote. His campaign material for that election, which was obviously highly effective, celebrated his time on the Redcliffe council and said: 'John Hodges knows how to handle the awkward, awesome problems that affect people's lives. Married with three young children, he knows the battle families fight against rising prices, taxation and interest rates.' In fact, if you jump forward to today, those are exactly the sorts of election issues this country still looks for.

Coming to Canberra, he was actually six foot five and bespectacled. He had a baritone voice. When he arrived in Canberra, he joined the criticism of the Whitlam government, and he said:

This Government has presided over the worst inflation, the worst unemployment, the worst industrial strife and the worst economic crisis this nation has known since Federation.

…   …   …

It wants to reform, yet, in doing so it wants more taxation. The prosperity of this nation cannot be sectionalised.

In another speech, he said:

In my opinion there is nothing more uncertain than the uncertainty of this Government. I believe that the confusion and the uncertainty is breeding growing concern in the people of Australia. No wonder the country is in economic shambles. One might ask where is the plan of the Treasurer (Mr Crean) to combat inflation?

John was also a champion of free enterprise and lean government. He fundamentally believed in the Liberal cause of encouraging a person to be his own master, and he called out his opponents for creating the impression that 'big brother' government will be there to look after you. Many causes were dear to John's heart. On industrial relations, he said:

… there must be greater understanding by the business world and the labour force that one cannot survive without the other.

He declared that we must bury the idea that businessmen are mostly out to exploit the labour force. John also cared deeply for pensioners and widows, whom he saw as falling behind under the Whitlam government, and he was proud to be part of the Fraser government, which increased the age pension.

In 1982, Malcolm Fraser appointed John as his Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs. John took forward his Prime Minister's multicultural agenda with energy and certitude. His fairness on family reunion was juxtaposed with firmness in cracking down on illegal immigrants and illegal workers, whom he saw as undermining the aspirations of genuine migrants and Australians. And, while recognising the benefits of a second language, John pushed back against an advocate-driven national language policy that sought to give equal status to all languages. John knew that the English language was central to our national cohesion, equality and love of country.

In 1983, Bob Hawke's Labor had been swept into power in the election that followed a double dissolution. Dean Wells, the new Labor member for Petrie, got to his feet to deliver his maiden speech and said:

I would like now to say a few words in honour of the gentleman who preceded me … Mr John Hodges is a man who has exerted himself with courage and conviction in both the local and the national arena.

…   …   …

I disagreed with my predecessor on a wide range of issues … However, I never at any time doubted the sincerity with which my opponent held the views he expressed … and I wish him well in his return to private life.

Wells had taken the seat of Petrie from John Hodges by just 720 votes.

But John did not return to private life for long. Just shy of 21 months later, in the timetable-correcting early election of 1984, John Hodges won back his seat from Wells by just 776 votes. John's great political comeback would not only cement Petrie as a key election battleground for decades to come; his return would culminate in more than 11 years of service to his nation at the federal level. When John's second stint in Canberra came to an end in 1987, he was a casualty of the infamous 'Joe for Canberra' campaign.

But John's service didn't stop. He and Margaret went on to own or partly own four pharmacies on Bribie Island. He and Margaret owned those pharmacies on Bribie Island until 2018, when they sold up to retire to their home on the Redcliffe peninsula. John also served his community as a patron and fundraiser for charities, sports clubs and schools. He told the local newspaper: 'I don't ever recall saying no to giving any organisation financial support. It's a two-way process, as they were supporting us.' John, who was also a type 2 diabetic, was a founding patron of the Bribie Island Diabetes Support Group, and was made an honorary patron after 22 years in the role.

Today we honour John Hodges' life of service and his dedication to his community and family. On behalf of the coalition, I offer my heartfelt condolences to John's colleagues, friends, family and community, and our thoughts are especially with his wife, Margaret, and children, John, Jane and Sarah. May John Hodges rest in peace.

Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Multicultural Engagement) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to contribute a few brief remarks in relation to this condolence motion, and I rise as a Queensland senator paying tribute to a great Queenslander, John Hodges, who served his community and this country with great distinction.

I acknowledge John Hodges's service to this country as Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, as it was so called then. John Hodges understood the true meaning of multiculturalism in an Australian context. He represented the very best values of the Liberal Party in this regard, and there are those of us in this place who seek to continue his tradition. I acknowledge John Hodges's contribution to his community, his service to the community, both in local government and also as a pharmacist, especially on Bribie Island. And I acknowledge his service to the Queensland Liberal Party. As a lawyer member of that party, he contributed a great deal prior to his having the opportunity to serve in this place, in the Australian parliament.

I also admire two things about John Hodges and his contribution to the Queensland Liberal Party. First, when he lost his seat in 1983, he came back and recontested it in 1984. To me, that is a sign of someone who was greatly committed to the cause, and it was a great shame that he was to lose his seat at the next election in the midst of the mad 'Joe for PM' campaign.

I also would like to acknowledge the fact that, up to the end of his life, he was always a good and true supporter of the Liberal Party. Our friend and colleague in the other place, Luke Howarth, has spoken about the fact that John was always someone who would contribute to Luke's campaigning and was a source of trusted advice and guidance. It was wonderful to see that the former Prime Minister, the Hon. John Howard, attended John Hodges' funeral and paid the utmost of respect to John Hodges' life of service to its country, to his community and to the Liberal Party of Queensland.

So I would like to associate my remarks with those of Senator Watt and Senator Cash and offer my condolences to Margaret and also to John Hodges's children and grandchildren.

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