Anthony Byrne (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last night in my adjournment speech I spoke about the people of Holt. I spoke about their willingness and courage to share their hopes and aspirations, their concerns and innermost feelings. The way in which they do that simply never ceases to amaze me. This morning I wish to extend those sentiments particularly with respect to the constituent I mentioned last night, Mr Ron Webb of Cranbourne. When I spoke to him last week, he hit the nail on the head when he talked about people's general disposition right now both in the electorate and more broadly. In his own words, he has lived 'a good, chequered life.' He was raised in Fitzroy during World War II in what were then considered slums. His life was shaped by his travels around Victoria and, indeed, around the world through various backpacking trips he undertook as a young man and through career related travel later in life. Ron has worked in industries including utility companies, manufacturing plants and quarries in the south-east of Melbourne. Ron was instrumental in establishing the local Caribbean markets in Scoresby. In the early days, the markets consisted of a handful of people selling wares from car boots and attracted shoppers from the waterski shows. Fast forward to today: the markets have, I think, 1,000 stalls and they operate three days a week in Scoresby.

More recently, Ron has become involved in the Grace Church of Wantirna and he has been involved in humanitarian missions abroad, such as in Thailand. Ron is old enough to recall the days when you had to drop a penny into a gas metre for a shower; but this by no means reflects his attitude on his retirement. At age 73, he tells me that he has never stopped learning and he is even starting to learn Mandarin with a few fellow parishioners at the Grace Church. Disturbingly, Ron was keen to revisit my first speech in parliament more than 11 years ago—particularly the notion that suggested that this should be Australia's century. This was a natural segue for Ron to explain his perspective on modern Australia through his rich personal experiences. Ron has put forward his view—and he wanted me to communicate this to the House—that humility is what is missing around the world and that as long as people are prepared to listen, we do have the capacity to create a greater world. I can assure Ron that these sentiments will be heard loudly and clearly in this House.

Ron also spoke about the importance of recording the stories of his life for the betterment of his family and his community so that they could learn about his experiences. Ron's story is an extraordinary one, and the meeting was nothing short of moving. I warmly welcome all people from my electorate to do the same as Ron did—and as many other people who have walked through my doors have done throughout the years. Their individual perspectives make up a patchwork that represents a collective identity that I am proud to be part of and proud to represent in this place. It is the collective spirit of the people in Holt that I constantly draw my inspiration from. Their courage when they share their stories with me, baring their souls, certainly makes it worth representing them in this place.