Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yesterday I was given the opportunity to attend the funeral of John Bueti, a Mount Gambier icon who, sadly, passed away on 20 February after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

John—or Giovanni—Bueti was a friend both to me and to my family, as he was to so many people in my community of Mount Gambier. No—John was more of a mentor to me. Indeed, if it were not for civic leaders like John I do not think that a young Italian lad from Mount Gambier would ever have become the member for Barker.

In any event, my family and I were deeply saddened to learn of John's passing. Fiona, Bella and I extend our condolences to John's wife, Gerardina, and to his children, Tony, Pas, Peppi, Angela and Dino, their wives and husband, and to his many grandchildren.

John was truly a gentleman and a giant. In October of last year, it was my honour to be asked to take leave again from this place by the Prime Minister to be present to acknowledge the peerless contribution John had made to our community at his investiture into the Order of Australia at Government House in Adelaide. John was a wonderful servant of the Mount Gambier community. John migrated from Italy's Reggio Calabria in 1954 and went on to forge a lasting impression in the Mount Gambier community and endeared himself to everyone who was lucky enough to meet him through his warmth, community spirit and bubbling enthusiasm.

By trade he was a mechanic. He operated in partnership with wife the Central Caravan Park in Mount Gambier. John's strongest contribution was through community service. I recall when I on the City of Mount Gambier John insisting that we establish a memorial to those people who had travelled to Mount Gambier from distant lands to provide industry to the town. We established 'Memories in the suitcase'. Whilst that marble structure is a credit and an acknowledgement of all migrants who made their home in my hometown, it is particularly relevant to John because he was the driving force behind it. John was also deeply involved in Rotary. He earned the Paul Harris Fellowship in 2005. He was a founding member and vice president of Italo Australian Club in Mount Gambier.

Mount Gambier has lost one of its most respected citizens, a man who led by his own actions. I recall at the funeral yesterday his son Peppi recounting one of his father's favourite lines, 'If you're a leader without followers, you're simply going for a walk.' John never just simply went for a walk. In my maiden speech, I indicated that Adam Lindsay Gordon said:

Life is mostly froth and bubble, Two things stand like stone, Kindness in another's trouble, Courage in your own.

John was a kind man, a courageous man— (Time expired)

Ian Goodenough (Moore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with standing order 193, the time for constituency statements has concluded.