Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Can I start my address by echoing the sentiments and the words of so many of my parliamentary colleagues from this side and the other side of parliament. When you get the members for Isaacs, Sturt, Melbourne Ports, Fadden, Eden-Monaro, Kooyong and Canning all on the same page, it is a reflection of the unity of the substance of the issue—paying homage and respect to the life and the times and the achievements of Shimon Peres.

It is an honour to rise and speak on the condolence motion not just on behalf of myself but also on behalf of the people of Goldstein, a significant number of whom are part of Melbourne's Jewish community.

In the speeches that have been provided today there are already so many eloquent words that have encapsulated his life and his legacy, and I do not want to unnecessarily repeat them. But I do just want to acknowledge how strong some of these speeches have been in terms of recognising his achievements.

Shimon Peres's political leadership and contribution spanned so many offices held within that country. Nobody would dispute that to hold the positions of opposition leader, Prime Minister and President is an incredible achievement in its own right. But power is only worth the extent to which you use it—and to try and build the type of country that Israel could be so it can provide peace and security for so many people who live in, at that time, a relatively new state.

At the time of his retirement he was the oldest head of state around and he was the last link to Israel's founding generation, something that cannot be ignored. We all realise the very difficult circumstances that Israel has always faced in its time in its modern existence. Yes, there have always been times of conflict, but it is important to recognise somebody's legacy, particularly as their contribution to peace in the Middle East. During Peres's term as foreign minister in the second Rabin administration, he was in charge, in cooperation with Yitzhak Rabin, of the peace process with the Palestinians.

He directed the covert negotiations in Oslo. At the end of those negotiations an agreement was signed by a foreign ministry director Uri Savir, and Palestinian Authority representative Abu Ala, in the presence of Shimon Peres. This signing and the letters of mutual recognition exchanged by Rabin and Arafat led to the signing of the declaration of principles regarding interim self-governing arrangements at a festive ceremony held at the White House by Yitzhak Rabin, Yasser Arafat and US President Bill Clinton.

These sorts of achievements have been discussed all throughout the morning, but they have resonated of course not just in this place in words and rhetoric but also across the world. I guess a lot of people have been asking how is it that somebody who is known for their contribution not just in terms of their sometimes necessarily hawkish behaviour can also have dove-ish views. To quote a Time article that went through the life and times of Shimon Peres, 'He has come to believe that peace with the Palestinians was in the end in Israel's national interests'. He recognised that there was an important part of having a two-state solution, to enable a situation where Israel could survive but also could work with its neighbours to achieve peace. That article also stated:

If it weren't for Israel's nuclear program, Peres argues, the historic Oslo Accords he helped negotiate with the Palestinians wouldn't have been possible.

That is the contribution not just of somebody who is able to be in a position to set the tone of their country, help build it, preserve it and secure it; also to be a pragmatist about how to build its future. That is as much what we pay honour for today as well.

In particular, I was moved by a quote by Shimon Peres in terms of the vision for his country and what can be achieved. He said: 'Optimists and pessimists die the exact same death, but they live very different lives.' That is in the end what we are honouring today. We all have our own contribution to make in this place and across the world, but often the conclusion of our work and our life lives well beyond us. So Shimon Peres' legacy is one that now rests with eternity. But it has been to make a contribution to the building of the state of Israel, to secure it and to live well beyond him.

Question agreed to, honourable members standing in their places.

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