Luke Hartsuyker (Cowper, National Party, Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Last week, the New South Wales North Coast lost a great community advocate. Ian Robinson served as an elected representative for three electorates across five decades. He was first elected to represent the seat of Casino in the New South Wales parliament, serving from 1953 to 1963, before making the switch to federal politics. He represented the seat of Cowper, the seat that I have had the honour to represent for over 15 years now. Mr Robinson represented the seat of Cowper from 1963 to 1984. In 1984 he successfully stood as a candidate for the new seat of Page and held Page in 1987 before losing to Labor's Harry Woods in 1990. Ian Robinson served as Deputy Chairman of Committees from 1976 to 1983. He also served as Assistant Minister to the Postmaster-General from 1971 to 1972, and he served on a range of parliamentary committees, including Public Accounts and also Foreign Affairs and Defence.

Over his 37 years as an MP, Mr Robinson established a reputation as a tireless advocate for rural communities. He fought passionately for regional development and for better infrastructure for country towns and communities. On reading the Hansard transcript of Mr Robinson's first speech to the Australian parliament, delivered just down the hill at Old Parliament House, I was reminded of the old saying that the more things change the more they stay the same. In that speech, he spoke of the challenges of decentralisation and regional development, battles still being fought by the Nationals more than 50 years later. He also spoke of the need to improve country roads, construct new dams, build a base of productive industries and provide options to allow people to have fulfilling careers in the regions. These were all relevant issues in 1964, and they remain relevant to Australian regional life today, and the Nationals continue to fight on behalf of regional communities for the same values. He also mentioned the vexed issue of electoral redistributions, another issue that remains contentious for communities along the New South Wales North Coast.

In many respects, he was typical of the Country Party tradition that is now carried on by the Nationals. Before entering politics, he was a dairy farmer, a journalist and a businessman. As with so many Country Party and National Party representatives before and after him, his time as an MP was merely an extension of his lifelong commitment to community service. Although he was a politician for most of his career, he was not a career politician.

Ian is survived by his beloved wife, Florence, and I extend my condolences to her and the Robinson family.

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