Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) | Hansard source

on indulgence—Last night Australia farewelled a legend at the most fitting place of all. The MCG was the scene of some of Shane Warne's greatest triumphs, not least of which was that mighty 700th wicket he took on a cold, damp Boxing Day. In a way we can think of yesterday as Warnie's final MCG triumph, a memorial service that brought together the nation and so much of the world in the literal hundreds of millions.

The family asked to have a meeting before the service, and I met his father, Keith, his brother, Jason, and his wonderful children, Brooke, Jackson and Summer. I must say I was pretty nervous. They walked in, and they were so upbeat about celebrating the life of their son, their brother and their dad. They're sad to lose him at just 52 years of age, but they wanted a celebration. And what a celebration it was, with artists from all around the world, with sporting legends from here and afar and with people—ordinary people, people with disabilities, and kids and families of kids who are sick who the Shane Warne Foundation helped—all paying tribute to the great Shane Warne.

We all knew he was the best leg spinner of all time, and one of Wisden's five greatest cricketers of all time. I think, for many of us, to learn of his generosity, his determination to help—particularly to help vulnerable people—and his commitment to keeping his word when asked to help out was really something. It was a night of joy, grief and love. It was a night of sadness, laughter and great pride. It was an extraordinary celebration of an extraordinary Australian.

As shocking and premature as Shane's death was, there was a common theme—that he made every second on this earth count. He was a phenomenal sportsman, an actual game changer. When he had the ball in his hand, he was a magician. And, when that ball left his hand, it could feel like he was slowing down time and bending space. He was a larrikin and an artist. To watch him in action was one of the purest joys that sport had to offer, and a reminder of what is best about sport and how it can bring out the best in us. A generation was inspired to bowl leg spin because of him. That's an inspiration that will light up future generations. Of course, he carried this love of cricket into the commentary box. We all thought we would be sharing in that love for so many decades to come.

Warnie was a great Australian with a sparkle in his eye and magic in his fingertips. We loved him, warts and all. Shane Warne was a force of nature. But, when he was so shockingly, suddenly gone, we began to hear so many stories of the generosity, the kindness, the manners, the general joys that he shared and the small encounters that had such an enormous impact on people. I think, of all of last night, as much as there were some big stars who sang and spoke, his family gave the most extraordinary, heartfelt speeches in honouring their loved one. The speeches of his three children, Brooke, Jackson and Summer, were just extraordinary. It was understandable how much pride and adoration he had for his three children.

We won't see Shane Warne's like again. He was a great Australian given the fitting tribute of having the Shane Warne stand named after him. I join with the rest of Australia in wishing his family comfort at this difficult time in the knowledge of how much their son, their father and their brother was loved. May Shane Warne rest in peace.

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