Michael Sukkar (Deakin, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

It's a great honour for me, and indeed for all of us, to rise today, and I rise on behalf of the Deakin community to honour Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. So many days over the last fortnight have been days of reflection and remembrance, and today is one of those days for our parliament. Whilst we've always known about the inevitability of the passing of the Queen—inevitable for all of us, ultimately—this has nevertheless impacted so many Australians and indeed so many people around the world.

History will uniquely and favourably remember Queen Elizabeth II. Like most Australians, I've known no other monarch in my life. In a rapidly changing world, this has been a reassuring and immovable touchstone, particularly with change seemingly getting more rapid by the year. Her Majesty has also been a thread that has woven generations of Australian families together, including mine. I've got no doubt that her steady presence has not just supported so many Australians as individuals but also supported our confident national psyche. Most importantly for me, Her Majesty embodied servant leadership, something that's been mentioned a lot today. When she said in her speech on her 21st birthday in 1947:

I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong—

she set a lofty ambition, one which she truly meant and lived up to.

She also, importantly, led by example. In my view, there's no better illustration than when the then Princess Elizabeth, in 1944, joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service, which was the women's branch of the British Army, when she became eligible on her 18th birthday. At that time unmarried women under 30 had to join the armed forces or work on the land or in industry. Princess Elizabeth enthusiastically enlisted and was later promoted to junior commander, which is the equivalent of a captain. And who, of course, could ever forget the sight of Her Majesty sitting silently, alone in her grief, at the funeral of her late husband, Prince Philip. This was at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and, whatever one's views of the rules that were imposed at that time, seeing the Queen following the same rules as all others and not seeking any form of preferential treatment was a testament to her leadership by example.

There's also no doubt that Her Majesty lived by many timeless values. She seemed unaffected by the fads or trends of the day, and, whilst she always reflected the inevitable evolution of the modern world and the Commonwealth, she never succumbed to the all-too-modern pressure of ditching those values which have stood the test of time. Indeed, her faith, which she famously described as one of the three pillars of her life, along with family and friends, remained strong throughout her life. Her words in the 2014 Queen's Christmas message said it best in my view:

For me, the life of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, whose birth we celebrate today, is an inspiration and an anchor in my life. A role-model of reconciliation and forgiveness, he stretched out his hands in love, acceptance and healing. Christ's example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people of whatever faith or none.

Millions of Australians, including myself, see in this concise statement a reflection of our own values and motivations, and it was always comforting to know these underpinned Her Majesty's life.

I must say, like so many in this House, I've been struck by the outpouring of well wishes from members of the Deakin electorate, many hundreds of whom have contributed to our condolence book. I will read some of these messages. Lisa from North Ringwood wrote:

Dear your majesty Queen, we thank you for setting a perfect example for people. Thank you for everything you did. We will always love and remember you, may your soul rest in peace.

Marlene from Vermont wrote:

Her Majesty, you have been an inspiration for women worldwide and your hardworking ethic is a lesson for us all. Thank you for being a guiding light for your amazing 70 year reign. Rest peacefully your work is done.

Jing from Ringwood wrote:

We thank God for Queen Elizabeth II's life and witness to Jesus Christ and her love and care of the people of the Commonwealth. We are thankful for her wisdom and wise counsel and duty to the end.

I conclude by turning to the Book of Matthew in saying, Your Majesty:

Well done, good and faithful servant.

Your duty is done. May you rest in eternal peace.

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