Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

on indulgence—I want to join in supporting the Prime Minister. I congratulate him on his fine words in a very emotional contribution, and a very fitting one, on one of our finest Australians.

It's a remarkable story. It's truly incredible when you think about the fact that he survived the sinking of HMAS Perth in 1942, 80 years ago, in modern history. He spoke about being a person who led a lucky life. We are the ones who are lucky to have had people of that character in our history. We are here today as a country, and we survive and are strengthened and stand tall in the world, because of people like Frank McGovern, and we should never forget it. We commemorate much of our history, but we don't concentrate enough on the great stories of those pioneers—those people in the first and second world wars, Vietnam, Korea and other conflicts, including in the Middle East, that have strengthened our national character. People like Frank McGovern would do it all over again for this country—for those people that they love and for the country that they cherish.

I want to pay tribute to Frank and to his fallen comrades. A hundred and three is an incredible innings. We should point out, I suppose, Prime Minister, for the benefit of our colleagues: yes, to enjoy a bottle of wine each day will get you to 103, but that is not encouragement to have two bottles a day. To our colleagues: if you want to live beyond 103, it requires some other adjustments to lifestyle.

I want to pay tribute to all of those men and women who have served in uniform, because Frank did that. He was a very significant part of the Coogee-Randwick-Clovelly sub-branch of the RSL. He was rightly honoured with an OAM, and he is a reminder, as the Prime Minister rightly says, of our greatest generation. May he rest in peace. Lest we forget.

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