Gary Hardgrave (Moreton, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As unfortunately often has been the case in recent months, I wish tonight to record the passing of a great Australian. I think it is important that, as individual members of this place, we take time to pay tribute to people who maybe are not making a name for themselves in the daily news, who are not on the television every night and who are not necessarily seeking any attention but just getting on with the job. Tonight I lament the passing of Stanley Thomas Crisp, British Empire Medal winner, Centenary Medal winner, Australian Active Service Medal recipient 1945-75 with Clasps ‘Malaysia’ and ‘Vietnam’, General Service Medal with Clasp ‘Malay Peninsula’, Vietnam Medal, Australian Service Medal 1945-75 with Clasp ‘Far Eastern Strategic Reserve’, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Australian Defence Medal, Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal and Returned from Active Service Badge. Stan Crisp achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer within the Royal Australian Navy—a ‘20-year man’ and someone who saw active service in the Malaya confrontation and also from 1966-71 served Australia’s interests in Vietnam. In more recent times Stan Crisp found other ways to serve our country and our local community. From 1995 Stan Crisp was the Secretary of the Yeronga-Dutton Park sub-branch of the RSL. He was made a life member of the Queensland RSL. For 12 years he was the pensioner welfare officer of the Yeronga-Dutton Park sub-branch and a qualified Justice of the Peace.

I take the time to mention Stan Crisp, because he was a fundamentally decent man whom, sadly, we lost on Sunday after what seemed to be a short battle with cancer. He was just 78 years of age. Stan was fighting with a great deal of determination to make the Anzac Day ceremonies at both Gair Park and, indeed, at the Ekibin Memorial Park, Cracknell Road. I know that Stan was desperate to be at both ceremonies, but his ill-health made it impossible. Ken Railton, the ex-president of Yeronga-Dutton Park sub-branch, was not sure on Anzac Day whether Stan would actually see the day out, but in Stan’s typical style he fought on.

I know that Ken and the new president, Tony Robinson, and all members of the Yeronga-Dutton Park subbranch will miss Stan. His straight-talking, right up and down approach to things was something that left an indelible mark on me as the local member, and I am very grateful for everything he did. Stan told me quite a few years ago, ‘You need to get a bit of Navy into you, son; you need to get a bit of Navy experience.’ When the opportunity came up for  me, under the Australian Defence Force parliamentary program, to join the ranks of the defence forces in the Middle East and to go and see for myself what our troops were doing over there, I took it. So just a few weeks ago Stan was very much in my conversation. When I was on the HMAS Toowoomba, I said, ‘I’m looking forward to getting back and talking to Stan and saying, “Well, I’ve got a bit of Navy in me”.’ When I spoke to the chief petty officers onboard the HMAS Toowoomba, I knew the style of man that Stan was because, again, we are seeing that in the contemporary chief petty officers, the able seamen and all of the senior officers on board the Toowoomba.

Stan Crisp would be proud of the work that is being done by his counterparts today. Australian Defence Force personnel are making friends every day as we work with our Iraqi counterparts to secure a long, lasting peace and freedom that are underpinned by a democracy of the Iraqi people’s choosing. Stan served on ships such as the Sydney, the Cootumundra, the Melbourne, the Queensborough, the Vampire, the Yarra, the Voyager, the Quickmatch, the Parramatta and the Vendetta. Stan’s 20 years of service in uniform in Australia, which he completed in June 1972, was only surpassed by the service he gave to Australia and particularly to the local community, which centres around the Yeronga-Dutton Park RSL and, indeed, Yeronga Services Club, following his retirement. I say on behalf of Stan’s wife and family and all of his mates at the Yeronga Services Club and the Yeronga-Dutton Park RSL, ‘Thanks very much, Stan.’ (Time expired)