House debates

Thursday, 18 October 2018

Constituency Statements

Quaite, Mr James Weir 'Jim', Hannant, Mrs Norma Dawn

10:21 am

Photo of Keith PittKeith Pitt (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I rise to advise the House of the passing of two local stalwarts, in Bundaberg and in Hervey Bay. Jim Quaite was a lifelong supporter of local hockey. He was an administrator, player, coach, known as a visionary and an extremely hard worker. In fact, as well as doing all of his voluntary work around hockey in our region, he ran an electrical contracting business, which has now been taken over by his son, Rob. Our commiserations to them at this time of grieving. Vale Jim Quaite.

The other person who I wish to make note of to the House today is Norma Hannant. Norma passed away in recent weeks. She was a stalwart of the Liberal National Party in Hervey Bay, renowned on the local pre-poll. In fact there was no pre-poll without Norma Hannant. She was 84 at the time of her passing. She was well-known by all of the local organisations in politics, whether it be those opposite, the Greens or minor parties, simply because, for the first 48 hours, you had to learn to do the pre-poll Norma's way. If you didn't do it Norma's way, you were off the coffee and cake list! Once you were sorted out and doing it Norma's way, you were brought free cups of tea and coffee. That's how we do politics in the regions. Norma was also very well-known for her work on Fraser Island. There from 1966, she was a huge supporter of the wild dingo population on Fraser. She was very passionate about what happened on that World Heritage-listed island.

There is a famous statistical report. Norma was so passionate every single day she was on the pre-poll that she would count how many how-to-vote cards she gave out and write a report on how many she thought we got for the primary. In all of the decades that Norma conducted this work, she was within plus or minus two per cent of the overall result for the pre-poll. It was extraordinary. In fact, as a new candidate in 2013, when one Norma Hannant gave me a copy of a very detailed report in three giant A4 folders, I was quite astounded at the work that Norma had done and the fact that she was within one per cent for my first election in 2013.

Norma was a hard worker for the Liberal National Party. She was a hard worker for the environment, particularly on Fraser Island, which is such a great resource locally for those of us who live in the Wide Bay and for tourists. She will be sadly missed by all of us and her family. Norma Hannant: may she rest in peace. Vale Norma.