Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to acknowledge the passing of a great Australian, Stanley Roth. Stanley was a husband, father, lawyer, businessman, philanthropist and tzadik—a righteous man. He was a patriotic Australian, a proud Jew and a committed Zionist. I'm proud to call Stanley a friend and mentor.

Stanley was a huge figure in the Australian Jewish community. His leadership of communal organisations was extraordinary, and to work with him was to get a masterclass in organisational leadership. A typical request from Stanley might start: 'I happily acknowledge this might not be the first fundraising request you've ever received from me. Please stay with me at least one more time, as this one is just as vital, if not even more so than the others.' When Stanley got involved in something, his passion turbocharged it, whether it was the United Israel Appeal, Moriah College, the Jewish Museum, AIJAC, St Vincent's Hospital, the Heart Foundation or Inala school in my electorate. He was generous and passionate because he looked at this country, which had been so good to his family, and he wanted to give back. In the last couple of years, he became very concerned about the direction of our country and the long-term survival of the Jewish community in Australia, and he wanted to do everything he could to address it. Stanley was direct, he was funny, he was passionate and he was proud. I miss his regular emails with his direct, plain-speaking advice, often on how I could do my job better.

To his family—to Charmaine, to Ilana, to Danielle and to Michael and to his brother, John, and his family—I say: may Stanley's memory be a blessing.