John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to talk about a man that I am very proud of, gastroenterologist Dr David Gillespie from Port Macquarie. So many times I and many of us are critical of the health system, mainly because of people being overworked and overloaded with double shifts—perhaps there are too many desks and not enough beds and a lack of local management et cetera. Dr David Gillespie is a gastroenterologist based at Port Macquarie.

I am pleased to say that my chief of staff, Greg Kachel is back in Canberra now. Greg is a well-known man in Inverell. He had 32 years up there at the local radio station, 2NZ, providing magnificent service for the community in Inverell and the wider area in many of his fields as race caller and charity worker et cetera. For nine years Greg has had a medical problem where he would have attacks of excruciating stomach pains. He saw specialists—I think five in total, some in Brisbane—but he could never really sort out the problem, and in the last couple of weeks these attacks became worse and worse. He had to leave my office for a couple of days and go to hospital. Last Friday was one of those days. On the weekend my wife was talking to Dr Gillespie, and explained how Greg was not well and suffering these attacks, and that no-one seemed able to find the problem. He said, ‘I know what that problem would be, and I can fix that.’

As an emergency case, Greg was transferred from Inverell District Hospital to Port Macquarie, and the doctor’s words were true. Greg is now back in my office as of a couple of hours ago, fit as can be after putting up with this problem for nine years. I would like to thank Dr Gillespie for his professional work—basically to diagnose over the phone.

I would like to say more about Dr Gillespie because last Saturday he was preselected as the National’s candidate for the seat of Lyne. He is a man that is very dedicated to his profession, helping others in his field of surgery with his knowledge of gastroenterology. My chief of staff is one example—after nine years his problem is now solved. This is typical of Dr Gillespie. He has been a health professional for 29 years, is a father of three and has the ability to relate with all members of the community. David is across the regional issues that are important to the people in the electorate of Lyne—particularly health. We all know that the most important and pressing need for the people of Port Macquarie is the building of the fourth pod of the Port Macquarie Base Hospital. No doubt if David is elected in the seat of Lyne come the next federal election, one of his key issues will be to push for the upgrade of the Port Macquarie Base Hospital.

David is excited to be the Nationals candidate and is looking forward to the task ahead of him. Most voters in the electorate want a representative who knows what life in the real world is about. David started his business in Port Macquarie. He knows the cost of employment, the cost of running a business, the hard work that you have to put in and the responsibility of his position to deliver the services that we so desperately need right around our nation. To be a specialist he had to do years and years of study at university and then of course go out into the hospitals, practising and learning. He has the experience of carrying on his own profession as a qualified gastroenterologist to deliver the services that we so desperately need.

David, we welcome you as the Nationals candidate for the seat of Lyne. We know it is a tough job. We know that the current member is a popular member, but David will certainly get out on the front foot, listen to the people of Port Macquarie and I am sure will do a magnificent job come next election. As I said, David has been a real employer. He knows what business is about as he has done that for some 29 years. His success and professional reliability will transfer to the representative and advocacy role that he will play for the Lyne electorate. Dr Gillespie counts the federal opposition leader, Tony Abbott, amongst his friends. They have known each other since 1970. In fact, Mr Abbott told the Port News that Dr Gillespie is ‘just the most fabulous person and he has been a terrific friend.’

It is important when people put their hands up for election to be people from on the ground who have real-life experience: to understand what running business is about, to know the cost of employment, to look after staff, to be respectful and courteous to staff and to understand what workers need—but also for the workers to realise that they have to play a part in the business as well. David Gillespie has real experience. He knows the regional areas. He understands what regional Australia goes without. Even though regional Australia builds the wealth cake of our nation, many people in regional Australia believe that the slice of the cake they get—sometimes just the crumbs—is simply unfair. This is certainly a case that we in the Nationals push all the time. David will be a magnificent member for Lyne. I commend him for putting his hand up. As I said, he is a terrific bloke. He is so professional. I thank him sincerely for sorting Greg’s problems out after many years—nine years, in fact—of putting up with an intermittent medical problem that caused so much excruciating pain. It is typical of David Gillespie to help where he can. We are very pleased with his attitude to people. He never puts himself first. He is a father of three. Charlotte, his wife, is also a very decent lady and a very decent person.

I take these few minutes to thank Dr David Gillespie for the work he has done for my chief of staff. The relief is huge for Greg, and we are very pleased to have him back here. There is nothing worse than having something that can come along at any time and disrupt your work. Greg was often concerned about what he would do if he had one of these attacks while, for example, he was calling a race—and, likewise, if he was on radio. He has put up with this for many years now. Thanks to Dr Gillespie for bringing a return to Greg’s good health.

I thank David Gillespie for what he has done and I also wish him well in the upcoming federal election. I know he is a very proud member of the Port Macquarie community. I am sure the Port Macquarie community will give him a lot of support come election time. If elected, he will do a magnificent job, especially in the field of health. He is a person who, as I said, has real-life experience and who knows and has worked in the health industry for 29 years. He can see at the coalface the good parts and the not-so-good parts of the health system and will offer answers to questions that we often ask to build a better health system in Australia. To Dr David Gillespie: I wish you well and look forward to seeing you in the near future.