Page 4203 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 24 October 2017
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From a party perspective Steve made the high-risk and selfless decision to move to Molonglo for the 2012 election. This move allowed for other electoral manoeuvres to take place and contributed to the Liberals receiving the largest share of the vote in 2012. The fact that Steve put his own re-election on the line for the team shows the calibre of the man.
However, it has got to be said that, since shifting to Molonglo and now Kurrajong and moving down the road to Yarralumla, you would think he would be on time for party room meetings. It is amazing how many traffic jams there are on Alexandrina Drive. In fact, I am surprised that we have not announced a duplication plan for that road on the back of this. Yet!
Whilst politics can define some people, what defines Steve is his family and his faith. Steve and Maureen are a great duo and of course he is also so proud of Adam, Amy and their families.
It was 61 years ago yesterday, 23 October 1956, that brave Hungarians, including Steve’s parents, rose up against Soviet rule. Whilst Hungary’s freedom would be short-lived, it remains an inspiriting moment in post-World War II history. Steve’s parents’ involvement in standing up for faith, democracy and freedom has obviously played a significant role in influencing Steve’s values. As we heard in Steve’s speech, he is very proud of the sacrifices his parents made in order to give him, his siblings and future generations an opportunity to live in Australia. The Doszpots’ family story is a great Australian story. It is one of working hard, taking opportunities and creating better lives for future generations.
Steve and Maureen are proud and devout Catholics. Whilst in today’s world faith is not necessarily in vogue in some circles, Steve has always stood up for his religion and defended the rights of others to practise their faith. Steve’s approach over the last 12 months has been an inspiration to many. His conviction and determination are admired by all. In fact, his selflessness was on full display when he went public with his health issues back in February. In that story he said:
… hopefully if there are other people … maybe I can help them in some way by understanding what they are going through a little bit more if I am going through it too.
So even in the midst of a tough battle with cancer he was still thinking of others. In fact, every time we have chatted in recent months, every time without fail, Steve unnecessarily apologised for not being able to do more. Steve is a heavy lifter; he is a team player.
There is no better example of Steve’s generosity than his annual trivia nights. Steve would call in favours, work the phones, negotiate good deals and even convince Labor and Green MLAs to attend as well—some of them in quite a memorable fashion. Through these amazing nights Steve raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for worthy causes. It is also worth noting, as Steve did, that the quiz nights were very much family affairs, with the entire Doszpot clan contributing to the success of the evenings.
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