Page 5084 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 28 November 2017
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
family, it means a lot to us and it would mean a lot to Steve. He would love it; there is no doubt about it.
I would like to acknowledge all of Steve’s family here today: Maureen; Adam, Steve’s son; Annette, his daughter-in-law; their children Issy, Kasia and Harry; Amy, Steve’s daughter; Ed, Steve’s son-in-law; and Noah, his grandson; Will, his brother; Joanne, his sister-in-law; Ruby, his niece; Gus, Steve’s brother; Neil, his nephew; and Anna, Steve’s sister. It is lovely to see you back here again.
In the recent weeks, as Steve’s end drew closer it caused me to spend more time with Steve and his family. He was very blessed. I see particularly in his children and his grandchildren many of the good traits—not too many boiled eggs but the great traits—of Steve flowing down that line. The Doszpot legacy continues in his wonderful family.
Steve had a lot of close friends. I see some of them here today. I would like to thank Greg Fraser, who is here today, a grey-haired gentlemen sitting up the back—that probably does not narrow it down much. Greg spoke to Steve a few weeks back and said, “Let’s carry on the Doszpot fundraiser, the trivia night.” Steve was very touched by that. It will be continuing. We are looking at about May next year for that to continue. The proceeds of the night will go towards liver cancer research. The Cancer Council are delighted, and of course you will all be invited and expected to attend.
Mr Coe: Bring your chequebook.
MR HANSON: That is right: bring your chequebooks. There will probably be some batons from previous Olympics that we will be trying to flog off that night.
I would like to talk a little bit about Steve as my mate, because we will be talking about many of his remarkable public contributions on Friday. Over the past nine years Steve and I had grown very close. He was my closest political ally. So I have lost a friend and one of my numbers in the party room today.
Not just to me but to Fleur as well: he was very kind to both of us and very generous from the moment that we met him. Whenever we were invited to an event—and you will all appreciate what this like, as we get invited to many events—the first question would be, “Are Steve and Maureen going?” If I said, “Yes, they are,” then she would attend. If they were not, it was always a challenge, saying, ‘Well, dear, it is very important. You will enjoy it. Trust me.”
You do develop a bond in this place; you really do. In my experience it is not dissimilar to the Army. We were in the trenches together through elections and through what has been for us the occasional hard-fought victory. We have done our share of glorious defeats over here in the Liberal Party in recent years. That can be in some ways the more bonding. You do spend more time, in many ways, with each other because you are not encumbered by the business of being a minister or a Chief Minister.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video