Mr ABBOTT (Warringah—Prime Minister) (14:00): I move: That the House record its deep regret at the death on 15 November 2014 of the Right Honourable Reginald Greive Withers, former Senator for Western Australia and Minister, place on record its appreciation of his long and meritorious public service, and tender its profound sympathy to his family in their bereavement. Reg Withers was a great servant of our country. Starting in the Royal Australian Navy during the Second World War, he went on to become a senator for Western Australia, a minister in the Fraser government and, finally, Lord Mayor of the City of Perth. As everyone who knew him well discovered, he was a political warrior with a deep love for his country and passion for its future. Reg Withers entered the Senate in 1966 and served for some 20 years. He gained the nickname 'the toe-cutter'. He was actually quite proud of this nickname. It seemed that he thought it was better to be a toe-cutter than a fence-sitter. As opposition leader in the Senate, his tactic of deferring rather than defeating the supply bills was a key to the resolution of the dismissal crisis of 1975. In the Fraser government he served as Minister for Administrative Services from 1975 to 1978, and he was the last Privy Councillor to serve in the Australian Senate. After leaving the Senate in 1987, he still contributed to our country as Lord Mayor of Perth between 1991 and 1993. During the 1999 constitutional referendum I was proud to work with Reg in the campaign to keep the Crown in our Constitution. For a committed and passionate Liberal, Reg Withers had an unusual political pedigree. His father was actually a state Labor member of parliament and in earlier days had introduced him to John Curtin and Ben Chifley. One day one of Reg's Labor colleagues discovered that Reg's dad had actually moved the socialist objective at the 1929 ALP conference; and the Labor man said to Reg, 'You must be the black sheep of the family,' and Reg said, 'No, my dad was the red sheep of the family!' Some years ago, during a condolence motion in the Senate, Reg 's long time Labor friend Fred Daly was watching from the gallery and famously sent a note down to Reg. Fred's note to Reg read: I'm sorry I won't live another 50 years because I'd love to be here when they speak on your condolence motion and every hypocrite will get up and say, "He was loved by all"!' Reg Withers fought with many but he had the respect of all and he had the love of many. He will be remembered as a man of integrity who stood up for his convictions and the institutions that make our country strong. On behalf of the government, I extend our condolences to his widow, Shirley, to his children and to his grandchildren.