Mr SHORTEN (Maribyrnong—Leader of the Opposition) (14:05): I thank the Prime Minister for his generous words. Labor mourns the passing of an honoured son of our party and a distinguished servant of our nation, Lesley Royston Johnson AM. With the loss of Les Johnson, another giant of days gone by moves into our history. Les, as he was known to one and all, gave a quarter of a century of service to our parliament and our nation as the member for Hughes, as a minister in the Whitlam and later as a deputy speaker. Les Johnson was Labor to his bootstraps. As a child, he knew the hardship of the great depression. As a young man aged 14 he went to work to support his family and later put himself through night school. Les served in turbulent times, from the split to the dismissal. In many ways, he was made for them; he was tough, he was resolute and he was resilient. He was a steadfast and forthright opponent of the war in Vietnam, and—along with being one of the first to speak against it in the parliament—he also visited allied forces in Vietnam at his own expense in 1966. Les was also a strong supporter of independence for Bangladesh, and his commitment was recognised in 2012 when that nation honoured him as a 'special friend'. The Labor Party offers our heartfelt condolences to his loved ones and his friends. We salute Les Johnson's service, his passion and his never-fading faith in the light on the hill. May he rest in peace. The SPEAKER: As a mark of respect, I ask all present to signify their approval by rising in their places. Honourable members having stood in their places— Debate adjourned.