Alexander, John, MP

Mr ALEXANDER (Bennelong) (13:31): Australia has had some great prime ministers over its short federated history, but, if we look back on some of these giants, they were able to do their best work in collaboration with their opposition counterparts. There are often friendships between the party leaders—perhaps no more so than between our party leaders postwar. On Monday we were privileged to have an insight into this time and the leaders of the day when we were graced with the presence in the Main Committee Room of Heather Henderson and Mary Elizabeth Calwell, daughters of Sir Robert Menzies and Arthur Calwell. In conversation with Michelle Grattan, they shared wonderful insights on their fathers, their friendships, the state of Australian politics back then in the sixties, and their reflections on today. It was a fascinating event. We were able to hear firsthand the tales of their early lives, from Mrs Menzies chasing intruders out of the Lodge with a carving knife to the opinions their fathers held on various US presidents that they had worked closely with. Most telling was the deep friendship that the two men clearly shared, formed through regular meetings across long sitting weeks and solidified through working together in the national interest. I am hugely grateful to my colleagues who helped put the event together, the members for Calwell and Macarthur, but most grateful to Mary Elizabeth and Heather, who showed us that we can learn so much about statesmanship from them.