Morrison, Scott, MP

Mr MORRISON (Cook—Prime Minister and Minister for the Public Service) (14:01): I move: That the House record its deep regret at the death, on 20 December 2020, of the Right Honourable John Douglas (Doug) Anthony AC CH, a former Minister and Member of this House for the Division of Richmond from 1957 to 1984, place on record its appreciation of his long service to Australia, and tender its profound sympathy to his family in their bereavement. Doug Anthony had a motto: smile at the world and it will smile back at you—and he had a fantastic smile. His life and times prove the essence of what he believed. Doug Anthony was a blend of carefree innocence and fierce resilience, a man at home on the land and very comfortable in his own skin. Doug's father, Larry, was a Gallipoli veteran, a banana farmer who served 20 years in this place—down the road—and rose to be a minister in the Fadden and Menzies governments. Doug was a child of the Great Depression and the Second World War, a time of great frugality and self-reliance, and a time of childhood innocence when unsupervised exploration was an integral part of growing up. For Doug, Murwillumbah was the most incredible place, with hills to explore, snakes to catch, Friday night Scouts and milkshakes at the Offshore Cafe, weekend canoeing and just getting on your bicycle and going wherever you wanted. As a family the Anthonys split their time between Murwillumbah and Canberra—summers on the Northern Rivers, winters in Canberra. In Canberra, Doug lived at the Kurrajong, where another resident, Mr Curtin, would often read him bedtime stories. Doug often visited the old Parliament House, down the hill. There, the blonde haired boy befriended people with names that all Australians knew: Mr Fadden, Mr Chifley, Mr Menzies and Mr Forde. He was just as much an explorer in that place and around these parts as he was in Murwillumbah, catching yabbies in the Molonglo River and, on one occasion, finding his way into the roof of Old Parliament House. The innocence of the times was an antidote to their harshness. As a boy Doug faced speech difficulties which took years to overcome. He came down with diphtheria, which was the pandemic of his time. He suffered an appendicitis that almost cost him his own life, at the age of 11. Doug lost his mother. On the day of the funeral, Doug said to his sister, 'I'll be alright. I can look after myself,' a self-reliant attitude he'd carry throughout his life. Doug grew into a man of the land, just like his father. He loved animals and he took up growing pineapples. He was still an explorer when he heard that a young lass he was fond of named Margot, who would become the love of his life, had travelled to London. He bought himself a round-the-world ticket, a ticket that took him straight to London, and on that trip he hitchhiked and motorbiked through Europe, the United States and Mexico. But there was also another purpose to the trip, which was to learn as much as he could about modern agricultural practices across all of these places. Years later, when he was Deputy Prime Minister and working in Old Parliament House, he received a call from the front desk. The attendant said: 'There's a man here. He says he's a taxi driver from Los Angeles and you slept on his couch.' Doug said, 'I did. Send him through.' As was recounted at Doug's funeral, he entered parliament at the age of just 27, following the untimely death of his father. By Doug's account, he struggled in his early years here. The cramped offices were stifling, the endless procedures boring, the absences heartbreaking; and he longed for the open spaces, to dig his hands into the rich soil and get on with the real work of farming. It was a frustration that always expressed itself in unlikely ways. In those days, House sittings weren't that family-friendly and they'd finish in the early hours of the morning, and one night, after the House rose and the nightwatchman had clocked off, Doug and three other members took to playing a game of football in King's Hall. It was a truly national game—a blend of VFL and rugby, with the statue of King George doubling as a goalpost. One player took the kick, missed the King but shattered the glass covering the painting of Prime Minister Menzies. Dustpans and brooms were hastily found; the glass was dispatched. It wasn't till days later that the damage was noticed. The bush capital was abuzz: who amongst the Prime Minister's enemies could have done this? Little did anyone know it was not the work of his enemies but his friends! Eventually, Doug Anthony found his place and would become one of the most substantial parliamentarians of his generation. Indeed, he became Doug Anthony, the all-star. Like his father, Doug became a minister in the Menzies government, and, decades later, his own son Larry would serve in another coalition government. Three generations of ministers—what an amazing Australian family! Doug's first portfolio was the interior, and the role was responsible for the development of Canberra, so he and his family moved to Canberra. Interior wasn't an easy portfolio. The previous two ministers were moved on. It was not an easy one because the real boss of the minister was not Sir Robert but Dame Pattie! So Doug focused not only on the grand vision of Sir Robert—the building of the lake, the bridges and the National Library, and the upgrade of Anzac Parade and the design of the Carillon—but also on the practical interests of Dame Pattie: footpaths for prams, and new local community facilities. In that portfolio, Doug grasped that representation is a blend of vision and practicality, and he never forgot it. Within a few years, Doug rose to become leader of the then Country Party and Deputy Prime Minister. He was leader of his party for 13 years and was Deputy Prime Minister for nine, serving with three prime ministers. He was our longest-serving Deputy Prime Minister. He was Deputy Prime Minister for the duration of the Fraser government, and he was a great coalitionist, as John Howard reflected at his recent memorial service. Doug Anthony was a passionate trade and resources minister. He modernised and expanded our trade agreement, especially with New Zealand. He envisaged an economic seamlessness between our nations, much of which is embodied in our relationship today. He opened up the uranium industry and sought to expand trade with Japan, China and the Middle East, coming to a realisation that trade could produce more opportunities for regional Australia than protection ever could. In his time, Doug Anthony was one of the most familiar and reassuring faces in Australian life, especially as he ran Australia from his caravan on the North Coast. A man without pretences or airs or graces, he wasn't flash. He was honest; he was hardworking; he was fair. He was a truly good man who embodied something of the goodness of the country that he loved. And that is, I believe, how he'll be remembered. I can tell you, having joined with his family at the wonderful service of thanksgiving, as I'd call it, his greatest achievement is his family, the amazing relationship he had with Margot for all of those periods of time, and the investment he put into not only his children but his grandchildren. And to hear them speak of a father and a grandfather in that way upon his passing—we can only hope and pray that we can live up to his standard.