Albanese, Anthony MP

Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (14:00): I move: That the House record its deep regret at the death, on 21 October 2023, of the Honourable Bill Hayden AC, 21st Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia from 1989 to 1996, a former Leader of the Australian Labor Party, Minister and Member for the Division of Oxley from 1961 to 1988, place on record its appreciation of his long and meritorious public service, and tender its profound sympathy to his family in their bereavement. Earlier this month, when the jacarandas were in full bloom, hundreds of mourners gathered at St Mary's in Ipswich to celebrate the life of Bill Hayden. In all its dignity, its humility and its understated strength, it was a fitting setting in which to say farewell to this softly spoken giant. Bill was a giant who didn't cast a shadow but rather cast a light on the way ahead. When he first arrived in parliament as the new member for Oxley, Bill spoke of the honour and privilege he felt, not just representing his constituents here in the heart of our democracy but doing so as a member of the Australian Labor Party—and what a remarkable member he became, this child of the Depression turned policeman, who was able to see in Labor not just the best party to advance his values but how to make possible the renewal Labor had to go through so that it could gain strength and grow. Bill succeeded, and all of us on this side of the House are in his debt. What Bill Hayden gave the Australian Labor Party was the chance of a future. Patiently, humbly, courageously, he gave Labor fresh relevance and a new focus. He made it possible for Labor to return to our core mission of governing in the national interest and lifting the lives of Australians. Without ever residing in the Lodge, Bill Hayden was the fulcrum on which the Labor Party's fortunes turned for the better. His leadership laid the foundation for the social and economic reforms that created three decades of consecutive economic growth and delivered Australia a new era in education, foreign affairs, environment policy and, of course, universal health care. It's one thing for us to look back, of course. Put yourself in Bill's shoes for a moment and consider the scale of the challenge that he took on: a party slowly emerging from over two decades of opposition after the split, lifted high by the 1972 Whitlam election victory, and then a fleeting moment in office so devastatingly cut short by the dismissal. With clarity, discipline and intellectual rigour, Bill could envision the road along which Labor would have to travel if it was to live up to its values and potential. As he told Labor's national conference in 1979, 'We will not find our future in the past.' But for Bill the road to the future was sometimes a bumpy one. In the aftermath of 1975, he was the last Labor MP left standing in Queensland. He served as leader through six hard years in opposition, only to be denied at the last moment the chance to lead the party to an election many believed he would have won. Yet, as Paul Keating observed in his eulogy at St Mary's, his momentum persisted. Just as Bill understood that the entry ticket to becoming a credible opposition was earning the public's trust on economic management, he knew that, to be a government that truly meant something, its actions had to speak louder than just the words. And nothing about Bill Hayden spoke so loudly as his deeds. They add up to a remarkable record that is a rare joint triumph of quality and of quantity. As a reforming Minister for Social Security, Bill introduced Medibank, Australia's first plan for universal health care. As a former police officer who had learned all too well how poverty can trap women in violent relationships he introduced Australia's first single mother's pension—and I was a beneficiary of that change. As foreign minister he laid the groundwork for the plan that would finally bring peace to Cambodia. He was ahead of so many with his advocacy for gay rights. And, crucially, he empowered a new generation of talent, planting the seeds of what would grow into an extraordinary legacy of reform. Every single step of the way he had his eyes on a stronger future, always seeking out ways to translate his love for Australia into the reality of an even better Australia. He never lost his faith in our party's capacity to improve our country. Nor did he ever doubt Australia's ability to make a difference in the world. And throughout all the ups and all the downs he never lost his sense of humour; he never lost sight of what mattered. Now, as the jacarandas are slowly losing their purple, we say our final farewell to this remarkable Queenslander, to this great Australian, this man of integrity, courage and substance. We offer our gratitude for all that Bill was and for all that he achieved, and we thank his family—who, I want to acknowledge, are here with us today on the floor of the parliament—for sharing your husband and father with us. I offer our sincerest condolences to Georgina, Ingrid, Kirk and all the other family members but particularly to Bill's beloved wife, Dallas. Dallas and Bill were each other's great fortune—two bright suns who warmed each other from the moment they met. I know it was difficult for you to get here today, Dallas, and, on behalf of the parliament, we appreciate it, and we give you our warmth and our love. May Bill Hayden rest in peace.