Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (14:00): I move: That the House record its deep regret at the death, on 11 October 2024, of the Honourable Anthony John Messner AM, a former Minister and Senator for the State of South Australia from 1975 to 1990, place on record its appreciation of his long and meritorious public service, and tender its profound sympathy to his family in their bereavement. From the moment he was elected as a senator for South Australia in the double dissolution election of 1975, Tony Messner was regarded as a person of conviction. In the words of one biographer, he was someone who ran for parliament 'because they held a set of beliefs, not because they were about appeasing interest groups or devising policies with the aid of opinion polls'. This is why Tony Messner was respected by all in the House and Senate, including by his Labor opponents, and is one of the many reasons he was cherished by his Liberal colleagues, from those who he served alongside—especially his Canberra flatmate and friend, John Howard—to those he mentored, including former premier of New South Wales Barry O'Farrell. Indeed, Barry would later pay Tony that great compliment unique to politics, saying, 'He taught me how to count.' In 1980, Malcolm Fraser promoted Tony to assistant treasurer and Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Having begun his working life in banking and then training as a chartered accountant, Tony Messner was known as someone with a passion for economic policy, tax reform and small business, but it was in the veterans' affairs portfolio that he faced his most significant challenges and arguably made his most important contribution. He created a national network of counselling centres with a particular focus on supporting the generation of veterans who had returned from Vietnam. He also drove significant change to repatriation legislation, including recognising the war service of Australia's merchant mariners, and he expanded eligibility for those who served in peacekeeping missions. Tony's words—and these still ring with truth—were: There is an historical tradition to compensate those who have served … The philosophy is no less valid now than when it was born during the First World War. It is a philosophy which reflects the very best of the Australian character, that is, helping those in need, standing together in times of need and making sure that useful people are not thrown on the scrap heap before their time. A former prop for the Western Australian under-19s rugby team, Tony Messner's burly frame once saw him described by Canberra Times journalist Ian Warden as 'the Mal Meninga of the Senate'. I should emphasise that this was in the year that Mal was leading the Raiders to their first grand final, so there's probably no finer tribute that any Canberran could offer. When Tony Messner's time in the front row of political contest came to an end in 1990, he continued to serve Australia. He was of course the Administrator of Norfolk Island from 1997 to 2003, a role that he performed with enthusiasm and distinction. We honour his contribution to our parliament and to our nation, and we offer our sympathies to his loved ones, friends and colleagues. May he rest in peace.