Ms LEY (Farrer—Leader of the Opposition) (14:05): I thank the Prime Minister for his generous contribution. Today, we reflect on the remarkable life of a remarkable man, the Hon. Peter Nixon AO, who passed away on 1 May this year at the age of 97. I note the attendance of Peter's family members here today—Chris, Toby, Peter, Joanne, Amanda and Katrina. It is perhaps fitting that we have this condolence today, and I am sure Peter would have much to say about Australian agriculture today. Peter Nixon was a great Australian. He was a man who lived a big life, a life matched by the wide expanse of his Gippsland electorate. Peter's life was touched, as so many are in the bush, by the unforgiving Australian climate—by fire and flood and drought. He was a man of grit and drive. He would bring that grit into our federal parliament, and Peter is one of the many towering figures in our national story who have done work to advance Australia's story. The work he did in government helped build the world-class agricultural sector that remains a pillar of our national prosperity. Born in 1928 to a farming family in Orbost, Nixon went through both the Great Depression and the Black Friday bushfires of 1939 before he went off as a boarder to Wesley College. While a student in Melbourne, he developed his love for Australian rules football and the Richmond Tigers. He would describe the sport, in 1968, as 'the best game of all'. I agree. The Nixon clan had been farmers since 1865, so it was natural for Peter to return to the family farm. In 1954 he married his wife, Sally, a member of the prominent Dahlsen family from East Gippsland. They would have three children together, and she became his rock of support across almost 60 years together. He became the secretary of the Orbost branch of the Country Party, and that would have been his life until fate derailed his plans and thrust him into the world of politics. Peter Nixon didn't expect to win the preselection for Gippsland, but he did. He rolled up his sleeves and, despite a swing against the government that year, won by a handy margin. He proved himself to be a brilliant organiser with a hugely analytical mind. In a career that spanned more than 20 years in parliament, Nixon held ministerial portfolios in the interior, shipping and transport, postmaster general and primary industry. For 16 straight years, he was either a minister or a shadow minister. He was seen by many as a potential successor to John McEwen as leader of the Country Party, but Doug Anthony eventually got the role. As a highly experienced and trusted member of successive leadership teams, Nixon, with Anthony and Ian Sinclair, formed a triumvirate in the Fraser government dubbed 'the mulga mafia'. They were an assertive and sometimes combative presence in the House and a significant influence on the government's policy agenda. In words which echo down the ages, in his maiden speech he vigorously opposed trading blocs, tariff barriers and protectionism. He lamented the poor prices which primary producers got in comparison to retail prices in the cities, and he wanted to reduce the cost of living and put more money in the pockets of the wage earners. The more things change, the more they stay the same. After he left parliament in 1983, he had a successful career as a media executive and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1993. But he never lost his love of football. In 1981, he became Richmond's patron, a position he held until his death. In 1984, he was selected as one of the four original VFL commissioners. Universally respected during his time, in and out of parliament, Peter Nixon—grazier, parliamentarian, minister, community champion, Aussie Rules fanatic—was an exemplar of the body politic that laid the foundations that we have inherited. Vale, Peter Nixon.