CONDOLENCES

Senator RUSTON (South Australia—Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) (15:38): I too rise today to pay tribute to the life and service of former senator Stanley James Collard—a proud Queenslander, a dedicated parliamentarian and a man whose story is quintessentially Australian. Stan Collard's journey to this place was not a typical one. He was born in Maleny in 1936, the eldest of three sons of dairy farmers William and Edina Collard.

Like so many of his generation, his early life was grounded in the values of hard work, community and faith. He attended the local primary school and later Nambour State High School before helping his father on the family farm. From those beginnings Stan went on to carve out a remarkable life of public service.

Before entering politics, Stan Collard worked as a train driver with Queensland Railways, hauling six-header coal trains two kilometres long from Central Queensland to the coast. He was immensely proud of that work, describing it as one of the most efficient operations in Australia. It was there, in the vast expanses of rural Queensland, that he developed a deep understanding of the challenges facing rural communities.

These were lessons he would later bring with him to this parliament. Stan's entry into politics came through the National Country Party, later the National Party of Australia. His passion for representing the bush and his belief in standing up for regional Queensland were strongly held and lifelong.

He first joined the local Country Party branch in 1959, and his organisational skills and leadership were quickly recognised. He served as secretary of the party's Kennedy division and worked as campaign director for the Hon. Bob Katter Sr for several elections.

When the opportunity arose to stand for the Senate in 1975, he seized it, and Queenslanders placed their trust in him. Stan was elected to the Senate in that historic double-dissolution election and went on to serve in this place with distinction for more than 11 years. During that time, he became known as a conscientious and diligent senator.

He was a man who prepared meticulously, thought and spoke thoroughly and never lost sight of the people he represented. He served on a wide range of committees, from education and the arts to foreign affairs and defence, and played an active role in the estimates process, where his attention to detail and practical experience were highly regarded. He also served his party with great loyalty as whip and as deputy leader and, ultimately, Leader of the National Party in the Senate.

Those were challenging years for the Nationals and for the conservative side of politics, and Senator Collard's leadership was steady, principled and always grounded in respect for this institution. He also made several significant contributions on the national stage as a shadow minister holding the portfolios of veterans' affairs and, later, arts, heritage and the environment.

His approach to those responsibilities reflected his characteristic pragmatism. On environmental matters, he was famously known to have said 'no necessary dichotomy between conservation and development', a view that remains as relevant today as it was then. Throughout his parliamentary career, Stan Collard was an unashamed advocate for the people of rural and regional Australia.

He argued powerfully for better communications and services for those living far from the capital cities. He spoke about the sense of isolation that often plagued country communities, and he warned against policies that ignored the realities of life in the bush. He was also deeply committed to fairness in political representation.

Stan believed that country Australians deserved to have a voice equal to those in the city. He once said: … if a constituent does not have the same access to his elected member as others have to theirs, that constituent's vote is devalued. After leaving the Senate in 1987, Stan continued his lifelong service to his community and to Queensland.

He played leadership roles in Life Education, Lifeline Queensland and the Library Board of Queensland, as well as serving as the president of the CSR Hinkler Bicentennial Air Race Committee. He gave his time generously, applying the same sense of purpose and integrity that he had shown in this public office. In recognition of his decades of service, both political and community, Stan Collard was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2014.

It was an honour richly deserved. Stan's story is in many ways a story of modern Australia—a young man from a dairy farm on the Sunshine Coast who rose, through his hard work and conviction, to serve his state and his nation in this chamber. He never forgot where he came from.

He never forgot who he represented. Those who knew him speak of his quiet strength, his humility and his good humour, and of his deep devotion to his wife, Gloria, and their children and their families. To them and to all those who knew him and loved him we extend our deepest sympathy and gratitude.

Stan Collard's contribution to this place and to Queensland will endure, as will the respect of all those who served alongside him. He was and will remain an example of what it means to serve with dedication, decency and purpose. May he rest in peace.