CONDOLENCES
Mr TAYLOR (Hume—Leader of the Opposition) (11:04): I rise to honour the life of Bruce George Baird AM. Bruce was a man of service. He served his party, his state and his country wholeheartedly, and he did it with aplomb.
Prior to entering politics, Bruce had a distinguished career furthering Australia's diplomacy, first as an assistant trade commissioner in West Germany and then as a trade commissioner in New York. As the member for Northcott in the New South Wales parliament from 1984 to 1995 and a minister in the Greiner and Fahey governments, he made a significant contribution to the development and prosperity of his state.
He was the Minister for Transport, Roads, Tourism and the Environment, and he served as the Deputy Leader of the New South Wales Liberals from 1992 to 1994. While Bruce's son Mike joked that his father's major accomplishment in state politics was getting the trains to run on time, Bruce's greatest achievement was undoubtedly securing the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and I remember it so well.
Without Bruce's tireless bidding, Australia couldn't have given the world the best Olympic Games ever. Without Bruce, we may not have had that 16-gold-medal haul, those nation-inspiring moments from Cathy Freeman, Ian Thorpe, the men's 4 x 100 freestyle relay, the Hockeyroos and many, many more. Moving from state to federal politics, Bruce held the seat of Cook for nine years during the pivotal period of new national prosperity under the Howard government.
In his maiden speech, Bruce declared that his shift to federal politics was driven by a passionate desire to continue contributing to public life and Australia's future. He even had the support of his former neighbour, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. A self-declared economic dry-and-free market champion, Bruce declared, 'Unless a country is economically competitive internationally, it cannot survive.' He said: 'Government is simply not just about taxation reform.
It's important for everyone in Australia to lift our overall standard of living.' Hear, hear to that. Refugee wellbeing was a deep concern for Bruce, as was the issue of youth suicide. To defeat that scourge, Bruce believed parliamentarians had a duty to provide young people with optimism and hope.
Bruce's committee work as a backbencher was extensive. There was barely an area of public policy that didn't benefit from his erudite mind and compassionate heart. That mind and that heart saw him continue to serve his country after politics.
He led the Tourism and Transport Forum and chaired the Refugee Resettlement Advisory Council. An avid ocean swimmer and member of the bold and beautiful swim squad that exercised off Manly and Shelly beaches, a devout Christian, a resolute Republican and a parliamentarian respected across the political aisle, Bruce will be remembered as a decent and dedicated man highly deserving of his appointment as a member of the Order of Australia.
On behalf of the federal Liberal Party, my sincere condolences to Bruce's family—especially to his sons, Mike and Steve, and his daughter, Julia, whose own commendable contributions to public life have been inspired by the example set by their beloved father. Bruce is now reunited with his cherished wife, Judy. May he rest in peace.