Hansard debates

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop) (12:05): I move:

That this house expresses its sincere sorrow at the death of the Honourable Thomas William Roper and places on record its acknowledgement of the valuable services rendered by him to the Parliament and the people of Victoria as member of the Legislative Assembly for the districts of Brunswick West from 1973 to 1976, Brunswick from 1976 to 1992 and Coburg from 1992 to 1994, and Minister of Health from 1982 to 1985, Minister for Transport from 1985 to 1987, Minister for Planning and Environment and Minister for Consumer Affairs from 1987 to 1990, Treasurer from 1990 to 1992, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs from 1987 to 1990 and from 1991 to 1992, and Minister for Employment, Post-Secondary Education and Training and Minister for Gaming from January to October 1992, and Leader of the House from 1989 to 1992.

Living your values is not always easy. It can mean agitating when others accept the status quo, and doing the right thing is not always the same as doing the popular thing. Tom Roper was a man who lived his values: no matter the circumstance, no matter the challenge, he would always fight for what was right.

Tom was born in New South Wales, and even in his youth he showed the trademark determination we all came to know. At around 12 years old Tom decided to hitchhike from Sydney to Tenterfield. That effort got him on the cover of the Sydney Morning Herald. It was his first media appearance, but it most certainly was not his last. Over his long ministerial career in the Cain and Kirner governments, as we have noted already, he held eight different portfolios, and in every single one of them he stuck to his values.

Tom’s passion and advocacy for the environment shone throughout his 21 years in Parliament. Even before climate change was something we all knew and understood, Tom was working to combat its devastating impact. He fought for stronger protection for the ozone layer and warned against greenhouse gases. At that time it was a concept which may as well have been science fiction to most, but Tom knew just how important it was. Not only did he help start the conversations about climate change, he considered how Victoria could grow and grow sustainably.

Tom took a long-term view – a 40-year view – on urban development. He helped to identify Victoria’s growth corridors to ensure families had a proper place to settle down. He wanted these families to have good hospitals to care for their loved ones and schools that gave every Victorian kid the best start in life. He knew too that Victorians wanted that fairness and deserved that equality no matter their postcode. But that was not the only issue Tom was ahead of the times on.

He was disgusted by the unfair, racist and brutal treatment of Australia’s First Nations people. He supported the 1965 Freedom Ride that shone a light on this segregation. At a time when some Australians felt it acceptable to exclude, his values pushed him to include, so he stood shoulder to shoulder with those who needed him most. He brought that passion and those unwavering values to Victoria. As Aboriginal affairs minister, he was among the first to introduce cultural heritage arrangements protecting sacred sites. His work laid the foundations for the path we now walk on here in this state to reconcile with Victoria’s First Nations people. Reconciliation may not have been popular at the time, but that did not matter to Tom because he knew what was right.

He approached the role of health minister like he approached all portfolios – with his values in tow. Some of those involved in running the health system at the time were comfortable with the old ways, but Tom was all about the new ways, the better ways. For example, his work on tobacco was groundbreaking, leading to smoke-free areas and better support for prevention and those suffering from disease. At a time when smoking was still very common and accepted, he took it on. He stuck to what he knew was right.

It was this dedication to making our health services better that arguably led to his greatest achievement: Tom brought together the former Queen Victoria Medical Centre, Prince Henry’s Hospital and Moorabbin Hospital, creating the Monash Medical Centre, a legacy that has saved countless Victorian lives and will keep on saving lives. The Australian Medical Association spoke fondly of Tom, describing him as particularly hardworking and well informed. In other words, Tom got things done.

Those that knew Tom well also knew that he was a lover of sport, a passionate supporter of Carlton and a wily spin bowler for an indoor cricket team. He liked golf, although he was not quite sure where he hit the ball some of the time. This is according to Tom’s colleague John Harrowfield, who said, as a golfing companion he was a determined, relentless searcher for lost golf balls.

Whilst Tom’s reputation with a golf ball was not the greatest, his reputation as a member of this place and throughout Victoria was of the highest standard. If you needed to find him here late on a sitting day, your better bet was in the library than across in the Strangers bar. He preferred a book in hand rather than a beer. Policy – he was fascinated by policy, policy that made Victoria a better place, policy that gave a fair go to all Victorians, policy that reflected his values. It was that inquisitive and curious nature that made him such a force, and indeed this was reinforced last week when I spoke to David Kennedy, the former both federal member for Bendigo in the federal Parliament and state member for Bendigo who served in this place with Tom. David said that Tom took a committed and intellectual approach to politics. He got hold of issues, he mastered them and then he acted. David firmly stated he was an outstanding minister who was also a wonderful bloke. Tom’s standards were high, and he always held himself to account. So too he expected that of others, and some found that difficult. But a person driven by their values tends to make those known to everyone no matter where you sit in this place. A quote arose after Tom’s passing that sums it up well: ‘It was possible to disagree with the minister, but we’d usually be proven wrong.’ That was Tom. He was focused on doing what was right. If what he was doing was not going to help a Victorian, then he was not particularly interested. He was always approachable to listen to and debate ideas.

Tom too continued his fight long past his career in this place, particularly with Greenfleet. They are establishing a forest previously cleared on a site called Ngulambarra. That means ‘meeting place’, and this forest will help restore an important ecosystem and give refuge to endangered species. It will be known as Tom’s forest. This is where Tom’s ashes will be spread. To his wife Anita, to his children Annabelle, Bronwen and Peter and to his grandchildren Lily, Mackenzie, Primrose, Tuppence, Harry, Gabriel and Molly: Tom was a Labor giant. He fought for what was right, he fought for Victorians and, most importantly, he lived his values. While he may be at peace, that work and that fight still continue, and we will do him proud, just as he did us proud. Vale, Tom Roper.