Don Lawson
Cindy McLEISH (Eildon) (10:17): It is not hard to describe Don Lawson OAM, a man of many passions, unwavering stubbornness and love for a good fight or cause. He was frustrating, a borderline genius, a stirrer and a chronic phone caller. He was a cracker of a person, who had a remarkable ability to make lifelong, enduring friendships, which was demonstrated by the large number of people who attended his funeral in person and online in Yea last week. Orchestrated by Don, the service went as he had planned, and I am sure he was annoyed to have missed an event where he knew everybody and could have stirred each of them up. Don, grandson of former Premier Sir Harry Lawson, was a giant in the agricultural industry and an industry leader in cattle. As an early adopter of technology, he loved genetics and was a nationally renowned pioneer of performance-recorded livestock breeding. His passion for agricultural education and support for young farmers saw him continually lobby universities to lift their game. He was a great Liberal who fought against the north–south pipeline.