Tuesday, 19 March 2024

Condolences

Hon. Digby Crozier

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (12:03): I move:

That this house expresses its sincere sorrow at the death of the Honourable Digby Crozier 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 electoral district of Portland from 1985 to 1988, member of the Legislative Council for Western Province from 1973 to 1985 and Minister of Tourism and Minister for State Development and of Decentralisation from 1976 to 1978, Minister of State Development, Decentralisation and Tourism from 1978 to 1979, Minister for Local Government from 1979 to 1981 and Minister of Mines and Minister for Minerals and Energy from 1981 to 1982.

Digby Crozier was a servant of our state and the nation in every sense of the word. He was part of that postwar generation of Australians who put their country, their family and their community above all else. He lived a life guided and driven by the values and principles ingrained within him, and through his long service in this place he contributed so much to the fabric of our state.

In reading the details of his early life, it is easy to see why Digby could have done anything, been anything and lived anywhere. Born in London, schooled at Geelong Grammar and educated at Cambridge, the sky was his limit. But it was as a Victorian sheep and cattle farmer that Digby found his calling. He was a pastoralist before he was a politician. He recognised the importance of regional representation, and he knew the value of hard work. He understood deeply the enormous impact government could make on the outcomes of farming families and communities, and it was that understanding that drew him to this place. As Digby himself noted as a Liberal in the Legislative Council at that time, he was somewhat of a rarity having no prior family or former links to the Victorian Parliament. I can only imagine his delight and pride in the creation of his own political dynasty.

In his very short inaugural speech to the chamber – it was less than 600 words – Digby identified two causes that called him to stand: strengthening the role of the states in our federation, something we continue to agree with to this day; and serving his community. He brought that same purpose of mind to his positions in cabinet, and across many ministerial portfolios he led with bold and transformative change. His work did not just improve lives, it created new jobs, supported growing communities and set our state on a better, more prosperous path. As minister of state development, Digby fought hard to see Portland become home to the new Alcoa smelter. Today the legacy of that advocacy can be seen in the hundreds of jobs at that Alcoa plant in Portland, which still supports this very special part of our state, and the enormous growth that the smelter has continued to offer western Victoria for decades and generations. Reflecting on the work he undertook to get Alcoa over the line, Digby said:

We knew we were taking big chances in winning Alcoa for Portland. I remember one of the Alcoa chiefs at the time saying, ‘You have a window of opportunity.’ … If we didn’t take it, it would slam shut …

The smelter is there now and it is playing a positive role for Portland, the port and –

Victoria’s –

export earnings.

Digby was a man who stood up for what he believed, and he understood every single corner of his 37,000-square-kilometre electorate because he was such a big part of it. Though, as is the case with so many leaders of his time and indeed often as the case is still today, Digby did not do it alone. As a former parliamentary colleague of Digby’s once said, ‘He could never have carried out his duties without the support of his late wife Jill.’

I am told that even after retirement both Digby and Jill remained committed members and dedicated supporters of their local Liberal branch. And of course in Parliament today his daughter Georgie sits as a member for Southern Metropolitan Region and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council. As another daughter whose father and mother instilled in me so many of the values, principles and obligations I believe in and helped inspire my own interests and involvement in politics, I have no doubt that Digby would have been so enormously proud to see his daughter enter this place and that his legacy – that enormous legacy – continues to live on.

Digby Crozier helped build a better state for all Victorians but particularly for regional and farming communities. In his portfolio he led bold and transformative change, and he lived his values every single day. He helped make Victoria a better and more prosperous place for all of us. So on behalf of the government and the people of Victoria I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, his parliamentary colleagues and his friends. I particularly extend our thoughts to his children Georgie, John and Annabel, his grandchildren Kate, Lachie, Sam, Charlie, Tom, Harry and Freddie and acknowledge his late wife Jill and son Will. Our thoughts remain with all of you. Vale, Digby Glen Crozier.

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (12:09): I am delighted to join the Premier in support of this condolence motion for Digby Glen Crozier. The passing of Digby this year at the age of 96 marks the loss of a respected former Victorian member of Parliament and distinguished minister. Digby served his local community in western Victoria with honour and distinction. He was a dedicated minister and someone who made a significant contribution to our state and our community’s enduring fabric. He was a titan of the Liberal Party, known for his respectful and courteous manner and his great passion for regional Victoria. But Digby was also known for his sense of humour, and in preparing this speech I had the opportunity to review his 1973 inaugural speech. His opening contained, to the great amusement of the house, the sage advice that an inaugural speech should be made as early as possible and should be concluded as speedily as possible.

Digby was born in London in 1927. His parents Nancy and Towser returned to Australia in 1932 and purchased a sheep grazing property near Casterton. From age seven Digby attended Geelong Grammar School, completing his schooling in 1944. He had a particular fondness for both history and English, interests that were supported by headmaster JR Darling and history master Manning Clark.

In 1944 Digby enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy at the age of 17½, during his final term at school. He was mobilised in June 1945 and was in the final stage of his initial training at Flinders naval depot in Victoria when the war ended. He performed a number of duties on the HMAS Warrego and was subsequently demobilised in 1946 with the rank of able seaman. After honourably serving his country in the navy, Digby attended Caius College in Cambridge, where he studied history, graduating with a bachelor of arts and then later a master of arts.

Digby’s strong interest in politics developed in his senior years at Geelong Grammar and at Cambridge. After returning home to Australia in 1949 he became actively involved in the Liberal Party and remained such throughout his life. Digby volunteered at the pivotal 1949 election, handing out how-to-vote cards for the then Liberal candidate for Wannon and subsequent Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser. He settled down and became a grazier like his parents, marrying Jill Salter in 1957. They were inseparable and had five children together.

A willingness to serve the Australian people is a strong, persistent value in the Crozier family. Digby’s great-grandfather John Crozier was a member of the Legislative Council in South Australia from 1867 until 1887. I am proud to say, as has been noted, that Georgie Crozier in the other place is a fantastic friend to many of us, me included, and represents the Victorian people and the Liberal movement today as Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council.

Digby ran for and was elected as a councillor at Glenelg shire from 1965 to 1973, serving as president from 1967 to 1968. In 1973 Digby was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council as a Liberal member for Western Province. Over the next 12 years he represented Victorians living in the west of our great state before shifting to the Legislative Assembly, winning the seat of Portland in 1985. He served the Victorian people in Parliament for 15 years. His ministerial career spanned six portfolios across 10 years in the Hamer and Thompson Liberal governments, including minerals and energy, mines, local government, state development, decentralisation and tourism.

Digby’s respect and popularity across the breadth of the parliamentary Liberal Party and indeed across the Parliament contributed to his elevation to the position of deputy leader in the Legislative Council in 1978. Following the defeat of the Thompson government in 1982, Digby was appointed to the position of shadow minister for minerals and energy and subsequently Shadow Minister for Police and Emergency Services.

In terms of his ministerial accomplishments, Digby was instrumental to the Hamer government’s push to decentralise Victoria’s public service. In an effort to bring public decision-makers closer to where Victorians lived and were impacted by those decisions, Digby worked to grow the Victorian public service in regional centres instead of centralising them in Melbourne. This was part of a wider push he was committed to to incentivise development in Victoria’s regions, especially in the industry and tourism sectors. Industrial and commercial enterprises often sit at the centre of regional communities, which makes them vital. Digby understood this fundamental fact, and it contributed to his strong and ultimately successful advocacy for Alcoa to build their new smelter in the city of Portland. Today over 400 Victorians living in and around Portland have a well-paying job thanks to Digby Crozier. Beyond this, over $100 million is injected into the local economy in supply contracts, and our country enjoys a more resilient supply chain, with roughly a fifth of Australia’s aluminium produced here in Victoria.

Digby firmly believed that Victoria’s regions are deeply intertwined with our great state’s identity and prosperity. This is why he supported the successive investments made by Liberal governments of which he was a part into Victoria’s tourism industry. These investments have paid off, and today people come from across the country and around the world to explore regional Victoria, from historic goldfields near Ballarat to the picturesque Warby-Ovens National Park near Wangaratta.

After retiring from politics in 1988 Digby returned to sheep and cattle grazing. He remained an active participant in the community and was a member of both the Victorian Farmers Federation pastoral council and the Victorian Wool Industry Taskforce. Furthermore, he was appointed as chief commissioner of Glenelg Shire Council in 1994 by the Kennett government until the first elections were held in 1996.

On behalf of the Victorian opposition, we convey our appreciation to Digby Glen Crozier for his service to the Victorian people, the Liberal movement and our wider community and extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends. Vale, Digby Crozier. May he rest in peace.

Peter WALSH (Murray Plains) (12:16): I rise to join the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition in speaking on the condolence motion for Digby Crozier. From the outset can I say it is an absolute celebration of a life well lived. If you look at Digby’s career before politics, during politics and post politics, he made a significant contribution to his community and to Victoria, and I think if you go to his community down in western Victoria, you will not find anyone who has a bad word to say about Digby and what he did for that community down there.

As has already been said, he was educated at Geelong Grammar and then at Cambridge. He served in the Royal Australian Navy from 1945 through to 1946. He went back and actually served in the civilian military forces from 1954 to 1960 and so had a very distinguished career in making sure that Australia was kept safe. Then he went back to the family property down near Casterton.

What he did before he came to politics, as I have said, was as a local councillor and as a shire president, and he was deeply immersed in the community there. He was very well supported by his family as he went through that particular time. There was an article out of that august newspaper the Hamilton Spectator saying that when he was actually campaigning, Annabel, his daughter, was two weeks old and her basket was parked on top of the piano in the mayor’s room in Horsham while Digby actually went out campaigning. So from a very early age the Crozier family was involved in Digby’s career and supported his career right through that particular time.

As has also been said, in his inaugural speech in this place he took some time to talk about the constitution and the federal–state relations that go on in Australia and the fact that after 50 years of federation the states’ powers had been reduced, and it was particularly under the threat or the fact that the federal government had the powers of excise and revenue raising and did not necessarily share the money with the states. I think we would be in unison in this house in acknowledging those particular things.

One of the things that we all find interesting as we look at the history of politicians is that in your day-to-day role as a local MP you get to do some very, very interesting things. I notice that at the Branxholme Bushwhackers Carnival he was a champion eel skinner. We all get to deal with some slippery customers as MPs, but I am sure that was probably one of the more slippery customers you would have do deal with – but those are the sorts of things that you do have to do in your political career.

After a distinguished time serving in the upper house Digby stepped down to run for preselection for the seat of Portland. I note with interest that one of the Liberal candidates against him was one Judith Troeth, who actually went on to serve this state with distinction as a senator after that particular preselection that she did not win at that time.

There is an interesting article in the Sunday Telegraph that talks about Digby’s time as the Minister for Local Government when he sacked the Melbourne City Council. The article goes on to describe him as the toughest man in the Victorian political arena. He spoke to this journalist about the pain and pressure of being a political heavy, as he was called at that particular time. The issues that he actually sacked the Melbourne City Council for were as part of Rupert Hamer’s ‘making it happen’ wave of activity. The council were sacked for alleged corruption in the running of their internal nursery at that particular time. But it was more a spark, I suppose, as it was described at the time, for government action, when they were highly critical of the planning inertia of Melbourne City Council – people can probably relate to that. The fact was that the mall redevelopment was dragging on for three years with no end in sight.

I think we have got projects like that at the moment in Melbourne. The government wanted to bring the city back to life and wanted more transparent, accountable planning processes and protocols in place. Digby at the time said the city was on the skids and Collins Street, the City Square and high-rise development all needed tidying up. He said the Melbourne City Council was an environment of frustration, not decision-making.

He had some interesting times when he was going through this particular part of his life. He was asked: how do you handle this pressure as an MP and as a minister and as a decision-maker?’ He said:

When things get really hot I often recall Harry Truman’s words, ‘If you don’t like the heat, get out of the kitchen.’

One of the ways he dealt with the heat in the kitchen – he did not get out of it – was that you do not let the criticism upset your routine to any degree. He still ran in the mornings, and he still did some gym work at that particular time. He went on to praise his family, saying:

This helps to balance the constant pressure public life can impose. My wife has been wonderfully supportive and the kids have learnt to accept the situation but they all make very real sacrifices.

The fact that Georgie, after living that life, came into Parliament says a lot for her character as well around those particular issues.

There was an infamous list of John Brumby’s: the Premier’s 21 top cronies of Jeff Kennett. He was in some very good company there with Peter Ross-Edwards, former leader of the National Party. I knew Peter well. I cannot see Peter Ross-Edwards being anyone’s crony, as Digby Crozier was probably not a crony as well, but he was there with Leonie Burke, Ron Walker, Nick Papas, Tom Austin – former minister in this place – and Ken Crompton. I think John Brumby bit off more than he could chew when he took on that particular group at that particular time, and as I am told, it did not fare well in the debate in this chamber when that issue was actually moved as a motion in the Parliament.

I think Digby would be looking down on us and be very happy with the fact that he has actually got into ‘Backroom Baz’. A lot of people here compete to get into ‘Backroom Baz’. They think it is a badge of honour; I am not sure it is. But ‘Backroom Baz’ was very complimentary of Digby’s service in this place, so thank you to ‘Backroom Baz’ for passing on those particular things.

I suppose I would like to finally finish with the words that his daughter Georgie Crozier put in the article in that august journal, the Hamilton Spectator, again:

Ms Crozier said her father was always supportive of her political endeavours and gave her great counsel.

“He followed what I was doing closely,” she said.

“We spoke nearly every day where he would ask what was happening in the Parliament or what was happening in my current shadow portfolio (health) or more broadly the issues of the day.

“Dad remained interested right to the end on issues affecting the state, national and international political scenes.

“He understood times had changed from his time in Parliament, and often would comment on the current political environment especially the challenges of a fast-moving media cycle and a world where social media had huge influence on the electorate.

“Dad was amazing right to the end.

“We all adored him and we were so lucky to have him for as long as we did.

“I’m incredibly proud of his legacy and what he contributed in public life and to the community more broadly.”

I think that sums Digby up perfectly. Vale, Digby Crozier, and particularly to his family and especially to Georgie our sympathies on Digby, who was such a great man.

David SOUTHWICK (Caulfield) (12:24): We all come to this place wanting to make a difference, wanting to stand up for our community, and Digby Crozier had that in spades. He was a community man. He put service above self, and we saw that in every part of his life. He lived his 96 years to the absolute fullest and did everything; he made every bit of his life. We have already heard from people today just what a massive contribution Digby Crozier made to Victoria, to his community and also for his family.

Digby was somebody that even from a very early age was able to put his hand up and volunteer and support the community. As a young boy growing up on the family farm, his desire to serve meant that he put his hand up for the Wando fire brigade, a precursor to the CFA, and fought in the bushfires on Black Friday in 1939 at the age of 12. So this is somebody that started his service to community at a very, very young age. He attended Geelong Grammar and enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy in his last term of school in 1944 at the age of 17. So we know from Digby’s career and from sitting down and talking to our good friend Georgie Crozier what an inspiration Digby was to the family and to everybody that he came across. In fact, after he succeeded Digby as the member for Portland, former Premier Denis Napthine said:

Not only was Digby Crozier an excellent Minister; he was also a man of the people … all I had to say was that I was taking over from Digby Crozier and his name was instantly recognised. Not only was his name instantly recognised by the electors, but also, in 99 per cent of cases, an elector whom I met would say “Digby achieved this for me. Digby did that for me.” That was the type of person he was.

We have heard already that was not only as local member and not only as a member in the other place, the Council, where he served as deputy leader, but also in his time as minister. He spent 15 years in Parliament – 12 in the Council, three as the member for Portland in the Assembly and six as cabinet minister, including as minister for state development, decentralisation, tourism, local government, mines, minerals and energy.

I think particularly his focus around decentralisation was a real passion for him, and in fact he was somebody that stood up for the regions. He was part of the regions but stood up for the regions, and he certainly framed the phrase ‘A state of cities rather than a city-state’, which I know the member for Bulleen has championed, following suit. I think if you go back to then and what Digby was trying to do way back then, we would probably be a very, very different place in terms of the infrastructure and support and everything for places right across the state. That is what he was passionate about. Whether it be at council level, where he was prior to becoming a member of Parliament, or even afterwards, he championed that.

There are some great yarns about Digby’s experience: the fact that as a young boy the then Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies signed off on him being able to take part in an agricultural trip to the US. While he was there he got to see the young JFK in the Senate on his feet, and that inspired him and his politics in terms of seeing somebody very articulate and very passionate. I think he came back and said, ‘That man will go a long way.’ He was probably very right, as we all know.

Particularly through talking to Georgie I have come to understand that Georgie grew up in a household that was very much a political household – like many of us probably did – but people probably do not understand the important role that Jill, his wife, played. Jill was the rock. Jill was very much up and about when it came to Liberal Party activities and putting her thoughts forward and also to running the farm, which was a big part of it. The whole family got involved in that.

Digby was very proud of all his children. When Georgie took up nursing he was very proud, particularly because Digby’s wife Jill was a nurse and it was great to be able to see that Georgie followed in her mother’s footsteps initially. When Georgie became a nurse, during that period it became pretty tough to have her dad being a member for Parliament. She copped a fair bit of abuse during the strikes at the time. She wanted to be out there doing her best for her patients and the people that she was serving, and she came back and was talking to her dad about whether she should run for politics. Initially she was pretty hesitant about that, and they did a bit of a pros and cons list about whether she should or should not. Her first reaction was, ‘Dad, you know, I think we need more Peter Costellos in Parliament with finances and everything else.’ He turned to Georgie and said, ‘No, we need more people with a heart that understand things like our healthcare system. We need more nurses. We need more people like you.’ It was that pros and cons list that led to the pro of Georgie ultimately joining this place. Digby and the whole family again were very proud of Georgie and what she has become and the true friend she has become for all of us on this side of the house and the respect that she has got from all sides of the chamber.

I pay tribute to Digby for what he has done for Victoria – the legacy that he has left behind with his children, who have all gone on in their own ways and continued to achieve, unfortunately with the passing of Will more recently. Ninety-six was a big innings, but certainly we should all be very proud of what he has been able to achieve for this wonderful state. To his family: thank you. We pay our respects to him. Vale, Digby Crozier.

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (12:30): I rise today to reflect upon the life and the legacy of the late Honourable Digby Glen Crozier, who passed away recently at the age of 96. While I never met Digby, I feel like I know Digby. This is for a couple of reasons. One is of course because Digby and his wife Jill and his family lived in my electorate of Lowan, at the beautiful property of Kalabity in Wando Vale near Casterton. It is a beautiful part of the world, and I am always amazed that every time I go to that region somebody will ask me, ‘Do you know the Croziers?’ And they will reflect upon, in a very, very positive way, the interactions that they have had with the Crozier family, particularly Digby’s life as a member of Parliament, as a councillor, as a commissioner and, most importantly, as a very active and very well respected and well loved community member.

There is always one degree of separation, it feels, in the country, and certainly that is the case with Digby. Recently – in fact in January of this year – I met with somebody who reflected upon their time as the babysitter for the young Croziers at Digby and Jill’s property of Kalabity. Like any other human that I speak to who reflects upon their interactions with Digby and Jill, it was with a smile on their face and with enormous warmth and respect for the time that they were able to interact with the family. As I have heard on many occasions, it is not just about Digby as a parliamentarian – and he was renowned as somebody who was a good local member. Someone could bring any issue and Digby would have the respect to listen to that individual and to take their matter to the person that was responsible. He would never have a closed door and say, ‘It’s not my problem. There’s nothing I can do to help.’ He would say, as I heard being referred to just this morning, ‘I know where I can get help for you,’ and that is the mark of a truly good local member. After retirement Digby was still enormously active with his wife Jill in the local community. While we reflect upon a parliamentary contribution often through a condolence motion, it was his contribution in the community that people really do respect and remember enormously fondly.

The other way that I know Digby is through his beautiful daughter Georgie from the other place, who has just entered the chamber. I have heard stories from Georgie about Digby’s thoughts on the current government. Those comments were to spur his daughter on, but most importantly they show he was enormously proud of Georgie. I think that for all of us, all we want to do is make our parents proud. For Ms Crozier in the other place: I know that you have made your family proud. You have made your father proud, you have made your mother proud and you have made your brothers and sisters and all your beautiful nieces and nephews proud. It is all we can ever hope to do.

Of course Digby also left a significant legacy in our region in terms of the Alcoa refinery. Every year it creates $800 million of GDP for our state and our country. It has created hundreds of jobs and many flow-on jobs as well. It has been a truly successful example of decentralisation and what can happen when you invest in the regions. That is something that Digby will always be remembered for. He was a member of Parliament who came from country Victoria, who had great farming roots and who understood what it meant to work hard in rural areas and understood what it meant to be a fierce voice in Parliament to ensure that you are always fighting for what is right and for country people. He will always be remembered, and he will always be remembered by the Wando Vale and wider Casterton community for his contribution. I offer my deepest sympathies to Georgie, John and Annabel and their families. I acknowledge Digby’s late wife Jill and late son Will. Vale, Digby Crozier.

Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (12:35): I am honoured to rise to join my colleagues and pay tribute to the Honourable Digby Crozier MLA MLC and to recognise the legacy of a man who gave so much to the western region of Victoria as a member of this place for 15 years. Digby had a well-earned reputation for being a hardworking local representative dedicated to his community and highly respected from Casterton to Warrnambool, Horsham to Portland and Hamilton to Geelong and right around this great western region where he proudly served for many years.

I would also like to offer my deepest sympathy and pay my respects to my colleague Georgie Crozier, her sister Annabel and her brother John, who are keenly feeling the loss of their beloved father. Georgie, who is following in her father’s footsteps, is continuing the family legacy of providing good governance and service to the Victorian people. I know Annabel and John are great supports to their sister in her role. Georgie embodies the essence of public service and leadership like her father before her. Georgie, your dedication to your constituents and community reflects the noble values instilled by your dad Digby. Your background, which your father highlighted would stand you in good stead – as a nurse – he was quite correct about, and I have deep respect for you and the heart you bring to the role.

I never worked with Georgie, but I know many women who I did work with in western Victoria who did. And I remember Judy Stewart – you will recall Judy – who told me probably a year ago about her experiences working with Georgie Crozier as a nurse and what a great nurse she is – was; we never, ever stop being one.

It is an honour for me to represent today the same region that Digby served so well for all those years and pay homage to this great man on behalf of so many. So many people across western Victoria have contacted me since Digby’s passing to share their stories of their own experiences of a man of dignity and morals and pay tribute to the compassion, courage and commitment Digby displayed serving them so proudly.

Digby was a fellow with a broad background, serving with the Royal Australian Navy straight out of school from 1945 to 1946 during the tumultuous period of World War II. It was an indication of the drive in Digby to proudly serve his country and his community. That was something he would realise to its full capacity over the years to come in this place. Digby understood the western region of Victoria and had a grazing property at Wando Vale near Casterton. Digby’s love of the land and agriculture were evident throughout his life. He understood farming and was a capable farmer himself, with locals today still recalling the skill and expertise Digby showed around livestock. His understanding and love of agriculture made him a quality representative for the rural community.

On 20 April 1957 Digby married Jill Salter, and they had four children together: John, Will, Georgie and Annabel. Jill too was known for her strong devotion to the communities of western Victoria alongside her commitment and dedication to the Liberal Party. There was never any doubt that Digby was driven by rural issues, nor of his passion for agriculture. Digby’s time as a councillor at the Glenelg shire from 1965 to 1973 was evidence of this. As a councillor Digby was a strong spokesperson for rural and regional development, agriculture and country roads, serving as shire president from 1967 to 1968, and he remains fondly remembered.

Hailing from beautiful red gum country in our state’s vast west, Digby was passionate about the role of the Country Fire Authority, particularly CFA volunteers, and was himself active for decades as a CFA volunteer in our region. It gave him great pride to see his son John remain an active CFA volunteer despite the challenges they have faced in recent years under this state Labor government. I know Digby personally was terribly disappointed by how the CFA have been treated and the lack of gratitude that hardworking volunteers have received for all they do protecting and serving our country communities.

Digby’s passion to advocate for and serve his community only grew, and Digby was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council in 1973 as the Liberal member for Western. When speaking with the Honourable David Hawker AO, who himself served as the member for Wannon for many years, David told me that Digby and Jill worked hard for the community, doorknocking, speaking with the constituency and gaining always a deeper and deeper understanding of what the region needed.

Digby was a committed worker and not afraid to pound the pavement, roll up his sleeves and get things done. In 1976 his hard work and dedication was further recognised when he was elected as a minister in the Hamer cabinet just three years after joining Parliament. According to Digby, ‘I think I was the most astonished person in the room.’ But what a terrific job he did. Digby’s successor, the Honourable Denis Napthine, recounted to me that this surprise was a good indication of the humble man that Digby was and how respected he was by his colleagues. At his core, Digby was a man driven by old-school principles, principles such as doing for the community and for others and caring for those who are disadvantaged. Digby did this humbly. Digby never put himself on a pedestal; he never big-noted himself. When he saw something that needed doing, he just got on with it – a true man of the country.

As a sheep and cattle farmer from the Western District, Digby saw his passage to the Hamer cabinet as a win for our great state’s rural regions, and it certainly was, with Digby using this position to be a strong voice and advocate for rural and regional communities. Digby was keenly aware that agriculture was the backbone of the state and was a champion of this sector. He also understood the importance of investing in our roads. Digby, like all of us in my electorate, was dismayed by what has become of the Victorian roads in recent times after decades of neglect from Bracks, Brumby, Andrews and now Allan. It was this lack of investment in regional areas that Digby addressed as part of a Liberal government because he understood that Victoria’s prosperity lies in its regional communities.

During this time in the Legislative Council Digby served as Minister of State Development, Decentralisation and Tourism, Minister for Local Government and Minister for Minerals and Energy. He was also deputy Liberal leader in the upper house from 1978 to 1979. In 1985 Digby transferred to the Legislative Assembly, winning the seat of Portland. He was Shadow Minister for Police and Emergency Services from 1985 to 1988. Throughout his time in Parliament Digby remained committed to regional development. When taking on the role of Minister for Minerals and Energy, he was quoted as saying:

I look to the energy portfolio as one of the most challenging for the 80s.

It is a statement that continues to hold true today. Digby was a visionary and fought hard for a transmission line to be incorporated into the western region of Victoria. He recognised the benefits for industry and businesses large and small of having access to this resource. Digby was right of course, and his vision for Victoria would have made our state a far more prosperous place had successive governments continued the pathway set by Digby.

Digby, it can be honestly said, left a proud legacy for our state like few others. Digby was the minister who had the vision to turn Victoria into a state of cities, not a city-state. I will repeat that: he had a vision to turn Victoria into a state of cities, not a city-state. He realised that the Victorian future was bigger than Melbourne and that, for Victoria to truly succeed, its regions must be supported not exploited and the government must govern from border to border. As minister for decentralisation, Digby lived and breathed this mission, and the livelihoods of so many today are better because of his politics.

It is a tremendous shame that modern governments have abandoned Digby’s vision to govern outside the tram tracks and invest in building up Victoria’s rural and regional communities. Digby wanted, as part of a proud Hamer Liberal government, to develop and support manufacturing right across the state. He backed in blue-collar workers and was committed to the success of industry development, especially in what is now my electorate of South-West Coast. As a senior member of the Hamer government Digby was instrumental in bringing the aluminium smelter to Portland and was in fact referred to by many as ‘the father of the smelter’. What a tremendous legacy the smelter has been for Portland and the south-west, creating thousands of local jobs, investment and industry opportunity for our whole entire region. The smelter has provided thousands of locals with high-paying jobs along with many more jobs in related industries, and so many I speak with today are grateful for Digby’s accomplishments, which truly put Portland and South-West Coast on the map. Again, this vision of Digby’s has been shamefully ignored by recent Labor governments. I know that Digby could have been proud of his legacy and his contribution to public life and to the community, and this feeling is shared right across the region Digby served.

In 1998 Digby retired from politics, but he did not retire from serving the community he loved. He went on to be the western local government commissioner, again demonstrating he lived a life of service and supporting his community. Digby Crozier will be remembered and cherished as a man devoted to his community.

Digby Crozier, yours was a life well lived and with a profound dedication to your community, leaving a lasting impact on the lives of Victorians but in particular on your beloved western region. Your legacy embodies the epitome of public service, and for that you will always be remembered with much respect. Vale, the Honourable Digby Crozier.

Kim WELLS (Rowville) (12:46): Digby Crozier – born 1927, passed away last month, a member of the Legislative Council and a member of the Legislative Assembly. I will only make a few comments because everything has already been stated, but I will pick up on the article that was referred to by the Leader of the National Party. It is a different Digby to the one I knew, because the article talks about how he was maligned and he was the Victorian equivalent of Russ Hinze, and there are a number of other things in that article. Either the article was wrong or he had mellowed over the years, because whenever I was at a function with Georgie, Georgie seemed to be always on the phone to her dad, and the admiration between Digby and Georgie and vice versa was incredible; it was just true admiration. We all say that we come from very close families, but I think the Crozier family set that high jump bar very, very high with the closeness of the whole family. To be a real Crozier you needed to have a nickname. Digby was ‘Digger’. My favourite was John, who drove tanks in the army, and of course what do you call someone who drives tanks in the army? You call him ‘the Colonel’. Georgie was ‘the Nurse’ because she was a nurse, Will was ‘Willie’ and Annabel was ‘Miss Bell’ of course.

Can I just say that they all worked hard on that farm. It was a beautiful, beautiful property. When they had an event, it was the talking point of the whole district, and everyone was included in those events. All the workers, all the families and all of the neighbours were invited, and it was a significant event. To give you an idea of the man, when Digby retired he stated that he was not going to be a burden on the taxpayer – a very, very noble man indeed.

To John, Georgie, Annabel and their friends and families, my sincere condolences – but especially to you, Georgie. I know there are not many things on your bucket list that I could possibly afford to do, but I know there is one very special item on your bucket list, and that is to go to Cambridge University to see Digger’s name up on the board where he was captain of the boats. I really hope that you can tick off that bucket list item.

Motion agreed to in silence, members showing unanimous agreement by standing in their places.

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (12:50): I move:

That, as a further mark of respect to the memory of the late Honourable Digby Crozier, the house now adjourns until 2 pm today.

Motion agreed to.

House adjourned 12:50 pm.

The SPEAKER took the chair at 2:01 pm.