Danny PEARSON (Essendon – Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs, Minister for Finance, Minister for Government Services) (10:24): I rise to remember the life of David Hutchison. I first got to know David in the lead-up to my first election campaign, and he quickly became a trusted adviser to me. I learned very early on that when David had a point to make you listened and you listened carefully. David was a civil engineer by trade and an incredibly talented and inquisitive man. An expert in the water sector, he won the Gascoigne medal for a paper he co-authored while at Melbourne Water. His thinking covered issues such as using biogas from wastewater, new forms of fish farming and seaweed farms in the bay – ideas which were, quite frankly, radical in the 1980s and 90s. He was also a great advocate for social justice, especially education funding and the implementation of phonics into the curriculum. Many a friend and family member would be drawn into discussions about how to create a fairer system for all. David loved hiking and the great outdoors, and his son James spoke of spending a wonderful childhood filled with beach swimming, surfing, looking through rockpools and hitching the trailer to go scouting for treasure in hard rubbish collections.
David was diagnosed with glioblastoma in July of last year, a devastating, aggressive brain cancer diagnosis for which there is currently no cure. When one of his treating doctors asked him how he felt, he sat quietly before answering, ‘Well, I now know how the soldiers must have felt in the trenches, bayonet in hand, about to charge over the top into the machine-gun fire.’ That was David. He did not mince his words. Kate believes that when David spoke of the trenches, it was not solely about the fear of what was to come but more about the courage and bravery he showed throughout his fight. David met his battle head-on with honesty and determination. In those final months my time with David was great. Vale, David Hutchison.