Death of John Richard Bartlett, a Former Member for Port Stephens

About this Item
Speakers - Iemma Mr Morris; O'Farrell Mr Barry; Speaker; Collier Mr Barry; Stoner Mr Andrew; Martin Mr Gerard; Baumann Mr Craig; Ashton Mr Alan; Hodgkinson Ms Katrina; Stewart Mr Tony; George Mr Thomas; Corrigan Mr Geoff; Maguire Mr Daryl; Burney Ms Linda; Greene Mr Kevin; Whan Mr Steve; West Mr Graham; McBride Mr Grant; Andrews Ms Marie; Amery Mr Richard; Oakeshott Mr Robert; Hickey Mr Kerry; Richardson Mr Michael
Business - Condolence

DEATH OF JOHN RICHARD BARTLETT, A FORMER MEMBER FOR PORT STEPHENS

Page: 5528

Mr MORRIS IEMMA (Lakemba—Premier, and Minister for Citizenship) [11.05 a.m.]: I move:

That this House extends to the family the deep sympathy of members of the Legislative Assembly in the loss sustained by the death on 8 February 2008 of John Richard Bartlett, a former member of the Legislative Assembly.

I support this motion, and I do so with deep and genuine sadness because the untimely death of a colleague is something we all dread, knowing how much sorrow and emptiness it leaves behind, and what a reminder of human mortality it is to us all. John Bartlett's suffering and early death are regretted by everyone in this House, and mourned by everyone in this House. John was valued by us as a colleague, a comrade and a friend, a man who added to the dignity and decency of this Parliament in the eight years we were privileged to share public life with him. I think the member for Marrickville put it best in her farewell remarks in 2006. Carmel Tebbutt said that John Bartlett raised the tone of this place and represented the people of Port Stephens with honour and with passion. I think both of those statements are absolutely correct and, moreover, will stand the test of time.

John Bartlett's journey to this country and this Parliament was not an easy or a speedy one. In life, and in death, he did things tough. Born, in his own words, in the slums of London, John struggled with schooling and had a very disrupted young life with brief stays in England, Wales and New Zealand before finding a permanent home in the Port Stephens area, where he lived, worked, raised a family, represented the people and, ultimately, faced his final challenge with courage and with grace. John was a very proud migrant who loved his Australian citizenship and relished conferring it on others when he was mayor. In his inaugural speech he said how in his citizenship speeches he left his new Australians with the following message:

It is fair to say that John was unwittingly describing his own life and his own qualities in those words. He came from the rather grim Britain of the early 1960s to seek hope and opportunity, and he found them. As a gentle man as well as a gentleman, he walked softly across this land. As a conservationist he nurtured the beautiful waters of Port Stephens, which his predecessor Bob Martin said was his paradise. And he most certainly left our State and his region a better place than he found it, better for his life and achievements, but poorer for his passing. And so it is with great personal sorrow, on top of my formal condolences as Premier and Leader of the Parliamentary Labor Party, that I say farewell to John. You lived well, you died bravely. You packed a lot into the years you were given, but those years were not enough, and so we mourn your loss, and we mourn what might have been. We thank you and we honour you for walking softly across this land and for leaving it a better place than you found it. May the soul of this good, decent man, who was truly an honourable member of this House, rest in peace.

Mr BARRY O'FARRELL (Ku-ring-gai—Leader of the Opposition) [11.10 a.m.]: I join with the Premier in saying to John Bartlett's family, who are present in the gallery, that John's passing is genuinely regretted by all members of this House who served in this Parliament with him. Just as John Bartlett acknowledged them in his maiden speech, I acknowledge his sister, Wendy Bartlett, his sons, John-Paul and Christopher, his daughter, Elizabeth, and their partners. John will go down in history as almost one of the most remarkable people to be here, if for no other reason than I cannot recall in the eight years John served here that he ever engaged in the antics that Mr Speaker is so determined to stop and that ensure that the reputation of this place as the bear pit continues to this day.

John always sought to work constructively, to speak constructively and to advocate constructively on behalf of his magnificent electorate, an area of the State that as an adopted son and a long-term schoolteacher at the high school, he so clearly loved and was so clearly determined to improve. As with the current member for Port Stephens, John had a background in local government, and as with the current member for Port Stephens he had been mayor and, as with the current member for Port Stephens it was community first, party second when it came to advocating for his area.

I read John's maiden speech again while listening to the Premier. The only wish that was not fulfilled was his hope that he would pass on the baton to a member of his own party; for that I hope that he forgives us. My association with John, both in this Chamber and in a small room on level 2 when he was well, was always about the personal, never about the political. It was always about getting on with our lives. John struck me as someone who came down to this place to do a job for his community but did not enjoy the prevailing character here. I am sure that Mr Speaker would like 93 such members of this Chamber, and perhaps one day he will have them.

The SPEAKER: Hear! Hear!

Mr BARRY O'FARRELL: On behalf of the entire Liberal-Nationals Coalition—the Leader of The Nationals and a number of other members will speak to this condolence motion—I extend to the family our regrets at John's passing at such an early age. I was in the Hunter, in Newcastle, within a few days of the announcement of John's death. It was clear from the media reaction in newspapers, on television and on radio just how much John Bartlett was valued, just how much he will be missed. If anyone else in this Chamber can be loved as much by their community they will have gone a long way to contributing to public life.

Mr BARRY COLLIER (Miranda—Parliamentary Secretary) [11.12 a.m.]: I support the condolence motion moved by the Premier for our former colleague and my close friend John Bartlett. John was born in Hammersmith, England, in 1949. The family spent three years in New Zealand and two years in Wales before arriving in Australia in 1962. The family settled in port Stephens at Salt Ash after a time in Stockton, Raymond Terrace and Nelson Bay. When the family came to Port Stephens John's father said to him, "Son, I've brought you to paradise". After high school John completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma of Education at the University of Newcastle. He taught at several schools in the Hunter, specialising in history and library.

In 1977 John was appointed the teacher-librarian to Nelson Bay High School, where he remained until 1999. John retired as the member for Port Stephens at the 2007 State election due to ill health and passed away suddenly on 8 February 2008. I was deeply honoured to have been asked by John's family, who are present in the gallery today, to be among those who delivered a eulogy at John's funeral on 15 February 2008. I am indeed fortunate to have had John Bartlett as one of my colleagues, privileged to have served two parliamentary terms with him, and humbled to have had him count me as among his close friends.

I join in today's condolence motion with an enormous sense of loss. John's family has lost a loving, caring and generous father, brother and father-in-law. The Port Stephens community has lost a first-class advocate, our State has lost a first-class parliamentarian, our nation has lost a first-class ambassador, and the Labor Party has lost one of its finest sons. My wife, Jeanette, and I have lost the finest of friends. Many of us who knew John in this place have lost someone who touched our lives in some very special way and in some very personal way. I know that all Ministers, members of Parliament and their staff, and the Parliament House staff past and present who knew John, whatever their politics, whatever their title or job description, will join with me in extending our deepest sympathy to John's family who are in the gallery today, Elizabeth, John-Paul, Chris, Wendy, Cyrelle and son-in-law Matt. I know that John loved each of you dearly, was so interested in everything you did, so very proud of each of you, and of all your achievements.

John's entry into State Parliament followed 16 years serving his community as a councillor on Port Stephens Council, three years as mayor. Along with John, I first entered State Parliament in the class of '99. I had never met John until then, and as chance would have it I just sat alongside the new member of Parliament for Port Stephens on our first day in this House. I did so for the next eight years until his retirement. I could not have wished for a better parliamentary colleague with whom to learn the ropes. I could not have wished for a better friend than John Bartlett.

In his first speech in the House, on 26 May 1999, John left us all in no doubt as to why he had come to Parliament: to serve, to promote and to advance the wellbeing and the interests of the community he loved, the community of which he had been part since age 12. John Bartlett, MP, brought the Port Stephens electorate, its people, their achievements and their aspirations to Parliament in each and every one of his 262 speeches and questions in the House. I, for one, had never heard of Tilligery, or Tomaree, or Meadowie, or Salt Ash or Bob's Farm till John Bartlett spoke about them in this place.

I well recall my first visit to Port Stephens with my wife, Jeanette, at John's invitation. We began at Anna Bay with John, visited the skate park at Birubi Point and toured R & R Recycling. He then took us to Gan Gan Lookout, where he showed us that marvellous panorama of Port Stephens, the same splendid view that John had proudly plastered across the top of his official letterhead. Speaking of things official, John Bartlett was the only member of Parliament I have ever known with the official parliamentary crest emblazoned on his surfboard. It is often said that all politics is local, and John Bartlett epitomised that. His ambition was not for himself but for his community. John might have been in Macquarie Street but his heart was always in Port Stephens.

But beyond and behind the politics was John Bartlett the person: compassionate, kind, committed, quietly determined and generous to a fault. At age 57 and after just two terms in Parliament John retired due to ill health. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Our friendship continued after John left Parliament and we would often talk about politics and everything else, including his health. I would ask, "How are you today?" John would always give me a rating out of 10, sometimes it was 5, sometimes 8 and at times it was 2 out of 10. He would give me a rating and then we would move on to another topic. But faced with that terrible cancer at a relatively young age and after half a lifetime of public service, could be forgiven for feeling cheated. But for John there were no complaints, there was no bitterness, resentment or regrets.

John's fight against this insidious illness was not just inspirational; it was a study in courage itself. John believed in equality of opportunity, in a fair go for all, and in the fundamental dignity of mankind. John had many friends amongst our indigenous peoples and a close rapport with the Worimi people, the traditional owners of the land around what is now the Port Stephens area. I talked with John on the night before his passing in the early hours of 8 February. I inform the House that he was so looking forward to hearing the Prime Minister's apology on the very next Wednesday, 13 February.

John always spoke with the same respect and showed the same courtesy to all, whether it was the lady who cleaned our offices on the twelfth floor, or the staff on the front desk or in the cafeteria, or his fellow members of Parliament, Ministers or the Premier. That is just one of the many reasons John was held in such high esteem by his parliamentary colleagues, not just in the Australian Labor Party or Country Labor, but on all sides of politics. In the words of his loyal and devoted electorate staff, Lou and Sandra, " John was unflappable". He had a calm constancy about him, taking all in his stride, slow to take offence and quick to see the funny side of life.

John was a realist: he was at once an ardent environmentalist and a conservationist yet a strong supporter of local tourism and small business, a balance that so often eludes so many in public life. It is no secret that John was well travelled. His last trip, even in a wheelchair, was to Hawaii with his family. John was also a fine ambassador for this State and the nation through the Sister Cities Committee, which he was still chairing at the time of his death. John brought the world to Port Stephens. He spoke in the House about a circle of friendship around the Pacific, Bellingham in the United States of America, Tateyama and Yugawara in Japan, Nachodka in Russia, Tauranga in New Zealand and Victoria in Canada, and said, "We are now looking for a sister city in South America to complete the circle".

At John's funeral service in Nelson Bay parish priest Father David told the more than 600 mourners that John's involvement in the sister city was for him a very special memory of our former colleague. Indeed, along with the present member for Port Stephens, Mr Craig Baumann, I well recall standing in for John in November last year during a visit to this House by the Kushiro wetlands delegation from Japan. Our Japanese visitors could not speak highly enough of the person they referred to as "Bartlett San".

We can all speak of John's many achievements, whether in Parliament or on council. We can speak of the many achievements of which he was personally proud: the marine park, cycleways, wetlands preservation, youth programs, Stockton Bight conservation zone, sister city programs, R & R Recycling and his work on public liability reforms. We can speak of the multimillion-dollar projects and the far less costly ones such as the air conditioner for Medowie Preschool. We can speak of his many local campaigns, including his strong opposition to pearl farming, and the establishment of the local liquor accord. We can speak of the 20 community and council committees he regularly attended and served upon as well as the groups he began or was involved with, such as the RAAF Williamtown support group or Sailing for the Disabled.

But John sincerely believed that his most important achievements were the little ones, the smaller improvements that may not have received all the publicity yet made an enormous difference to the daily lives of the people in his community. John's involvement with his community continued after his retirement from Parliament until his passing. He actively chaired four key community committees—sister cities, R & R Recycling, Port Stephens Real Futures Incorporated and the RAAF Williamtown support group. Such was his devotion to this community.

John's legacy goes on. His commitment extends beyond his passing in his achievements in the projects he began, such as Port Stephens Real Futures Incorporated. This ongoing project involves year 10 students at Tomaree High School. Under the project they make a commitment not to go on the dole but commit instead to completing years 11 and 12 at school or, if they intend to leave school, to do so only to go directly into employment or to take up an apprenticeship. At his funeral his family requested that in lieu of flowers a donation be made to Port Stephens Real Futures Incorporated. I am pleased to say that following a minute's silence in yesterday's Labor caucus the caucus voted unanimously to make a sizeable donation to this very worthwhile project in memory of John.

In John's room on the twelfth floor of Parliament House there was the standard furniture, a photograph of each of his family members, an RAAF poster with fighter planes on it, and a dog-eared ancient history textbook. At eye level on the green felt noticeboard above his desk John had pinned an old photocopy of a poem by the Nobel laureate Rudyard Kipling. The poem "If" summed up John's philosophy, the thoughts he lived by, the beliefs that guided him, and the personal standards he set for himself, the high standards John Bartlett unquestionably achieved. It seems to me appropriate with his family present—I know this poem means so much to them—that I read this into Hansard. It has, I would argue, something for all of us in public life. It reads:

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master,
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!

John Bartlett truly was a man for all seasons. In his inaugural speech nearly nine years ago John said this:

John surely fulfilled these hopes and more. In that same first speech, as the Premier has said, John went on to say that one of his most pleasant duties as mayor was to conduct citizenship ceremonies. He said the test he would apply to himself was the same as the request he made to the new citizens:

That surely is what John Bartlett has done. John Bartlett has passed his test with flying colours. We are all the poorer for the passing of John Bartlett.

Mr ANDREW STONER (Oxley—Leader of The Nationals) [11.25 a.m.]: On behalf of the New South Wales Nationals I express my sincere condolences to the family of our former colleague John Bartlett, including those in the gallery—his children Elizabeth, John-Paul and Christopher and his sister Wendy. We were all touched when we heard the sad news of John's passing on 8 February. I think we were particularly saddened to know that John had passed away so soon after retiring from public life. We knew that he had battled cancer over the course of the last term but he never let that interfere with his representation of his electorate. He never used his illness as an excuse in relation to the performance of his duties. In fact I am sure that many were not even aware of the illness that he battled so stoically over that period of time.

John was a fellow member of what we call the class of '99. That is when I came into this place. I recall on my first day he was at the induction of new members and he struck me as a genuine person, a gentle soul, and perhaps not so well suited in many ways to this environment that we sometimes call the bear pit. I came to realise over the subsequent couple of terms that he did not have a nasty bone in his body. I felt, as the Leader of the Opposition said, sometimes he would have preferred to be in his electorate rather than in this place when the environment in which we work became a little heated and nasty from time to time. John nevertheless did a good job for his electorate over those eight years. I note from his background that after coming from England via New Zealand he finally at the third attempt got it absolutely right and landed on the lower mid North Coast, at Port Stephens, in 1976. I suppose in country parlance that just about made him a local, having lived there for 32 years.

He was a grass roots politician, he was a part of his community, and that of course influenced the way he represented his community. Some of the activities he was involved in at a community level included being chairman of the Port Stephens Coalition Against High Rise, Community Choir Committee, Community Band Committee, and Sister Cities Committee; a member of the Port Stephens Australia Day Committee and the RAAF Williamtown Support Group; and president of the Port Stephens Teachers Association. Of course, he was a teacher librarian, his most recent post as librarian at Nelson Bay—now Tomaree—High School for over 22 years.

That community involvement manifested itself in his representation on Port Stephens council from 1983 to 1999, including a period as mayor from 1997 to 1999, whereupon he entered this Parliament. Today I learned that one of the things I had in common with John Bartlett was surfing. I am sure that he found that to be a great escape from the pressures of public life, as I did. As I said earlier, I found John to be a gentleman, a fine representative of the community that he served and a gentle soul. We will all be that much poorer for his passing. Once again, I express my deep sympathies to John Bartlett's family and friends.

Mr GERARD MARTIN (Bathurst) [11.30 a.m.] I support the condolence motion moved by the Premier and supported by the Leader of the Opposition. I acknowledge the members of John Bartlett's family who are with us in the public gallery. Today I pay tribute not so much to a parliamentarian but to a good mate. The Leader of The Nationals, John Bartlett and I came into this Parliament as part of the class of 1999. Over that eight-year period I established a good personal relationship with John. Jan, one of the staff members from the Whip's office, had a close relationship with John as he used to come to Sydney for treatment. When Parliament was not sitting he would always duck into the Whip's office, have a cup of coffee and catch up on the latest gossip.

About a week to 10 days before John died I had an opportunity to ring him up. It is always my intention to ring up my mates, but on this occasion I had a sixth sense so I rang John and we spent half an hour talking on the phone. John never complained other than to say, "The year 2007 was not my best year but I am looking forward to 2008. I have things to do. I will be down there to see you and the rest of the Country Labor team, have a meal and talk about issues." The issues that John talked about always involved his beloved Port Stephens. All members believe that their electorates are paradise. When visitors to the Bathurst electorate leave the area they understand why it is paradise. However, I could never convince John Bartlett about that. John was passionate—there should be stronger words to describe it—about his area.

Earlier the member for Miranda spoke eloquently about all the things in which John was involved. When I was leaving John's funeral I looked at a sea of sad and distressed faces—people from the community in which John lived, from schoolchildren, to the elderly, to sporting club members. John was respected and loved in every part of his community. For that reason I pay tribute to John as a real local. John and I had something else in common: we both had local government backgrounds and we served our communities as mayor. John always said—and I agreed with him—"It is a pity that they do not run the Parliament as efficiently as we run our councils, in particular, in meeting procedures." John was proud of his contribution.

Much has been said about John's gentle manner. He certainly was a gentleman. If I were to sum up John Bartlett I would say that he was one of nature's gentlemen. That phrase is often used but I cannot think of a more apt time to use it than to describe John Bartlett. In the eight years that I have been a member of Parliament I cannot remember John ever having been noticed by the Speaker, which is a rarity in this place. Of course, I cannot make that claim but I am probably a bit more excitable than John used to be in this place.

Mr Thomas George: No, it is your grey hair!

Mr GERARD MARTIN: It could be. However, one should not assume from that that John did not make a contribution in this place. On many occasions in this Chamber he spoke eloquently and passionately on issues primarily related to his electorate, not always the major issues about which we were talking. John had a great command of the issues about which he spoke. When I was looking for a speaker on a certain issue I knew as Whip that if I got John to speak he would do the research, he would not need anyone to prepare information for him, and he would speak passionately and from the heart. John will be sorely missed in this place. On a personal note I will certainly miss John as a good mate. When we leave this place we will be quickly forgotten, apart from some photographs on the walls. However, John will not be forgotten. We will all remember himin particular, the members of the Country Labor group and those in the class of 1999as a true gentleman and a great friend. I mourn his loss.

Mr CRAIG BAUMANN (Port Stephens) [11.34 a.m.]: In 2006, when my name popped up as the Liberal preselection candidate, John Bartlett was quoted in the media as saying, "It will be good to run against an intelligent Liberal for a change." The true measure of a man is how he honours his competitors. John Bartlett might never have graced the Government's frontbench, but he deserves the title "honourable". It would have been an honour to run against him for the seat of Port Stephens. Sadly, that was not to be as John's health saw him leave this place and retire from political life. He retired from political life but not from public life. John was a tireless campaigner for community causes. Those who sit around me are better able to comment on John as a parliamentarian.

I knew John first as a councillor and later as mayor. For members of local government, political ideology is often swept aside and a desire to do the right thing by the community takes precedence. This mutual love of the Port Stephens community brought John and I closer together. This is one task that I had hoped I would never have to carry out in this place. In late 2006 John Bartlett's health deteriorated, but he battled on and maintained a close community involvement until, mercifully, he suffered a massive stroke on Friday 8 February. I used the term "mercifully" because John lived life to the full and a lingering and painful death would not have seemed fair.

John Richard Bartlett was born in England in 1949 and came to Australia with his family in 1962. The family settled in Port Stephens. As the member for Miranda said earlier, John's father used to say, "Son, I have brought you to paradise." That theme is continued in the work of many Port Stephens politicians. We are vigorous in our representations for the region not because of our party political affiliations but because we recognise we are truly blessed to live in such a place. I know that John felt that way about the place he called home for almost 50 years. John was elected, unopposed I seem to recall, to Port Stephens Shire Council in 1983. In 1987, four years later, I met him at my first council meeting.

One item on the agenda recommended sending a councillor to a coastal engineering conference in Tasmania. Being young and inexperienced I opposed that proposal as a ridiculous waste of ratepayers' money and suggested that they send an engineer by all means but that no councillor could possibly benefit. My opposition was successful and after the meeting John approached me and said, "I have a great interest in coastal engineering and I have been attending that conference for four years. Thanks for nothing." John eventually spoke to me again about six months later. I was forgiven, I was much wiser and we became good friends.

In 1993 John was elected as the last shire president of Port Stephens Shire Council and, under the Local Government Act, he became the first mayor of Port Stephens Council. He saw the opening and occupation of the new council administration building and he oversaw the appointment of a new general manager. It was an important time of change and renewal for Port Stephens Council. Councillor Steve Busteed and I joined him and councillors from Newcastle City Council on a committee to discuss taking ownership of the civil terminal at Williamtown airport. The Minister for Transport, Peter Morris, had offered ownership to Port Stephens Council, but in the off chance that it might become a white elephant we approached Newcastle City Council to share the risk and possible blame. The ownership structure that ensued enabled Newcastle airport to become the best regional transport infrastructure in New South Wales, and John was very much a leader in that process.

John spent 16 years in the Royal Australian Air Force reserve. He had a passion for aviation that continued as he worked towards making Newcastle airport one of best regional airports in the country. I have many fond memories of John Bartlett from his days as a councillor. In the early 1990s Port Stephens Council sat at 7.00 on Tuesday nights. Councillors were left to their own devices for dinner and, inevitably, after three or four hours of sometimes heated, sometimes pointless, debate the Labor councillors would follow me back to my home where we would have a cool drink over my snooker table. I was lining up a shot, not really listening to the conversation, when I heard one of them say, "We will have to caucus on that." As I looked up John said, "Old son, we are going to caucus so you will have to leave." I racked my cue, asked them to put out the dogs and turn off the lights when they left, and I went to bed. Not many of my colleagues would admit to having allowed a bunch of Australian Labor Party councillors in their poolroom—but John could be very persuasive!

On my fortieth birthday John and Labor Councillor Steve Busteed had a plaque engraved with the words, "It takes a Liberal until he is forty to realise his most dependable mates are in the Labor Party." We might not always have seen eye to eye, but at least we kept our sense of humour. On John's passing my sons reminded me of John taking us to canoe down the Gloucester River—which was doubly memorable because it was in flood and John did not give any driving instructions—of taking my family to Little Gibber for a picnic after making me leave the four-wheel-drive and walking in, and of camping on Stockton Beach one New Year's Eve when this time we drove in although John insisted on walking.

John was very active physically. The network of cycleways around Port Stephens is his legacy to the community after he continuously had us apply for matching Roads and Traffic Authority [RTA] funding to construct them. The funding became somewhat easier to obtain when John came to this place. I was elected mayor in 1994 after being drawn twice from the hat, the second time against John. Later over the snooker table John said, "Glad you won. I'll be spending some time overseas this year"—and here I was feeling guilty! John was re-elected mayor in 1996 and remained until after the 1999 local government election, which he did not contest. On John's retirement from council he was inducted as a Freeman and Emeritus Mayor of Port Stephens.

Whilst mayor John established the Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF] Williamtown community support group to foster good relations with the personnel of our largest corporate citizen, of which many are transient. When he was elected to this place in 1999 he maintained responsibility for this support group, and my last conversation with John was when he announced the Royal Australian Air Force Williamtown Citizen of the Year on Australia Day this year. He spent 16 years in Royal Australian Air Force 26 Squadron Williamtown as a reservist, most of the time as a Flight Lieutenant OPSO or operations officer. He was forced to resign his commission on being elected to Parliament.

As member for Port Stephens John started Real Futures—a program that asks all year 10 students on the Tomaree Peninsula to commit to ongoing education or employment at the completion of year 10. The results from this program have been exceptional as the whole community provides encouragement, jobs or training for a great bunch of normal kids going through one of life's more difficult stages. Hansard contains three speeches John made on Real Futures and his passion comes through when you read them. John continued to run Real Futures until his death and at his request flowers for the funeral were declined in favour of donations to Real Futures.

John leaves behind many friends. I pass on my condolences to his three children, Elizabeth, John-Paul and Christopher, his loving sister Wendy, and Cyrelle and Matt, who are in the gallery. As his time approached he took his children on a cruise to Hawaii—a last opportunity to be with those he loved. John leaves behind many close sister-city friends from around the Pacific rim. As the member for Miranda stated, last November John assisted in organising a sister-city visit from Kushiro in Japan. Approximately 80 delegates arrived to celebrate the Kushiro-Shortland Wetlands Agreement. John briefed Port Stephens Council on a visit and then advised me that he organised to host a Melbourne Cup luncheon for his Japanese guests in this place and had booked the room in my name. He said, "Old son, what are friends for?" The member for Miranda will attest that it was a successful function, only marred by John's inability to attend as he had been forced back into hospital for yet another blood transfusion.

I acknowledge the presence in the gallery today of former member for Port Stephens, the Hon. Bob Martin, who I know was a very close friend of John's. The three of us share a particular bond as members for this great region everybody calls paradise—we call it paradise anyway. Since the Port Stephens electoral district was gazetted in 1988 only three people have been chosen to represent it. I am proud to have shared that honour with John and Bob. John leaves behind his many mates who served with him on council and the many community groups. Bruce MacKenzie, a councillor for more than 30 years, Freeman of Port Stephens and former shire president, who was at the other end of the political spectrum, attended John's funeral and told me, "We seldom saw eye to eye, but so what? He did all he could for Port Stephens and you cannot do better than that." A fitting epitaph for councillor, shire president, mayor, Freeman and member for Port Stephens—the mate we all called Barty.

Mr ALAN ASHTON (East Hills) [11.44 a.m.]: I join the Premier and other members in expressing my condolences on our loss of John Bartlett, the former member for Port Stephens. John Bartlett and I were elected in the March 1999 election. I served with John for many years on the Public Bodies Review Committee. We became very good friends. John was a decent, thoughtful and gentlemanly man—attributes other members have commented on. His politeness and intelligent contributions often stood in stark contrast to what frequently passes for debate in this bearpit. His speeches always were well researched. I cannot remember even an occasion when Opposition members interjected. John Bartlett never set out to goad or upset the Opposition. He was more interested in making a positive contribution to debate in this Chamber, focusing on policy and improving life for citizens all over New South Wales but, particularly, as other members have said, in his Port Stephens electorate.

He made those same thoughtful contributions in the Labor Caucus; he was not one to upset somebody or put forward some factional line, of which we can all be guilty at times. John's contributions were always thoughtful and taken quite seriously by Premiers Bob Carr and Morris Iemma. John loved the people and the features of his Port Stephens electorate so much. I remember when we were all inquiring about the types of letterheads we could use that John's electoral letterhead was the most amazing one: it featured a picture of the ocean, the beach and headland area of Port Stephens. I tried to copy that effect with a picture of the Georges River and a walkwaybut I did not quite achieve the same effect! John was creative with those sorts of ideas. He was a keen participant also in private members' statements; he was always happy to step in when other members were not available. When he spoke in the Whips office and other places he referred always to his "patch"—a term, no doubt, he brought from his native England. I know he was very young when he arrived in Australia.

I enjoyed many discussions with John about football. Arsenal was the team he passionately supported, most of the time bringing him great joy. My team, Newcastle United, only ever brought me grief. We played squash together. John was very good at squash. He used to just stand there, serve the ball lightly and then I would run around the court madly while John just seemed to be always in the right place. He had a deft serve. I used to serve like I was playing tennis at Wimbledon—I guess quite inappropriate in a game of squash. Like John, I too was a teacher before being elected to this place. I know John really cared about the problems faced by young people in our community. I appreciate that instead of flowers being sent to his funeral, donations were sent towards the endeavours of year 10 students at schools in his electorate—a fine tribute to John.

John's Christmas cards also taught us a great deal. In the early days most of us would choose Christmas cards from a selection. We later came up with the idea of schoolchildren entering competitions from which we produced our glossy Christmas cards. John Bartlett's Christmas cards were a photocopied message on a red piece of paper—sometimes green—because he believed the money could be better spent by making donations to worthwhile charities and causes in his electorate. I thought that was an interesting gesture. I truly regret John's illness over the past years and his tragic passing. I pass on my sincere condolences to his family, who are in the public gallery today. They should know that a more decent man has never been elected to this Chamber.

Ms KATRINA HODGKINSON (Burrinjuck) [11.48 a.m.]: I join members in speaking to this very sad condolence motion to mark the passing of John Bartlett. In common with many members who spoke earlier, I commenced my parliamentary career with John Bartlett in 1999. I have to say that for the entire time I knew John, he was always so true, fair, kind and honest, irrespective of which side of the House a member was on. I could always strike up a decent conversation with him; he was always willing to have a chat. Some of his biographical details led me to a part of one of his speeches that encapsulates the man as I knew him:

At a time when so many country members come to this place and whinge and complain about not being with their families and their friends back home and about having to travel considerable distances between their electorates and Sydney, John was a man who could make the most out of any situation. He was always happy and always thinking positively about the beauty that surrounded him. We know how much he loved his electorate of Port Stephens. I know that he was born in the slums in England. He came from very humble beginnings, which probably had a lot to do with the appreciation he had for the environment around him.

John's death is such a tragedy: he was truly a wonderful man. Many people have spoken about his career, but I remember him as a truly gifted and talented person in the way that he could develop relationships with anybody around him. I thank the people of Port Stephens for bringing him into this place. He contributed in a very positive way and certainly benefited many members. I pass on my very sincere condolences to his family and friends at this difficult time. He was well loved in this place. Vale John Bartlett.

Mr TONY STEWART (Bankstown) [11.51 a.m.]: By any standards, John Bartlett was an amazing person, a person of great stature and a person who had a huge passion for life as well as a vibrancy that was quite contagious. I first met John Bartlett through my friend and mate Bob Martin, a former Minister for Mineral Resources and Minister for Fisheries. When Bob announced his retirement, he told me there was a "bonzer bloke" who would take over the reins, someone whom Bob had carefully selected and with whom Bob had worked over a considerable period. I visited Port Stephens as the Parliamentary Secretary for Education. At that time I thought I was full of knowledge about this place, having been a member already for four years. I thought I would give John Bartlett a lecture, but I learnt very quickly that that would not be the case.

I sat down with him in God's own countryPort Stephenslooking across at a beautiful stretch of water. We were having a cup of coffee, I think. I started to tell him a little about Parliament. He said to me, "What is it like there? What can you do?" I said, "Well, really mate, the suggestion that a member of Parliament has power is really an illusion. You really don't have power. As a mayor, you would have much more opportunity to get things done than you do as a member of Parliament." I gave him an analogy, "Being in Parliament is like having a toothpick and chipping away at a mountain." I remember that he just looked at me, took a breath, and said, "Then you can do a lot with very little." I came to know that that is the way he lived his life.

I also told him that in this place, rather than friends, we sometimes make acquaintances. In saying that, I do not wish to cast aspersions on any individual: that is the nature of being a member of Parliament. But I can truly say that John Bartlett became a friend. That was easy to do with John because he was so engaging. He taught me a lot about people and a lot about humanity and that is something I can transfer into my role as a member of Parliament. I hope that I am a better member of Parliament because of my friendship with John.

Like me, John had a background in teaching. We had a lot in common. He was a librarian-teacher. I thought being a librarian would be about as interesting as watching grass grow. He demonstrated that there is a lot more to librarians and libraries than I thought. He even explained to me over a glass of wine what the Dewey decimal system was all about. I would not have thought that I would have listened for more than a minute and a half about the Dewey decimal system, but we discussed that for approximately 20 minutes before I put my hand up and said, "I believe you." That was another mission accomplished for John Bartlett.

I conclude by saying to John's sister, Wendy, his daughter, Elizabeth, and her husband, Matt, and his sons, John-Paul and Chris, and of course Cyrelle, John's partner, that you have had an amazing brother, father and partner and someone who has truly made a difference for the betterment of this world. That is not something I say lightly. Other members have said a great deal about the substance of John's life. As the Premier and others have said, particularly the member for Miranda, Barry Collier, John made a difference for the better. He leaves Parliament a much better place for his having been here. Moreover, he has been a true father to the community of Port Stephens—something that that community should forever cherish.

Mr THOMAS GEORGE (Lismore) [11.55 a.m.]: I am saddened but honoured to speak to this condolence motion. John was only 58 years young and his life has been well and truly discussed this morning. My association with John began when he was elected to Parliament as part of the class of 1999. I soon realised that he was a gentle and caring person who always took a personal interest in people. His only mission was to truly represent the electorate of Port Stephens. John was proud of his family. I know from conversations I had with him that his family was uppermost in his mind. He was always proud of his family and proud of their achievements. His family meant so much to him.

John was always a keen walker, as other members have mentioned. The member for Burrinjuck spoke about his frequent walks. At 11 o'clock at night I would sometimes find John in his walking gear about to walk back to his apartment. It used to frighten me. However, he had no worries whatsoever about walking home. I expressed my concern for him walking through the Domain to go home, but it did not worry him. Every morning when I go for a walk I proudly wear a cap that John gave me. He had one like it and was so proud that it had "Hawk" on it. I commented on it and he said, "That's Port Stephens, mate, and I am very proud of that." I admired the hat and a week later he gave me one. I wear it with pride every morning that I go walking. In the past couple of days we have received the photograph of members of the Fifty-Third Parliament. Whose face is shining right in front of the rest of us? John Bartlett's. If his family has not seen the photograph, I am sure a Whip will gladly show them. It is a lovely photograph of John in his prime as a member of Parliament.

To Wendy, John's sister, and his sons, John-Paul and Chris, and his daughter, Elizabeth, and her husband Matt, and to Cyrelle, I again apologise for not being able to attend John's funeral. I phoned to explain why I was not able to attend. My heartfelt sympathy, thoughts and prayers are with you all. John Bartlett, MP, may you rest in peace.

Mr GEOFF CORRIGAN (Camden) [11.58 a.m.]: I am proud to support the condolence motion moved by the Premier. I commence by simply saying that John Bartlett was a good man, a gentle man and an outstanding advocate for his electorate. I got to know John because he provided me with advice when I was elected to Parliament in 2003. I had been staying at the Royal Automobile Club, which had been recommended by my predecessor. However, the digs were not really to my liking. I mentioned it to John, who said, "Why don't you come down to the Mariners Court at Woolloomooloo where I stay?" Believe it or not, the selling point was that it did not have air-conditioning. I thought that was a strange selling point, but John said that he preferred a place without air conditioning. I stayed there until the last election. John stayed there until he moved to his son's place near Hyde Park.

On Thursday mornings when we were preparing to return to our electorates, sometimes after a late sitting, I would leave Parliament House to return to Camden at nine o'clock. He said, "Well, that's no good, Geoff. I'll be up at three or four, and by the time you get up, I'll be out on the ocean on my surfboard." He always talked at length about Port Stephens and surfing. After John died I sent a brief note to the owners of Mariners Court, where we used to stay—I no longer stay there. I said:

They responded:

The number of speakers today evidences that John was well respected, including Opposition members who spoke well of him. John caught us by surprise on 7 September 2006 when he made a brief private member's statement about parliamentary staff and surrounds. Today the member for Burrinjuck read it and the Premier referred to it. I ask all people to read it. Luckily, at the time the member for Marrickville realised that it was John's farewell before he went to start his cancer treatment. Although the Premier has already read this, I will repeat what the member for Marrickville said about John Bartlett:

On that day the member for Murrumbidgee used part of his five-minute private member's statement to respond as well. He said:

I commend those words. The respect John paid to the parliamentary staff who assisted him during his eight years in this place was returned to him at his funeral. Dennis Wilson, Bianne Nordin, Jan Clifford, former canteen supervisor Maureen—her surname escapes me at the moment—and Ian Faulks all made the trip to Port Stephens for John's funeral, and the member for Wagga Wagga drove to Port Stephens for the funeral. I was also pleased to see—I have probably missed some people—the former member for Port Stephens, Bob Martin, whom I know very well, John Mills and Paul Crittenden at the funeral.

Paul Crittenden and John had something in common, other than their ability to stir things up. Each year the Labor Party holds an end-of-season dinner, which everyone attends. Both Paul and John were award winners in 2005. Paul Crittenden won the Stirrer of the Year award—in a tight contest with the member for Bankstown, who has already spoken today. On that occasion John outdid the member for East Hills, which no-one thought would ever happen. Although the member for East Hills is wearing a moderate tie today, he usually wears the most outrageous tie he can find. However, in 2005 John Bartlett won the prize for the most outrageous tie. The tie was yellow but I cannot recall exactly what was on it. It certainly took the award for outrageousness! John Bartlett was a wonderful man and it was a pleasure to know him.

Mr DARYL MAGUIRE (Wagga Wagga) [12.03 p.m.]: Along with other members in this place, I was genuinely saddened to hear of the passing of John Bartlett. John Bartlett came into this place, along with many of us, in 1999. John and I served on several committees together: the Library Committee, the Public Bodies Review Committee, and the Road Safety Committee, or Staysafe. In all the time I served on those committees with John I cannot ever recall him raising his voice or having a bad word to say about an individual, whether they be a parliamentarian, someone from his electorate or someone from the wider political scene. Also, I cannot recall him thumping the desk, as some of us would, to get a point across. He always spoke in a considerate and quiet manner, but he always made his point.

John always made a contribution, whether at public hearings for one of the inquiries we were conducting in regional and rural New South Wales or whether he was talking to the chairman of the board of the New York Stock Exchange. John represented this place and his electorate in a manner that we can all be proud of and that future politicians can look to as a guide to the way in which people should be encouraged to act. As members of Parliament we are required to serve together on committees. Members of the public looking in from outside think the only things we do in this place are fight and row. Well, we do. At certain times there are things that we agree on unanimously and enthusiastically; and there are times when we disagree, and rightly so because that is the forum of a Parliament and what this place is for.

There will always be points of difference in our robust debates, but when we walk out of the Chamber there is always a different atmosphere that members of the public do not often appreciate. The media do not portray the fact that, although we fight and blue in here from time to time, when we step outside many friendships cross the political divide, and rightly so. We share a lot of common interests. I always tell new members of Parliament when they come into this place, "Leave your blues in here and when you go out into the foyer be civil and take the time to get to know those people and you will be rewarded." And that is what John did, as members' contributions today have shown.

John and I travelled widely in New South Wales. I had the privilege of travelling overseas with John on two occasions. One trip took us to New York, where we met representatives of the New York Stock Exchange. We were in the process of conducting two inquiries, one of which was law and mental health. John was very interested in social issues, and at that time the Office of the Protected Commissioner and Office of the Public Guardian were involved. We were trying to come up with a solution to the problems that affected those people who have lost the ability to make a decision for themselves—that is, people with dementia, the elderly, people with an acquired brain injury or people who for some reason were incapable of making decisions regarding their wellbeing. When the report of that inquiry was brought to the Parliament 24 of the 25 recommendations were adopted unanimously.

One thing that family members can take away from this place is that John had a major input into that inquiry because he was interested in and passionate about people with a mental illness, just as he was interested in and passionate about the environment and his electorate. At Christmas time during seasonal felicitations I mentioned that we had been to New York. I pointed to the fact that we had finished our work and were about to travel home. Catherine Watson, who was travelling with us, was about to make some arrangements via the Internet, and we had an hour to spare. She said, "Boys, what are you going to do?" I said, "I think we'll go to the nearest pub and have a beer and then get on the plane." John said, "No. I think I'd like to go to the World Trade Center. I've never been there before." I said, "Why would you want to do that?" To tell the truth, I was scared; I was frightened by the World Trade Center as it looked so tall and large. I was a bit of a chicken; I did not want to go.

But John said, "No, I'd like to go there and Catherine said we should go because we may never get the chance again." Those words ring in my years. So we went. We paid our $27 and went to the top of the World Trade Center. It took 58 seconds to travel from the bottom to the top. There were about 60 people in the lift, which was enormous. There we were on top of the World Trade Center, where I took some photographs.

After we had a beverage I could not get down from the building quickly enough. John was quite at ease and comfortable. No matter where he went, John was comfortable and fitted in with everyone. He could always find entertainment of some description. It took 58 seconds to descend from the top to the bottom of the World Trade Center. The next I thought of it was two months later to the day, when my wife woke me to look at television reports of the bombing of the World Trade Center. My undeveloped photographs were still in the camera. Now the framed ticket and photographs hang on a wall in my office in Wagga Wagga. That is just one of the memories of John.

John and I attended an inquiry at Wagga Wagga into council liabilities regarding roads and bridges that were not maintained properly. In fact, litigation was occurring. Catherine made arrangements for a Tarago to be provided for the trip. I met the committee members in Wagga Wagga and we travelled to Tumbarumba, through the picturesque areas of my electorate. I was driving, and the committee members were happy to be transported around. However, I soon realised that something was not quite right. We stopped at a service station and I discovered that one tyre was bald with the steel showing. Someone had stolen the good tyres supplied by the Parliament and left the near-bald tyres that endangered our lives. We could have been killed but John took it all in his stride. I was agitated and animated—

Mr Alan Ashton: So was I.

Mr DARYL MAGUIRE: So was the member for East Hills and others. We were driving along corrugated mountainous roads in difficult terrain in a defective car, but John took that in his stride, que sera. On the same occasion we went to my farm. John always took great interest in my olive grove. He loved everything to do with nature—the waterways and the natural environment. I attended the funeral, as did many others, and I learnt a lot more about John. In many ways he kept a lot of information to himself. I would have to press him to talk about some things.

I was a regular visitor to his electorate. In fact, I rang him several times when I visited the current local member, Craig Baumann. On the last occasion I invited him to lunch but, sadly, he was too unwell to attend. We knew he was fighting the good fight. John said that he would take a raincheck, but we never had that lunch. I knew that I could always ring him, and I will miss his warm and friendly greeting. We had long conversations but John never said how unwell he was or sought sympathy. Even when he was diagnosed he did not say a lot about the difficulties he was facing; we would have to extract that information from him. But that was the mark of the man.

John often talked about his children. John-Paul delivered a eulogy at John's funeral. I commented later that while ever that boy walks this earth John Bartlett will never be dead because John-Paul is so much like his dad. It is difficult to deliver a eulogy about a family member in such trying circumstances, but John would be very proud of the way in which his son did so. I extend to Elizabeth, Chris, John-Paul and Wendy, John's sister, my sincere condolences. The Nationals Whip and my good colleague, the member for Lismore, mentioned a photograph. I happen to have a copy in the Chamber—I am sure Mr Speaker will not mind me using it as a prop.

The SPEAKER: It is entirely in order.

Mr DARYL MAGUIRE: I am sure the Parliament will make available a copy of this photograph for the family to keep. I am happy to give you mine. It is a difficult and a sad time, but in a way it is also a time for celebrating John's life and his contribution to this place, his electorate and his family, of whom I know he was very proud. I am sorry that we have to make contributions like this, but it is fitting for a lovely man to have such a tribute.

Ms LINDA BURNEY (Canterbury—Minister for Fair Trading, Minister for Youth, and Minister for Volunteering) [12.15 p.m.]: In remembering and honouring John Bartlett I pay my respect—for the second time this week—to the Gadigal, and particularly the Worimi, peoples from the area that John represented. My contribution will be brief but very heartfelt. Yesterday I got such a shock when I learned in Caucus that John had passed away. I want to share with John's family and with members my experience of two acts of enormous kindness and generosity on John's part. I am sure that everyone has said almost everything that can be said about John.

Parliament is a really scary place for new members. There are many rules and regulations and ways of doing things that take a while to get used to. When I first came to this place someone said "You'll know the place in two years". I thought "Oh, get away; it won't take me two years". I can assure members that it has taken me two years. One of the great acts of kindness I experienced in my first week was when I ran into John on level 12 and he said, "How about I take you out to lunch?" We went to a little Japanese restaurant in the MLC centre. It was so nice to have someone say, "Come on; it's not all that scary. You're allowed to leave at lunchtime, believe it or not!" John stayed a friend and he checked on me all along.

Last February—almost 12 months ago—I visited Port Stephens. I wanted to visit John, as I had not seen him since he left Parliament. We spent the day together. We visited Tomaree High School, a playgroup at Nelson Bay Baptist Church and a local primary school. We held a community information session. John was magnificent and clearly loved. Coincidentally, it was an Aboriginal cultural day—it had nothing to do with my visit. John walked me around the school and introduced me to teachers. He was wearing Bali pants, which were like long board shorts, and he looked great. It was such a pleasure to have John share that special day, which will stay with me.

John loved a chat; boy, did he love a chat! He would tell story after story, many of which have been recounted today. The chats were gentle, they were funny, and they were about life. I remember John saying to me when we were sitting in the second row of the Government benches during a division, "You know, Linda, I don't want to be a Minister. I just want to represent the people of Port Stephens". I thought that was just astounding because it was honest. It was a mark of John when he said, "I just want to serve the people of Port Stephens". And, at the end of the day, that is what we are about in this place: we are about service. If we ever forget that we do not deserve to be in this House. I can share with his family—and I know they know this—that John was absolutely about service. I finish by saying three words that, to me, epitomised John Bartlett: kindness, humanity and humility. If those three words are attached to any of us at the end of our life, we will have lived a good life. As they say in the Kimberley, "Ka� John".

Mr KEVIN GREENE (Oatley—Minister for Community Services) [12.21 p.m.]: Today we remember John Bartlett and speak of his sad passing. Along with many members who have spoken in support of the Premier's motion, I was elected as part of the group known as the class of '99. John was a member of that group, as was Tony McGrane, who has also sadly passed away. It is at times such as this that we reflect on the contributions that people such as John have made not only to Parliament but more so to their family and their community. Today members have rightly expressed passionately their respect—I emphasise that—for John and his contribution.

Many members have said that John had a great love for his family and his community. As the Minister for Fair Trading said eloquently, John's great ambition was not to be a Minister, the Premier, or whatever people come to this place to be. John's great ambition was to be a servant of the people of Port Stephens. As the Minister for Fair Trading also said so eloquently, there can be no more noble ambition. John was a great servant of his community. Today many members have spoken of the respect in which he was held throughout Parliament because of the way that he presented his arguments, his case, his feelings and his desires to make life for the people of Port Stephens so much better. That is what John was about.

John would share stories about his community—about Anna Bay, Nelson Bay, Fingal Bay and the many hamlets in his area. He showed me copies of his newsletter, which always focused on a different part of the community. He was very passionate about that. It was good to sit on the backbench, as the member for Miranda mentioned, and talk about his community. In his private members' statements he took the opportunity to talk about the great things that had happened in his electorate. John did that without notes. He talked about various functions he had attended, or the needs of his community, with great passion.

As the member for Burrinjuck and the member for Lismore mentioned, John loved going for walks. John would tell us where he had walked in the morning, and how much he enjoyed the opportunity to be around the harbour. He also enjoyed a game of squash or snooker. He enjoyed talking about his surfing exploits and his local environment. Today many of us have placed on record our respect and our love for John Bartlett and, importantly, we do so with a great sense of loss. John Bartlett was a man who contributed in his own small way to the Parliament of New South Wales but in a huge way to the Port Stephens community. His loss, his family's loss and our loss is an even greater loss to the wider community. I thank the House for the opportunity to share my thoughts on a great man, John Bartlett.

Mr STEVE WHAN (Monaro—Parliamentary Secretary) [12.25 p.m.]: I join my colleagues in wholeheartedly endorsing the wonderful and well-deserved comments about John Bartlett and his service to his community and this Parliament. Earlier the member for Bathurst spoke of John as one of our Country Labor colleagues. As the current convenor of the parliamentary Country Labor group, I will focus on that aspect. John was a very valued member of Country Labor. John came to Parliament four years before I did. But in the four years we were both here I enjoyed his contributions to our discussions during the early morning Country Labor meetings and his passion and advocacy for the area that he represented.

John Bartlett, despite all the things that have been said about how polite and quiet he was, was never quiet or backward in coming forward if he felt that something had not been delivered that he felt should have been. I often sat and chatted with John when the member for Bathurst chaired those meetings—not that members talked while he was chairing, of course—and John would comment about something that he thought should have been done. I would sit there, as a backbencher, thinking that I was glad I would not be in the Premier's office when John went down to make sure that it would be delivered. Despite his politeness, which has been referred to—and it is a well-deserved compliment—John was certainly very passionate in advocating for things that he knew needed to be delivered.

The member for Bathurst was the convenor of Country Labor for the four years that both John and I were members of this House, and he has commented on that too. From Country Labor's perspective, I place on record the fact that we have really missed John's contribution to our caucus. We miss him bringing us a diversity of views. That has gone. I recall he was a strong advocate for quite a while regarding the problems faced by oyster farmers—a matter on which he had an impact. We followed up on many of the issues he raised in caucus. As a result improvements were made and help was provided to oyster farmers.

Many members have spoken of John's kindness in welcoming and helping new members to settle into this place. I was a beneficiary as well. But before I was elected to this place John rang me and offered to come to Cooma to explain the difficulties that clubs were experiencing with public liability insurance—an area about which he was very passionate. John gave a seminar to clubs in the area voluntarily and off his own bat. It was a tremendous thing for him to do: to help a candidate campaigning in their electorate. It was even kinder of him not to tell many people that after I picked him up at the airport in my clapped-out old car it ran out of petrol. Fortunately we were not too far from a service station. John uncomplainingly jumped out, helped push my car across the road and helped me get to the service station for petrol. He then proceeded to do a campaign advertisement and tell the owner of the service station what a great local member I would be. I was grateful that he never stirred me too much about that rather embarrassing moment. A lot of members have said that John went out of his way to welcome them to this place, and that was part of his kindness. It is a great tribute to John that today we have heard such genuine comments from members on both sides of the House.

Caucus also paid a great tribute yesterday. John achieved the longest period of silence in caucus since I have been in this place! That is difficult to achieve but it shows the respect that his colleagues had for him and our feeling that it is so unfair that someone who should have been able to enjoy a long retirement after such great service has been taken so quickly. A couple of John's colleagues who sat in the Chamber with him have spoken about their experiences. Those of us less respectful and perhaps newer members of the place call that section of the House "sleepy hollow". That is because it has the most comfortable seats in the House! I can assure members that we never actually witnessed John living up to the name given to that corner of the Chamber because he was always intent on his work and responsibilities in this place.

I remember most that although he was the quiet, polite and considerate person that everyone talks about and was always able to say a kind word about people rather than a bad word, he was certainly tough when it came to advocating for his area. That is a great tribute to him. As convenor of Country Labor, I put on record Country Labor's great appreciation of John Bartlett's efforts for our part of the Labor Party. I pass on our condolences to all family members.

Mr GRAHAM WEST (Campbelltown—Minister for Gaming and Racing, and Minister for Sport and Recreation) [12.30 p.m.]: I offer my condolences to John Bartlett's family. John Bartlett loved life and he loved his community. I entered Parliament at a by-election in 2001 and when one comes into this place, as other members have said, one finds it strange and unusual. One knows from the beginning there are people one cannot turn to because they will lead a member astray. I also quickly learnt that there are others, including some of those sitting behind me, who one thinks are giving the right advice but are leading one up the garden path.

The SPEAKER: I remind the Minister that Hansard is taking notes!

Mr GRAHAM WEST: I did not say which members! John was not one of those. John and the late Jim Anderson were members who would take a young bloke and say, "This is the way to do it. Don't listen to those blokes, son", and make sure one was looked after. John also was an MP who wanted to share what worked. In a profession where we like to engage in one-upmanship, he never did that. He shared his information. He said, "Son, this is what works: keep it local. You've got to tailor it to your area." He was really passionate about sharing. He certainly was a gentleman but I think there was a real vein of steel running through him. He was always stressing the importance of acting locally. I know that this was not just talk; he lived it.

All who knew him or met him found that etched in him was a love of his family, the environment and of Port Stephens. He took on the big issues, but he always gave them a local focus. The member for Miranda highlighted that in his speech. It struck me while going through the over 250 contributions he made in this place, which is in itself an amazing achievement, that long before the petition in the newspapers to stop whaling John led the debate against whaling. He did that not once in the Parliament but a number of times, including using private members' statements. He always related it to his local area and what it meant to the people of that area.

He campaigned vigorously for national parks. He believed they were a key to a sustainable future, not just as part of the environment but also as part of the economy. His first question in this place was about jobs. He saw, and it was clear in all his contributions, that education was the way forward, the way out of poverty and so vital for children. There is much that can be gained from reading the over 250 speeches that are on the record but, as all members know, there is much more to a person than what he says in this place. This was clear at John's funeral service, which was a fantastic celebration of his life, filled with sadness, laughter and humanity. Much was shared at the service led by Father David and it gave me a greater insight into John. John-Paul's eulogy moved us all and captured much of John, including I think his sense of humour. In using that humour, John-Paul spoke of there being big shoes to fill. They definitely are big shoes, but I am sure that John is proud of John-Paul.

It was also not until the funeral that I heard the full poem If. I know that John-Paul is ribbed for not being able to recite it in full and never claimed the prize that John offered. It is an even greater shame to me that my grandfather used to quote from that poem and I did not know what poem it was. I think that poem had been written for John, for in a profession that twists and turns and has pressures exerted on it and is certainly not the most popular in the community—sometimes with good reason—John stood tall. John was not only a man, in the words of the poem, he was also his own man.

Mr GRANT McBRIDE (The Entrance) [12.35 p.m.]: I rise to express my condolences to the family and friends of John Bartlett, and also to honour a friend and colleague who was recently taken from us. Others have listed and will list John's achievements in life, local government and State Parliament. However, today I will address John, the man, as I knew him. Friendships are difficult in this place, given that we come from all over the State and are members of different parties and sometimes the only time we see each other is during the chaotic bustle of the sitting weeks of Parliament. Still, in the midst of this chaos, friendships are formed and often, through membership of parliamentary committees and, dare I say it, doing House duty in the Parliament, there is time on occasions to exchange thoughtful review of ideas, sport, and politics always, but across a spectrum of issues. John and I were on the Staysafe committee, where he made a substantial contribution given his commitment, vast experience of life and politics, sharp intellect and thoughtful and welcoming demeanour.

John initially was an enigma to me. He was a big man with a quiet self-assurance who seemed totally at ease with himself, life and politics. He had that laidback, carefree attitude that is the characteristic of people who surf and who love it. As someone who loves surfing and is still part of the culture, I think we clicked somewhere out there past the break zone. John, who never sought aggrandisement, promotion or any form of public recognition, was unique. He was one of a kind and a man who challenged me to the core in terms of my beliefs and values. There are very few John Bartletts in the world and it is a rare privilege in life to meet one. It is a privilege I will always value. John was and is a great bloke. For me, his spirit will always live.

Ms MARIE ANDREWS (Gosford) [12.37 p.m.]: I join with the Premier and my parliamentary colleagues in paying tribute to a friend and esteemed former colleague, John Bartlett, who represented his electorate of Port Stephens with great distinction from 1999 to 2007. I feel privileged to have been in Parliament with John for that period. John was highly regarded on both sides of the House and was known as a champion of the people in his electorate. He was a true gentleman and a scholar. John was also a keen sportsman and I know he was a great fan of the wonderful game of cricket.

During his time in this place John oversaw significant improvements in his electorate. He lobbied hard for improved local services and was particularly passionate about youth having access to a quality education, having been a teacher librarian for 22 years before entering Parliament. In his quest to enable those from less advantaged backgrounds to gain an education, John was instrumental in setting up the Tomaree Real Futures Program, which aims to assist local youths to stay in school and gain their higher school certificates. I know that John was passionate about giving youth who perhaps felt alienated and had given up on school a second chance at reconnecting with society through education or work training. The success of this program is testament to the type of person that John was and the commitment he made to his electorate.

When I served on the Standing Committee on Public Works the members of the committee visited Port Stephens in the course of one of our inquiries. John as the local member, and a most hospitable host, organised for members of the committee to visit a number of sites in his electorate. It came as no surprise to members of that committee, which comprised people from both sides of the House, that John was highly respected and well thought of everywhere. My thoughts and prayers go at this time to John's children—Elizabeth, John-Paul and Christopher—and to John's sister Wendy. I offer them my deepest condolences. May John Bartlett rest in peace.

Mr RICHARD AMERY (Mount Druitt) [12.39 p.m.]: I join all members in supporting this condolence motion and expressing grief at the loss of John Bartlett. If ever there were to be a funeral for a former colleague that I would not miss, it would be the funeral of John Bartlett, but miss it I did. On that same morning I delivered a eulogy for Mr Brian Newham, the husband of a dear friend and a pioneer of the Rooty Hill area. It was distressing to have two good friends pass away and to have their funerals conducted on the same morning. Because of that I missed what I understand to be a funeral service befitting the person that we all knew John Bartlett to be.

I have a copy of the eulogy given by John's good friend Barry Collier, the member for Miranda. I congratulate Barry and John-Paul on doing John, his family and all members proud. John was born in 1949 and he came to Australia in 1962. As the newspapers and members of this Parliament referred to his family and to his role in local government in one of the longest condolence motions on record I will not repeat much of what has been said about John's background. John Bartlett's story started when the story of his predecessor, Bob Martin, ended. Bob Martin is in the gallery today. Bob, a good friend of John, wrote a justifiably glowing obituary for John in the local press, which I am sure most members have read.

Bob Martin won the seat of Port Stephens way back in 1988. After listening to all the contributions today I am sure that I am one of the few members who was not elected in 1999. In fact, after listening to all the speeches today one would think that the whole Parliament was elected in 1999. Bob Martin held the seat from 1988, serving as a shadow Minister and as a Minister until his retirement in 1999. When he indicated that he was retiring he was asked by many, including me, who he hoped would follow him. He did not hesitate in saying, "John Bartlett." Political analysts have shown that the seat of Port Stephens has never been easy for Labor to win or to hold.

Following Bob's departure he was confident that this fellow on the council would hold the seat, and hold it he did for Labor. John Bartlett won that seat comfortably. However, after both Bob Martin and John Bartlett retired from public life those scoundrels in the Liberal Party took the seat. John Bartlett was elected to Parliament in 1999 and his inaugural speech and subsequent contributions were all about the Port Stephens electorate, which has been eloquently referred to by other members. He would gloat about its beaches, its scenery and the people who led the local community. He never let us forget that he was proud to represent such a beautiful place in the State Parliament.

I have never served in local government and—heaven forbid!—I would never be game to surf. There were a lot of things that John and I did not have in common, but I am pleased that we seemed to get on extremely well. During his first term in office he was always raising matters with me about his electorate. During that time I was Minister for Agriculture, and Minister for Land and Water Conservation. A memorable moment for me was when John invited me to open a jetty alongside one of his coastal strips. I do not know what to do with jetties or coastal strips, but on the day I was required to do more than unveil a plaque.

John showed me a North Sea patrol boat that had been bought by a rescue service in his electorate and he spent a long time explaining how that boat worked and how it was unsinkable. Apparently, if it was tipped upside down in the North Sea it would just pop back up, like a kid's toy. Because of the boat's safety record he persuaded me to board it. He asked my staff and other departmental people to meet us on the other side of the port while he took me around and showed me every nook and cranny of a beach. I gained the impression that that part of Port Stephens was his personal property. He and I posed for a number of photographs, as one does on those occasions, one of which I put in a frame that has been in my office for about five or six years. I look at it now with much more sadness than I did in the past.

It has been said that John was a quiet, respectful and well-spoken man. John liked to laugh. On occasions he would call me to his office, which was located on the top floor overlooking the Domain and the harbour. Perhaps the harbour reminded him of his electorate. His office opened out onto a little courtyard where he had a couple of deckchairs that seemed more suited to one of the beaches around his electorate than to Parliament House. For about 15, 20 or 30 minutes, depending on the day, we would sit in those deckchairs, chat and have a cup of tea—what John would refer to as "a deckchair moment". He used the phrase "a deckchair moment" to describe many things.

I admit now how I cherished those moments. Our relationship was not always friendly. I reprimand the member for East Hills for referring to the dark side of someone's personality and background in a condolence motion. This is not a debate to talk about such issues. However, now that those issues are recorded in Hansard I have to admit that our relationship was not always friendly. No matter how well people get on something always stretches the bonds. The member for East Hills highlighted John's only real shortcoming. His only example of poor judgement was that he was an Arsenal supporter. For people in New South Wales, that is like calling somebody a Manly supporter; one does not get much lower than that.

Arsenal is the premiership team from London that currently leads the competition in England. My father came from Burnley in the north, and Burnley and Blackburn were the local football teams. Money can bring down many members of Parliament and money can stretch the bonds of friendship. As a result of this clash John and I had a standard bet of a $2 lottery ticket each time Arsenal played Blackburn and, very rarely these days because Burnley is in a lower competition, the Clarets from Burnley. In the early days our bets were shared fairly evenly. However, over the past few months, Arsenal inflicted some defeats on my teams. The referee was a crook!

Before Christmas Blackburn was defeated by Arsenal. Then in a Football Association Cup match in the early part of the New Year, Blackburn defeated Burnley 2:0. I sent the lottery tickets in the mail. Sadly, since John passed away, Arsenal has again defeated Blackburn but, of course, John was not there this time to send him the ticket that I owe him. I am pleased to pay tribute to John Bartlett. He was a proud family man who showed us all what the word "courage" means, especially when he was diagnosed with cancer prior to his retirement from this place. Some members referred to the fact that John did not want to talk about it; he just took it in his stride. On many occasions he told me that he felt 50:50, or 75:25, and so on.

Since John's retirement we spoke on the phone on a number of occasions and we enjoyed sending letters and lottery tickets to one another—unfortunately, I sent John more lottery tickets than he sent me. His letters were always handwritten on paper that was mainly blue, showing off scenes of Port Stephens—gloater that he was. I kept those letters as special items that one day I will take with me as souvenirs of associations with members of this House. They are now great and treasured souvenirs of a member I have known. John Bartlett was a nice bloke to have around; he was a good friend to those whom he liked; and he was proud of his family and the constituency he proudly represented in this place—the Parliament of New South Wales.

As I mentioned earlier, John would often invite me to his office for a deckchair moment. My John Bartlett deckchair moments include: the way in which he proudly showed off his electorate when I visited; his emotional tribute in the condolence motion in this place for my good friend Jim Anderson; the look he would give me when I walked into the caucus room after Arsenal had won him another lottery ticket; the broad grin that would follow any comment that amused him; and the atmosphere he created just because he was in someone's company. I am deeply saddened by John's death and I extend my deepest sympathies to all his family members—to Elizabeth, Christopher, John-Paul and his sister Wendy. I understand his number one son-in-law, Matt, made reference in a lovely card I received from the family this week to the letters we shared since John's retirement—apparently they knew about them. John was an excellent member of this House, but a dear friend to many of us and we will all miss him.

Mr ROBERT OAKESHOTT (Port Macquarie) [12.49 p.m.]: I join the Premier, the Leader of the Opposition and all members who have spoken in this Chamber to honour, respect and celebrate John Bartlett the man and member of Parliament, but also to honour and remember the little voice in my ear over the past couple of years that was John Bartlett. Members who sit in the second back row know exactly what I am talking about: a member in the back row who leans forward may be only two feet from the member in front. In those circumstances members cannot fail to get to know each other well through conversations, mostly about anything other than what is happening in the Chamber.

I am really pleased that other members from the back rows on this side of the House have acknowledged that we are known as the "sleepy hollow". But with that glowing admission we have also outed ourselves as being occupants of a place more akin to gossip central than sleepy hollow, and have all spoken in good terms about conversations that occur there. Communication between the members of this group, including John, has not been mindless gossip but rather conversations on a broad range of topics that have been enjoyed genuinely by each of us. John was right in the heart of them. If I have one lasting memory of John, it is his extraordinary depth of knowledge on a vast array of topics. We had some great conversations over the past couple of years about so many different things and I found it fascinating mostly just to listen to John.

Once John had quickly explored my lack of depth of knowledge on a range of topics we got to our common topic—surfing. I, like the previous speaker, was a member of this place before 1999. I was a pretty lonely surfer here and it was great to have John come along; others have since joined us—members from the electorates of Oxley, Kiama, Central Coast, Manly, Pittwater and Coogee. I apologise if I have missed anyone. It was one of John's wishes, which we drifted towards often, to get everyone here who surfs to just enjoy the water together in a great bipartisan way.

I was absolutely fascinated by John's strategy of enjoying the sport he loved while he continued to work as a local member of Parliament. I am sure every member has this dilemma in their electorate work. You do not want to be seen as a lazy disengaged local member; you have to find a way to balance your passions outside Parliament with what you do as a local member. But John had a further dilemma in that many in the community do not regard surfing as a sport that projects the image of a hardworking local member. The best and most creative answer to that dilemma, which is faced by all members in this Chamber, came from John Bartlett: rename the surfboard a "water- testing device".

Once he told me that, we did not talk about surfing. We talked instead about water quality at Port Stephens and how he had been doing some regular monitoring in the area; that the water standards were improving or declining and he had to keep a close eye on the standards of the water in his electorate. A couple of years ago John had the parliamentary crest put on the last long board he had made—territory where I and I am sure any other surfers in this Chamber certainly could not go. Obviously, within his electorate and amongst the surfing community he was quite open and proud about having a surf in the Port Stephens electorate. Full marks to him for managing to pull that off as a passionate surfer and passionate local member.

To finish on our conversations about surfing, I was sitting here thinking that maybe now is the time with John's passing to deliver on what he desired: get a group of surfers in this place to go for a surf on John's behalf. Hopefully, I will hear a snigger from above in my efforts to put together an appropriate expansion of the acronym BARTLETTS. I scratched down Boardriders and Representatives That Like Excellent Times Testing Surfboards—BARTLETTS. We will talk about that and hopefully get in the water together sometime soon to celebrate the man John Bartlett and everything he stood for.

The SPEAKER: There have been calls to convene a committee inquiry into that issue!

Mr KERRY HICKEY (Cessnock) [12.55 p.m.]: I shall be brief as I know time is getting on. I have been in this House on many occasions during condolence motions, but I must say that this is one time when everyone has been truly genuine. Coming into this place in the class of 1999, I met John Bartlett in March of that year and he taught me a lot about being a good local member. John taught me how to play squash: I spent many evenings in the gym with him. He had that terrible habit of dropping the ball down close at the front and making me run, but John was quite a good sportsperson overall. In my time in this House from 1999 to 2007 I know that John was always well respected. As many speakers have said, he always presented himself in this House with dignity, clarity and respect.

If every politician in this House could achieve the same standards as John Bartlett, we would all be better off for it. I must say, though, that John was not that good a squash player; I did beat him a couple of times. I can say that now because John is not here to argue with me. John-Paul was on the squash courts at times with John, and they played squash regularly when the House was sitting. My mind goes back to what John achieved. I have never known caucus to donate money to a strike action. When the Boeing workers were on strike John was adamant that caucus should support them; we donated to help the Boeing workers. John was passionate about Port Stephens; John was passionate about everything he did in this House. He has left a legacy for future members for Port Stephens in the boots they have to fill; and, as John-Paul said at John's funeral, they are big boots. I offer my condolences to his family and friends. I think John will be sadly missed not just in this House but in Port Stephens and everywhere else.

Mr MICHAEL RICHARDSON (Castle Hill) [12.58 p.m.]: I should like to make a brief contribution in this condolence motion to John Bartlett. I served for a number of years with John Bartlett on the Public Bodies Review Committee. We made a number of trips in connection with some inquiries that were undertaken by the committee. In all that time I never heard John say a bad word about anybody. He was a very gentle man and, as the member for Cessnock said, he was very committed to his Port Stephens electorate and to his family. We had some other similarities that are not related to that committee.

We were both born in England in July 1949—I was born in Leeds, and he was born in London. I suppose I should have ended up in the Labor Party and he should have ended up in the Liberal Party. He was also in the Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF] Reserve for some 16 years. I was also in the RAAF Reserve in the University Squadron at the University of Sydney, and of course we both ended up in this place and as members of the Public Bodies Review Committee. Life certainly moves in strange ways. I do not think that when we were born our parents would have thought that our paths would cross in this place.

I thought that what John had to say in the Public Bodies Review Committee was always considered and intelligent, and we valued his contribution greatly. I recall the incident that the member for Wagga Wagga related previously. When we were in the Wagga Wagga electorate in the Parliament House Toyota Tarago we were driving along a dirt road down by the river and the vehicle seemed to be sliding around a lot. We were becoming concerned about it but we took the vehicle up to Tumbarumba. As things turned out, that was a fairly brave thing to do because when we checked the wheels back in Wagga Wagga we found that somebody had stolen all the good wheels and tyres and replaced them with baldies. We had been driving on a set of baldies. That would never have happened when the Speaker was a member of committees—he would have made absolutely certain of that!

We thought that the situation resulted from an oversight by the Parliament and that the Parliament could not afford a new set of tyres. But we ultimately worked out that the wheels had been replaced by a thief. John was seated in the back of the bus and he just took it all in his stride. He looked around, shrugged his shoulders, and took a "whatever will be, will be" attitude toward the situation. That was typical of him. As I said earlier, I never heard him say a bad word about anybody. I am not saying that he loved the whole world; he stood in this place for the Labor Party and he supported the Labor Party as well as his electorate. He also championed what could be seen by some as an unpopular cause in his electorate—the marine park that currently is the subject of debate. I remember discussing that with him and saying, "You know, I am surprised that you are pushing this." He said, "Well, I really believe in what I am doing."

At that time he had not contracted the cancer that carried him off. Presumably he felt that, despite pursuing what would have been regarded by some sections of the community as an unpopular cause, it would not cost him the next election. Sadly, he had to retire early. The electorate is now represented by another very able member for Port Stephens. We regret what happened and we certainly regret John's passing—the Parliament is the worse for it. I offer my condolences to his family and to his friends.

The SPEAKER: I thank all members for their very appropriate tribute honouring John Bartlett, someone who, very clearly as evidenced by the debate, deserved every bit of the acknowledgement he received today. On behalf of the House I offer condolences to Elizabeth, John-Paul, Christopher, to John's sister, Wendy, and their partners. I acknowledge the former member for Port Stephens, the Hon. Bob Martin, and the current member for Port Stephens, whose contribution underlined much of John's wonderful support during his service as a member of Parliament.

I add on a personal note, having heard and enjoyed the whole debate, that many bells rang when comments were made, particularly about the restaurant at the MLC Centre, where John took me when we first entered Parliament in 1999. I note the Minister for Fair Trading, Minister for Youth, and Minister for Volunteering said that John also took her there, to assist her and provide advice, which is what he did for so many members. But in my case, as we were mayors, he took me there and said, "Let's work out what we're both doing in this place because it is very difficult to follow."

I enjoyed that John was a giver: he gave so much, and we have heard a great deal about that today. Much has been said about his contribution in public life, and I agree with every word said about it. But what I will miss most is John's friendship. In every circumstance he gave and he saw things positively in every situation, as difficult as things became for him.

I received a personal Christmas card from John. As we have heard, Christmas cards from John were never expensive. I had invited him to see me and he had written on the Christmas card, "I want to come and see you as the Speaker." His very genuine delight in my election as Speaker meant a great deal to me. I invited him to see me but he said, as he said to others, "I will have to take a raincheck this time but I will see you next year." Sadly, that did not happen. I join with all members in expressing our condolences on the loss of a great person and someone we will very much miss as a friend.

Question—That the motion be agreed to—put and resolved in the affirmative.

Motion agreed to.

Members and officers of the House stood in their places.

[The Speaker left the chair at 1.06 p.m. The House resumed at 2.15 p.m.]

Last modified 28/04/2008 08:48:43 : Update this page