Ron Sutherland
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (13:17): Today I want to draw the house’s attention to my friend and good Liberal Party colleague Ron Sutherland, who died last year in May. I am neglectful that I have not spoken about him and his huge contribution. He was a Liberal Party member from 1972; married to Kay, who is also a member for that period – they were married for 65 years; a much-loved father of Karen, Andrew, Paul and Stuart; and a grandfather and great-grandfather many times over. He started as a boilermaker then went on to occupational health and safety for a number of insurance companies, but I want to particularly draw attention to his huge contribution to the Oakleigh electorate and region and also his huge contribution to the Liberal Party. He was one of those people, an absolute salt-of-the-earth person, who could organise and could make sure that things happened – who made sure indeed when campaigns were being run that things went smoothly. He was a person who could also give good and sage advice on a range of different items. He particularly, for example, built A-frames for us as Liberals in the area and did that in his own workshop and could turn them out at a huge pace when required. He will be remembered by Oakleigh and particularly Liberal Party and other members of the community in Oakleigh, and he will be remembered very heavily of course by Kay and her family. I deeply regret Ron’s passing, and I am a person who learned a lot from him.