Peter Morris wasn't the tallest of blokes, but he was a giant of the Labor movement and he made an enormous contribution to public life. As we've already heard, he was a staunch advocate for the people of Shortland and a proud Hunter champion.
Peter was also a generous mentor to me, to my predecessor Jill Hall and to so many others. Peter came to federal politics in the Whitlam wave of '72. It was a time of great change, and he witnessed some great moments in parliamentary history. He was there some five feet behind Prime Minister Whitlam on the steps of Old Parliament House during the Dismissal speech, and he spoke publicly about what he described as the abandonment of customs, practice and convention. He brought with him to this place a deeply held commitment to fairness, decency and determination to make government work for ordinary Australians.
As we've just heard, he's well known for his achievements in the transport portfolio. He oversaw record investments in the national highway system, introduced legislation to reform the interstate trucking industry, revitalised the railways and opened up commercial aviation by terminating the two-airlines agreement. He also advocated for Western Sydney airport and, as the opposition leader listed, secured funding to purchase the land around the site.
Locally, Peter transformed air services for the Hunter. Newcastle Airport would not exist without Peter Morris's leadership and vision. For Peter, these projects weren't just about trucks, trains and planes; they were about the people. In 1986, he became the first transport minister to drive the full length of the Bruce Highway— 1,700 kilometres along the Bruce Highway from Brisbane to Cairns. He said: Good roads are more than just a strip of bitumen. They bring tourists, help industry and create jobs. His projects certainly did.
Beyond transport, he's best known for his work to improve the lives of seafarers. The Ships of shame report shone a light on the appalling conditions endured by seafarers on international shipping routes. It highlighted abuse and exploitation by both officers and management. The report concluded that modern slavery was rife. This work didn't just change policy; it changed lives and led to legislation that improved conditions for seafarers in Australian waters.
Peter had very broad experience serving in multiple ministries, including resources, housing and aged care, transport and communication services, and industrial relations. In fact, he quipped: Since we get a Bible each time we get sworn in, I've got the best collection of Bibles in Parliament House. This broad contribution to parliament was recognised with an Order of Australia medal in 2012. Above all else, he was a tireless advocate for the people of Shortland.
But his pathway to parliament was not simple. After serving as a Newcastle alderman, Peter stood for preselection in the seat of Shortland. This preselection would go down in history as the longest preselection in the history of the Australian Labor Party. It involved three separate ballots over two years and one of the earliest interventions of the federal executive to deal with — let's just say — dubious ballot practices. It even featured in an ABC This Day Tonight expose; it was not the last time a controversial Labor Party preselection was of interest to the media. Throughout this process, Peter and his supporters fought against the full force of the then brutal Sussex Street machine, intent on having their way. They've now changed, I'm told! Importantly, Peter won.
After he retired from parliament, he continued to make significant contributions, including as chair of the International Commission on Shipping and as president of the Newcastle Maritime Museum. As the PM said, he was a source of sound and constructive advice to the PM when he was transport minister.
Fittingly, Peter's passion and commitment to the Labor Party never wavered. He was secretary of the mighty Charlestown branch of the party up until 2015. Imagine that — a former cabinet minister still secretary of his local Labor Party branch 17 years after leaving parliament. He was active on the Shortland federal electorate council for 48 years, only finishing up in 2019. Peter was generous with his advice and wisdom for both me and Jill Hall. At one stage, I had two former members of Shortland on the FEC with a combined 44 years of experience to draw upon.
Most importantly, Peter lived an extraordinary life. He was one of eight children and went to Lake Munmorah Public School, a one-teacher, one-room school with 15 students. His dad was a Greek immigrant. When he arrived in Australia, he anglicised his name to Morris and ran a fish and chip shop on Hunter Street in Newcastle.
His dad would live in Newcastle during the week to run the shop, returning home on weekends. When Peter went to Newcastle Boys High School he'd stay with him. A generation later, as the PM said, Peter became our first Greek Australian minister. The fact that both Peter and his brother Allan became federal members of parliament and that his son the late and much lamented Matthew Morris was the member for Charlestown is a wonderful Australian success story and a tribute to the contribution that Greek Australians make to our community, our institutions and our democracy. I offer my sincere condolences to Peter's family and friends. He leaves an incredible legacy of service to the parliament and the community, and he will be deeply missed by the many, many people whose lives he touched, including me. Rest in peace, Peter.