Wednesday, 15 May 2024

 Chris CREWTHER (Mornington) (10:01): I rise on three condolences. Mount Martha’s Elaine Walters OAM died last Thursday. She was a trailblazing author and educator on drug use hazards and prevention and worked with affected families. She studied a Churchill fellowship and advocated globally. She wrote many books, including Street Drugs: The New Addiction Industry, which I helped launch last year.

Hans Brunner died on Anzac Day, one day off 96. I went to his Mornington funeral last Thursday. He pioneered animal hair analysis, helping to exonerate Lindy Chamberlain by proving dingo hair presence. He was a man with a golden voice with Edelwyss Yodel Choir, a Swiss Club of Victoria member, played table tennis past 90 and was the 2014 Environmentalist of the Year.

Lastly, my grandpa Bob McIntosh died on Mother’s Day aged 96. He farmed wheat, sheep and barley at Ellam, near Jeparit, next to his cousin Noel McIntosh, who was grandpa to Tom McIntosh MP. Grandpa later lived and worked in Wangaratta before retiring up to Kingscliff. He will be greatly missed by my grandma Verna, his six children, including my mum Debbie, and all his grandkids, great-grandkids, family and friends.