Book 8 - Parliament of Victoria

MEMBERS STATEMENTS
1540 COUNCIL Tuesday, 31 May 2011
under a coalition federal government saw over 90 per
cent of Australians vote to give the commonwealth the
power to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples and recognise them in the national
census. On 3 June 1992 the High Court of Australia
delivered its landmark Mabo decision.
My home town of Shepparton is home to Victoria’s
largest indigenous population outside of metropolitan
Melbourne. I have many indigenous friends and admire
many of the elders in our indigenous community, and it
is my ambition to see better outcomes for indigenous
Victorians. Personally I find it offensive that someone I
sat next to in school has a life expectancy that is
20 years less than my own purely because they are
indigenous.
Governments at all levels and of all persuasions should
be investing in programs that deliver better educational
opportunities, health outcomes and employment
opportunities for our indigenous community to ensure
that our shared future is one of equality at all levels.
Bill Roycroft
Ms TIERNEY (Western Victoria) — I stand to
speak on the sad passing of one of the true legends of
Olympic sport in Australia, Bill Roycroft, who died on
Sunday in Camperdown at the age of 95. Bill was
Australia’s oldest surviving Olympian and the patriarch
of equestrian sports in this country.
Grant Baldock, Equestrian Australia chief executive
officer, said:
He was a legend. The term does get thrown around lightly at
different times, but he was certainly a legend in our sport and
Australian sport.
Many would recall the story of Bill’s infamous gold
medal win at the 1960 Rome Olympics when he signed
himself out of the hospital, where he was nursing a
broken collarbone as a result of a steeplechase event, to
then go on to win in a flawless final round of the
equestrian event.
Bill grew up in rural Victoria as a farm worker in the
tough conditions of the Great Depression and also
served in the Second World War. It was not until Bill
turned 45 that he could realise his dream and compete
in the Olympic Games, which he did on many
occasions.
I think I speak for all members in saying our thoughts
and sympathies are with the Roycroft family. He will
be sadly missed. Vale Bill Roycroft.
Heart disease: Go Red for Women
Ms TIERNEY — On another matter, I take this
opportunity to encourage all members to wear a dash of
red tomorrow to support the Heart Foundation’s Go
Red for Women campaign. The campaign raises
awareness of heart disease as the no. 1 killer of
Australian women and raises issues of risk, symptoms
and treatments to help lower the rate of heart disease.
Bill Roycroft
Mrs PETROVICH (Northern Victoria) — I also
rise to pay tribute to James William George Roycroft,
OBE, who was better known as Bill Roycroft. Born on
17 March 1915, Bill passed away last Sunday, 27 May,
at the age of 96.
You could say that Bill was Yea’s favourite son. Bill
Roycroft was one of Victoria’s most successful and
best loved equestrians. I am told that he was one of the
only Australians to be welcomed to have a G & T with
the Queen Mother without an appointment because she
liked his jokes. He was a wonderful example of an
Australian because of his sportsmanship, courage,
loyalty and sense of humour, which were all
demonstrated in the life of this great horseman.
He was the patriarch of Australia’s most famous
equestrian dynasty, a family who followed him in
equestrian competition. He was one of Australia’s
greatest Olympians. As an equestrian champion he
competed for Australia in five consecutive summer
Olympics — 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976. In
2000 Bill Roycroft was one of the eight people who
carried the Olympic flag into the Sydney games
opening ceremony. He also carried the Australian flag
at the Mexico City opening ceremony in 1968.
Although seriously injured in a steeplechase event
during the 1960 Rome Olympics which left him
concussed, he got back on his horse to finish the round.
He was then rushed to hospital. Despite protests from
doctors, Bill left his hospital bed to compete in the
showjumping, the final event. He had even threatened
to leave the hospital in his underwear if he was not
allowed to go. Bill rode with a broken collarbone — an
amazing feat — and completed a flawless round. Many
said the Australian team could not have won gold in
Rome without him. Roycroft simply said, ‘You had to
have three in a team, so it was me or no gold’.
Animals: live exports
Ms DARVENIZA (Northern Victoria) — I take this
opportunity to congratulate those involved in making