Mr MORRIS (Mornington)—I rise this afternoon to mark the passing of Frank Winter, who sadly lost his battle for life in August.
Frank was a Liberal stalwart in the best sense of the word. If there was a job to be done, Frank was not only always available but he was front and centre in any of the myriad tasks that are part and parcel of winning and holding parliamentary seats.
In 2006 our party held the seat of Mornington by a slender margin. We determined that an initial direct contact with the voters, via mail, was a sensible way to open the campaign. That decision meant that over the course
of six months more than 20 000 letters had to be signed, folded, put in envelopes and posted by hand. I did the signing, and Frank was a key member of the team that met every week to stuff envelopes and keep the letter program and the neighbourhood visits they promoted on track.
An autodidact, Frank had a sharp and inquiring mind that could be relied on to keep candidates and members on their toes.
At his funeral a niece noted his enthusiasm for the battle of ideas at the heart of our democratic system. That enthusiasm frequently extended to branch and electorate meetings. He was never a yes-man, and if there was a case to prosecute, Frank could be relied upon to present it, but always in a respectful and constructive manner.
I have no doubt that Frank’s commitment to democracy and to Liberal ideals drove
his contribution to Peninsula politics.
Frank was a good friend and he will be sorely missed. My thoughts, and those of Linda, are with Trish and the family.
Vale Frank Winter.