Page 4217 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 24 October 2017
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And there is the beautiful game of football. If only we had had more time to get to know each other. My memories growing up in Canberra were of the Canberra Arrows back in the early days. Football has evolved a lot since then. I remember we were handing out some trophies to some young kids playing football out at the McKellar football park. I had only just met you, and you said, “Yeah, see that emblem? I did that.” I said, “What? What are you talking about?” It is the Canberra City Football Club emblem. I googled this little story from earlier this year:
Quietly, City were imbued with the best of St George-Budapest, Australia’s leading club during the 1960s and early 1970s. The club’s blue-and-gold emblem was designed by Doszpot in the same shape as the Hungarian coat of arms. At Doszpot’s recommendation, Johnny Warren—St George-Budapest’s favourite son—was Canberra City’s first coach.
So there you go. That is something in Canberra that you will always be remembered for. You were talking about being patron of the Weston Molonglo Football Club. I looked for some photos of this:
In 1975 a young dark haired, moustachioed Steve Doszpot became Captain/Coach of the Senior team...
“Moustachioed” is a pretty cool description of somebody we have come to know in this place. He will be very sorely missed. I do not have a quote from the Bible, but I do have this one for you: “Get with the might, pull on the black and white, and fly with the magpie.”
I will attempt this: köszönöm, thank you.
MS FITZHARRIS (Yerrabi—Minister for Health, Minister for Transport and City Services and Minister for Higher Education, Training and Research) (11.35), by leave: Steve, you mentioned that you would miss us here in the Assembly, and we will miss you. Your life story, told again here today, is really quite remarkable. For many of us, fleeing—as an eight-year-old with your mum and dad and siblings—from violence and oppression to a very different country 14,000 kilometres away is something we cannot imagine. It is something I saw in my own parents-in-law reflected through their families: a gentle gratitude for the peace and the profound opportunities that Australia offers.
This is instilled in Australians from many nations over our country’s history. Refugees and migrants contribute to our community in many ways. A few, like you Steve, make an enormous contribution to public life. You tell a story that is important to be told, both through your own history, and your vision for a happy and prosperous country. I could not help but note that many names that you thanked were non-Anglo, European and Asian. You have a huge supporter base in our community.
I have always thought of you, Steve, through the lens of your and your parents’ journey to Australia nearly 60 years ago. Today must be a hard day for you and your family, but it is a measure of your humanity and compassion that you are here to say thank you and push a bit harder for a few things. It must have been a difficult decision
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