Mr HAWKE (4:00 PM) —I rise today to pay tribute to a former federal member for Mitchell, Labor Party member John Lindsay Armitage OAM of Seven Hills, who passed away this year at the age of 88. He was born in Sydney on 11 November 1920 and entered parliament in 1961 as the member for Mitchell. In those days, the seat of Mitchell covered a very wide area between Blacktown and Normanhurst and included communities such as Baulkham Hills, Castle Hill, Pennant Hills and Windsor.

John Armitage was defeated at the 1963 election by the Liberal Party’s Les Irwin, but he returned to federal parliament when he was elected to the newly created seat of Chifley at the end of October 1969. He held the seat of Chifley between 1969 and 1983, retiring at the 1983 federal election. John Armitage was the last surviving member of the caretaker Australian Labor Party New South Wales central executive, which administered the party during the split of 1955—and we certainly praise him for that work. He served on the executive between 1954 and 1962 and again from 1964 to 1965.

John Armitage is still fondly regarded by many of his ilk in my electorate. He certainly did a great deal of good work for many of my communities. In particular, today, the John Armitage Child Care Centre at Mount Druitt has been named in honour of his endeavours and activities in this sector of our community. He was presented with the freedom of the City of Blacktown, and he is one of only three persons upon whom this honour has been conferred. He served his time as a federal MP in an important role, attracting employment to his electorate and expanding health, education and childcare facilities—for which he is still fondly regarded. Following his defeat at the 1963 election, he worked with the department of decentralisation and development in the state government and became the assistant general secretary of the ALP in 1965.

Still today you can find many people who remember him, and I have met a number of residents of some of the aged-care facilities in my electorate who speak very highly of his services and of him as a person. I want to record in this place my appreciation for his service. I think it is fitting that he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to this country and his service to the people of Mitchell. On behalf of the people of Mitchell, past and present, I record our thanks and pay tribute to his life and service to the parliament of Australia.