Page 54 - Port Douglas Magazine 26

this terrible disease. But he warns that the fight is never over and has to be same-sex couples in Australia the same right to marry the person they love
globally monitored because as soon as there is an opportunity this disease as that which is currently only granted by law to heterosexual couples. This
finds a way in and renews its devastation. bill is designed to promote an inclusive Australia, not a divided one. A
divided nation is what we will be if we continue to allow discrimination in
Warren likens his workload to that of a juggler. He laughs when he tells
relation to marriage on the basis of a person’s sexuality.”
us that he has too many balls in the air but reckons that he is grateful for
his years of experience in politics that allow him to pinpoint exactly how This simple but intelligent approach won the day and Warren says it
to solve many of the issues he is juggling. He smiles and confidently says: “ was one of his proudest moments when he looked out of his New York
A solution is sometimes only a phone call away but you have to know who hotel window, where he was attending a conference when the result of
to call in the first place!” the plebiscite was announced, to see the Empire State Building lit up for
the city in a rainbow searchlight. He laughs when he reflects that he had
It is this business-like attitude that has won him many supporters but
originally thought this was just a local Aussie issue. He smiles with a softly
he also acknowledges that enemies come with the job in politics. He
glistening eye (just a speck of dust in the corner, I’m sure), “looking out of
states in his typically confident and bombastic nature: ‘The inflexible is
that window and seeing those lights blazing I
always flexible. It’s done by discussion
and conciliation. I’m never frightened realised, I couldn’t have been more wrong. This
was and is a global issue of vital importance!”
to take the lead on controversial but
essential issues. You should always take So now, what next?
on those issues, on the front foot!”
He has declared his intention to stand for re-
Legalising medical marijuana was a “looking out of that window and seeing election again at the next election, probably next
question that Warren considered a fair year (2019) because he realises his son was right
those lights blazing I realised, I couldn’t
issue. He simply looked at it from the - he still has a mountain of concerns he needs
point of how much it helps some people have been more wrong. This was and is a to address. His phenomenal memory lists a
to ease their pain. So he simplified the plethora of subjects to which he will be turning
issue and won the day. He also believes global issue of vital importance!” his attention. Unfortunately my memory cannot
that the lack of power for the residents do justice to this huge list. But among the issues
of the Daintree Rainforest is another he still holds dear includes addressing insurance
overcomplicated issue. Power should to make it more affordable, introducing next
be considered as a human right! “Most generation solutions to the preservation of The
of these people are probably more Great Barrier Reef including a unique approach
environmentally aware than the rest of of introducing more natural predators to tackle
us and yet they are doomed to running dirty generators to achieve what the destructive effect of the Crown of Thrones, and lastly, more regional
we all take for granted. This issue has to be resolved,” he said. Crocodile development, ensuring the commercial future of the area and as the
management has been implemented in many other regions especially in the inaugural Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia,
Northern territories so again this is an issue that Warren considers should he is well placed to do so. He may just have to rethink the length of time
be on his agenda. “We can’t wait until it is fatalities that force us to act. We for his remaining in politics!
have to resolve this issue immediately!” He does have a weather eye on retirement, although he admits it’s a few
And of course we now turn to what Warren reluctantly concedes is one years away. He is looking forward to returning to his beloved farm and
of his greatest achievements and that is the Same Sex Marriage Bill or spending more time with Yolonde. He has ambitions of breeding goats,
as he puts it, ”Simply marriage.” Having listened to his experience and more cows and pigeons (yes this dynamo is a pigeon fancier). He insists
why he takes on the issues he does, it is easy to see why it deserved his they are fascinating and reckons if you mix all that up with helping his wife
singular and determined support. He turned the opinion of almost his Yolonde with her volunteer work he’ll have a pretty good life organised
complete political party around by taking the issue and turning into one post politics.
of his trademark fairness perspectives. Looking back on his approach it is
And thanks to Warren Entsch there is an army of others who can now look
difficult to comprehend how this view wasn’t the view from the start.
forward to a pretty good life too, one without prejudice or pain…
On 17 August 2015, in defiance of his then Prime Minister Abbott,
Warren introduced a private member’s bill presenting it with the following
statement: “The main purpose of this bill is not a complex one. It is to give

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