WARREN Truss has made many statements during his 26-year political career and more will be said about his strength of character and performance by colleagues and others in days and weeks to come.
But the National Party veteran posed a pointed question, about the future of political representation during his resignation statement in the House of Representatives, which may resonate loudest.
“I came from a small farming district and went to a very small state school and I have now had the privilege to become Deputy Prime Minister of our country,” he said.
“I wonder whether I will be the last person with a limited education and who comes from one of the poorest electorates in the country to become Deputy Prime Minister?
“I hope not, because I think we do need amongst the leadership of our country a breadth of experience and a breadth of skills.”
Warren Truss was born on October 8, 1948 in Kingaroy Queensland and inherited his love of the land from his father Errol who was awarded an Order of Australia for his services to Agriculture in 1986.
The Truss family farm grew Navy Beans (or baked beans) over the years and still operates at Kumbia near Kingaroy, producing wheat, barley, maize, soybeans, sorghum and sunflowers.
Mr Truss said next month it will be 26 years since he was first elected to the parliament for Wide Bay and 40 years since he was first elected to public office, as a member of the Kingaroy Shire council
“In my early years, I was always talked about as the youngest national president of the Council of Rural Youth, the youngest councillor, the youngest mayor, but now that I am numbered amongst the oldest,” he said.
“I think it is time to go.”
Mr Truss entered politics in 1990 for Wide Bay and with hesitation took over the leadership from Mark Vaile in 2007 when things were looking grim.
“When I became leader in 2007 nobody wanted the job, including me,” he said.
“I am pleased to say that, now, things are different and everyone wants the job.
“I guess that my objective when I became leader - a somewhat reluctant leader - was to rebuild a party that was…at a pretty low ebb.
“We had lost the 2007 election, everybody was pretty dispirited and our numbers had declined.
“Indeed, the media were saying, yet again, that the Nationals were finished.
“Of course, we are used to that - they have been saying that for over 80 years now and we seem to have managed to survive most of our critics.
“I am sure that the party will be in good and strong hands in the years ahead.”
Mr Truss was promoted to the John Howard cabinet and served as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry from 1999 to 2005 and also stepped into that role also with hesitation.
“I have to say that it was a portfolio I never wanted,” he said.
“I had been in farm industry politics before I came into the parliament and I knew how farmers treated their agriculture ministers, particularly when they were Nationals.
“They expected all sorts of things from us that were simply undeliverable.
“Somebody has said to me that it is a bit akin to Labor Party members who have to be industrial relations ministers - you simply cannot achieve what your constituency expects of you.”
Mr Truss said his six years as Agriculture Minister was a very eventful time with foot and mouth disease outbreaks in the UK resulting in the size of Australia’s quarantine service being doubled.
He was also Agriculture Minister during the establishment of the exceptional circumstances drought assistance, program he said “a very sad and difficult time for so much of Australia”.
“The whole of the country was essentially racked by drought at that time,” he said.
“The assistance that was put in place was the most generous that governments had ever provided.
“I think it helped a lot of farmers through a situation they could not otherwise have managed.
“There were also adjustment packages, particularly in the sugar and dairy industries, which, again, caused quite some trouble - but I think it helped put those industries in a much better position.”
In contrast, Mr Truss lamented his time as Trade Minister as “a wasted period” and his “least fulfilling portfolio”,
“Particularly by comparison with the great successes of the current Trade Minister (Andrew Robb) my achievements were very small,” he said.
“They were still trying to breathe oxygen into the Doha Round at that stage and it was really a wasted period.
“I stand in awe of what Andrew Robb has achieved in his time as trade minister - it is truly a remarkable time in our history.”
But Mr Truss was more glowing about his two periods of service as Transport Minister, saying they were “the most exciting times” because many roads, railway lines and other infrastructure was built.
“I am very proud of what has been achieved in that regard,” he said.
“We will, by the end of this decade, for the first time have a four-lane highway between our three east coast capitals.
“Surely, in a country of our economic capabilities perhaps that is something we should have achieved a long time ago.”
Mr Truss thanked the people of Wide Bay and said for him, the greatest pleasure has always come from being able to help somebody with a little problem like with their pension or needing some assistance to find their way around government bureaucracy.
He also acknowledged the many people he’s worked with in the Coalition in the Liberal Party saying sometimes it was “a bit rugged, but usually we have got on exceptionally well together”.
“I would also particularly like to acknowledge the people within my National Party organisation,” he said.
“I was a member of the party for many years before I was a candidate, so I am a bit of a child of the organisation and still love and appreciate it.
“I acknowledge the presidents and ordinary branch people - the people who have helped in my campaigns over the years - but particularly those who have ensured that there is a strong base to keep our party strong so that it can contribute effectively to our nation.”
Mr Truss made special mention of his long-time ministerial adversaries Simon Crean and Anthony Albanese and recognised the departmental people he’d worked with electoral staff and others including his two chiefs of staff Cheryl Cartwright and David Whitrow.
“Finally, I want to acknowledge my family, and particularly my wife, Lyn,” he said.
“We were married only a few months before I was elected to parliament, and she had worked for my predecessor.
“So in reality she knew more about the job than I did when we came here - but we have been very much a team and I could not have done it without her.
“She has just been absolutely marvellous for me and I love her dearly.
“I want to thank the people of Australia for the opportunity that they have given me - I will take away many happy memories.”
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the twin-departures of Mr Truss and Liberal MP Andrew Robb was “a watershed”.
“Each of these men, Warren and Andrew, were farmer's sons,” he said.
“They grew up on the land with very, very deep roots in agriculture, understanding the very basic, the most basic fundamental human industry, growing food and fibre.
“Warren's leadership of the National Party has been a source of great wisdom.
“He is absolutely committed – has always been committed to the strength of the Coalition.
“He understands the importance of the National Party’s distinct identity but the reality that we are so much stronger when we are working closely together.”
National Farmers’ Federation President Brent Finlay said each of the parliamentary veterans had delivered valuable and long-lasting results to the agriculture industry and to regional Australia.
