Ex-kiap & former Queensland MP Bruce Laming dies at 79
14 September 2017
BILL HOFFMAN | Sunshine Coast Daily | Edited extracts
MAROOCHYDORE - Bruce Laming launched his career in public life at 42 off the back of a kaleidoscope of life experiences, including service as a kiap in Bougainville and the Papua New Guinea highlands.
Mr Laming would eventually play a role in the shaping of some key players in conservative politics in Queensland.
By the time he passed away on Monday after a long battle with dementia, former MP for Mooloolah and Landsborough Shire councillor, Bruce Laming, had not only established his own legacy but had helped nurture those of his son Andrew, the Federal Member for Bowman, and many prominent Queensland politicians.
"It's a very sad day," said Liberal Senator Mr Wallace. "The LNP has lost a great trooper. He was one of life's gentlemen."
Former Queensland deputy premier Joan Sheldon said Mr Laming had been a fine man who had served his party loyally and had done a wonderful job for his constituents.
Former Queensland attorney-general Jarrod Bleijie recalled a man he described as a statesman of the LNP. He said the Laming home had been a great venue for young LNP members to meet.
"He was a real influence on us and up until recently attended functions and offered support," Mr Bleijie said.
Mr Laming arrived on the Sunshine Coast in the early 1970s following a career that ranged from the Snowy Mountain scheme, the Mount Isa mines, wool-classing in Tasmania and four years patrolling in Bougainville and the highlands of Papua New Guinea.
He and his wife Estelle built a waterfront home in Kawana in 1975 and went on to raise three children.
He successfully ran for Landsborough Shire Council in 1980 and stood down after a single term and ran a massive campaign against Labor toll roads to win the new seat of Mooloolah, going on to serve as his party's whip, housing and public works spokesman and eventually deputy speaker.
In 2001 after being ordered by his party to put One Nation last on the ballot paper, he suffered a 19% swing that lost the Liberals lose their second safest seat to Labor.
Out of politics he remained connected to the community as a life member at Alexandra Headland Surf Life Saving Club and as rear-commodore at Mooloolaba Yacht Club.
He graduated as a Bachelor of Arts at the University of the Sunshine Coast and in 2009 won the Australian Writers' Fellowship best short story at his first attempt.
Just noting Andrew Wallace is the Member for Fisher, and not a Senator. Thank you for a lovely piece. His autobiography ‘You Gotta Knock Around Son’ was published just weeks after his diagnosis.
Posted by: Andrew Laming | 29 August 2021 at 01:51 PM
I am a bit of a casual looker at this site - last time perhaps three years ago - so I was surprised to see Bruce's name come up.
I had no idea he was into Queensland politics etc but I did know him (and his wife and children) from ASOPA and also from our first postings to Bougainville. Me to Buin and Bruce to Wakunai patrol post.
I only ever came across him once when he was making a visit to Kieta, by which time I was with the Public Works Department and running the buying project negotiating with Theiss on all the surplus materials left over from the Panguna mine construction for BCL.
I did have contact with his wife because both she and my wife Christine were in Panguna base hospital delivering babies - to us a daughter, Fiona, whom we took back to Buin with us the day after she was born.
Fortunately I had the foresight to obtain a full birth certificate in multiple copies for her and these have proven very useful during her own travels across the world.
Having 'original' copies helped with visas and other documents (such as gaining UK and EU passports and so on).
It is impossible to obtain any form of birth records from PNG today (they were never consolidated) and all Panguna hospital records went west after the troubles in Bougainville.
Posted by: Chris Rivers | 28 August 2021 at 11:20 AM