It is with enormous pleasure that I stand today as the current member for Lalor to congratulate one of our former representatives, the Hon. Barry Jones, on being awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia in 2014. Barry has received this honour for eminent service to the community as a leading intellectual in Australian public life.

Once an Australian quiz champion, Barry's political career started in the Victorian parliament as the member for Melbourne from 1972 to 1977. He served the people of Lalor in the Australian parliament from 1977 to 1998 and is best known for his contribution as science minister for the Hawke government from 1983 to 1990. Barry also presided over the growth of organisations such as CSIRO and the creation of the Australia prize for scientific research. Barry was a very well-respected, hardworking representative for Lalor. With the State Research Farm and aerospace facilities in our electorate, it was well suited to have the science minister as our representative.

In 1993, Barry was honoured as an Officer of the Order of Australia for his services to the promotion of science, the arts and film, writing and Australian politics. It is fitting that a person who has contributed so much to society has now been recognised as a Companion of the Order of Australia. On behalf of the people of Lalor, I congratulate Barry Jones.