POLITICAL GIANT HONOURED IN PARLIAMENT
OPPOSITION leader David Crisafulli has remembered the moment Ken Mcelligott told him not to waste time, and pick his targets as he pounded the pavement in his first election campaign.
Mr Mcelligott, a lifelong Labor man and the former member for Townsville and Thuringowa, was a giant of the Townsville political landscape and always ready to offer advice.
On Thursday he was honoured by politicians from both sides of state parliament with a condolence motion.
“The Townsville community is poorer for his passing and I offer my personal condolences and those of the opposition to his wife Shirley, their three children, Scott, Mark and Toni, and the entire family,” Mr Crisafulli said.
Mr Mcelligott, who served in state parliament and Townsville City Council as deputy mayor, died June 3.
Mr Crisafulli, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper, Townsville MP Scott Stewart and Mundingburra MP Les Walker all remembered the former MP.
Mr Stewart said in Townsville, you either knew Mr Mcelligott or knew of Mr Mcelligott.
“He was that kind of guy. Ken was a fighter,” Mr Stewart said.
“Nothing shows that more than the quote he often used: it is the strongest swimmers who swim against the current.”
Mr Walker described the much-loved former politician as “the real deal – a visionary”.
Mr Harper said Mr Mcelligott had made a big difference in regional health across the state.
“Ken was very well respected, irrespective of what side of politics you were on, also saying it was above politics,” Mr Harper said.
“He was a proud Townsville representative first and a
Labor member and politician second.”