"The title for this book, No Textbook for This, is as much about Greg Williams as it is about this book. My best description of Greg is that he is very much an ordinary bloke but someone who has achieved extraordinary things throughout his life. In the early 1980s, when Greg first started out in business in Far North Queensland, he was embarking
on a journey into civil contracting.
Around the same time, I was starting out on my own journey in the cattle industry, running cattle stations in Cape York. My initial involvement with Greg came from seeking his company's services and supplies of goods. But over a relatively short time, that grew into a very strong friendship that has endured and strengthened over the years.
What I saw in Greg was quite amazing. He didn't just have the vision; he showed he was capable of actually delivering what was needed, particularly as we began rolling out bitumen roads across Cape York. Greg and his team were successful in tendering for numerous contracts that continued for the whole time he was with North Queensland Civil
Engineering Contracting (NQCEC).
The sealing of the Peninsula Developmental Road (PDR) is, in many ways, a legacy for Greg and his team, and the difference it has made to the quality of life for people in Cape York has been nothing short of profound He expanded into subdivisions and development in Weipa, where he based himself. I spent many a night at his Weipa home when I was
travelling through the region as the Federal Member for Leichhardt, enjoying his hospitality and hearing him share his excitement and vision for where he was heading next.
One point I would like to make about Greg is this: when he and his NQCEC partner Jimmy decided it was time to move on from NQCEC and put the business on the market, he had every opportunity to maximise the return. There was no shortage of large companies that would have been more than happy to acquire the business. But both Jimmy and Greg
had a vision of their own. They were determined to see the business pass into Indigenous ownership, and they persevered until it was eventually sold to a young man with family connections to Aurukun. That decision alone shows the depth of commitment they had to the Cape, and their willingness to follow what they believed in rather than simply chase the quick return.
Sadly, over time, without Jimmy and Greg at the helm, the business eventually folded, and the new owner tragically passed away. But the commitment they made, and their determination to hand that legacy over to a First Nations person, is something that should always be acknowledged. However, there is more to Greg than his civil engineering and contracting business. What isn't talked about as often is his passion for racehorses, and his long involvement with the Laura Turf Club. He always had horses in a race, supporting bush racing throughout the Cape.
It was people like Greg, prepared to take horses out to these bush carnivals, that kept these races alive. It was never about the money. Greg's camp at Laura, where I spent many a race weekend in my swag enjoying his hospitality is something I remember very fondly. His hospitality, his generosity and his total commitment to bush racing are things I have always admired."
Enjoy the read.
Warren Entsch
Former Member for Leichhardt
