Russell Matheson (Macarthur, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I would like to pay tribute to former Campbelltown mayor and state Liberal MP Mr Greg Percival OBE, who passed away on 9 May 2011. I would also like to pay my respects to Greg's wife, Diana; his three children, Virginia, Drew and Susan; and their families, who he loved very much. Since his passing, Greg Percival has been remembered by the Macarthur community as a local treasure, a true statesman, a civic legend and a man of integrity.

Greg was a great visionary who played a vital role in the development of Campbelltown and the Macarthur region. To quote last week's edition of the Campbelltown-Macarthur Advertiser:

THERE is barely a square metre of Campbelltown in which Greg Percival … did not have a major say.

From the location of our council chambers and Wests Tigers' home ground, to the creation of Campbelltown's sister city relationship with Koshigaya, Mr Percival was usually at the engine room.

His political heyday stretched from the 1950s to the 1980s but even in retirement he never lost his local passion.

In recent times, for example, he backed the successful fight to stop Glenfield's Hurlstone Agricultural High School farm paddocks being sold to developers—

by the state Labor government.

Greg's political achievements speak for themselves: 31 years as a councillor, two terms as mayor and two as deputy mayor. He was a state member of parliament from 1977 to 1978 and from 1986 to 1988, an executive member of the local government association and the Australia Council of Local Government in the 1960s and 1970s, where he was elected president. Greg devoted a lot of his own time as member of several boards and commissions across New South Wales, including the Sydney Water Board, the NSW planning and environment commission, the Australian council of intergovernmental relations and the Australian constitutional review and convention.

Locally, he was a trustee of the Ingleburn Returned Services League and chairman of the Macarthur Country Tourist Association. He was a life member of the Ingleburn Bowling Club and Ingleburn tennis club, president of the Hume area scout association and patron of Campbelltown Rotary, Ingleburn chamber of commerce and the Royal Australian Navy's Fairmile Association. Greg was instrumental in the establishment of and the continued support for the Campbelltown-Koshigaya Sister Cities Association and visited Japan on numerous occasions. He was also awarded the Officer of the Order of the British Empire, OBE, in 1976—a justified tribute in recognition of his contribution to his community.

Greg was Campbelltown's longest serving councillor and always stood up for what he believed was right. He never backed away from a fight. It was always an honour to stand beside Greg in the trenches fighting for our community. In his political career, Greg was tough yet passionate and very charming. He was known for his great sense of humour and pride in his community. He was a quiet achiever and everything he did was for others, not for his own political gain. Even in retirement, Greg was well informed about the local community and was often keen to bend my ear about the future of my electorate. I was always very fond of Greg as a person and I am grateful for all the advice he gave me. Even a few months ago when I had lunch with Greg and his wife, Diana, at Macquarie Links golf course, he was keen to bend to my ear about the future of Campbelltown and its surrounds. I always enjoyed spending time with him and listening to his stories about his time on council.

I was pleased to see Diana at the Appin Bicentennial Festival last weekend, maintaining the Percival family's strong historical and personal connection to the local community. Greg was ahead of his time when it came to his vision for Macarthur. The significant contributions he made to the city of Campbelltown are something that not only his family but the entire community can certainly be proud of. I believe it would have been appropriate to honour Greg Percival with a state funeral, recognising his status amongst the Macarthur community. I hope all those who choose a life in the political arena, whether at a local, state or federal level, make the same contribution to their communities and are held in the same high esteem as this great man.

At the request of Greg's family, I was honoured to say a few words at his funeral and pay tribute to a great man in the company of the member for Fowler, who also spoke. On behalf of the Macarthur community, I would like to publicly acknowledge Greg for the great contribution he made to our community and thank him for his vision which has helped make my electorate what it is today. Greg, this is the only battle I remember you losing. You will always be loved and respected. You will always be remembered. Rest in peace, my good friend.