Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to pay tribute to Nancy Giese AO, OBE, MBE, a truly remarkable Territorian who died earlier this month in Darwin aged 90. I agree with my friend the former Northern Territory senator Grant Tambling that 'for the last 58 years the Northern Territory community has been favourably influenced by the remarkable achievements of a modern-day pioneer in Nancy Giese'.

Nan ,as she was affectionately known, moved to the Northern Territory with her husband, the late Harry Giese, in 1954. Their combined efforts in public administration, community and Aboriginal affairs, politics and, in particular, the fields of education and the arts attest to a substantial contribution far beyond normal endeavours.

Diana Giese, Nan's daughter, has given a historic account of life in the Northern Territory from the perspective of her parents in her book A Better Place To Live:Making the Top End a New Kind of Community. The work of Harry and Nan Giese is acknowledged throughout the Northern Territory as having made a difference. With a young family in the 1950s and 1960s Nan Giese was challenged by her participation in school parent organisations, the Northern Australian Eisteddfod Council, the Arts Council of Australia in the Northern Territory, Musica Viva, Browns Mart Community Arts and the then embryonic Darwin Community College Council to focus priorities and administration for the arts and education.

Subsequently, in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s Nan was the most important chairperson of so many community organisations needing local leadership. One such organisation was the council of the Darwin Institute of Technology, where in the 1980s she was chair. Then she was appointed the inaugural deputy chancellor of the Northern Territory University, which is my alma mater. In 1993 Nan was appointed as the university's second chancellor, a position she held for 10 years. Nan was the university's first female chancellor. As chancellor of the emerging Northern Territory University and the eventual Charles Darwin University, Nan provided inspiration to administrators, academia and tertiary students alike.

Nan's legacy is the many Territorians who were inspired by her example and friendship to continue her good works. Appropriately she was awarded Membership of the British Empire for her services to the community in 1971. In 1977 Nan was made an Officer of the British Empire for her services to education, the arts and women. Twenty Years later, in 1997, Nan was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for the development of tertiary education in the Northern Territory and the visual and performing arts.

In 2001 she was given a Centenary Medal for her services to higher education as a founding member of the Northern Territory University Board. More recently, in 2011, Charles Darwin University recognised Nan's contributions to the university by naming the Casuarina campus art gallery in her honour. Since its opening, the gallery has provided a platform for emerging and established Territory artists to showcase their works, something Nan was a big advocate for. In response to the gallery being named in her honour Nan said, 'I'm extremely passionate about all forms of visual and performing arts and I hope that this gallery will act as a vehicle for Territory artists to further their careers.'

There is no doubt that the many awards and honours bestowed upon Nan Giese are a testament to her passion, strength, leadership and commitment to her community. I had the pleasure of meeting Nan on a number of occasions. Although I did not know her very well, she was and continues to be an inspiration to many Territorians, particularly women, and this includes me. Both Nan and Harry were original supporters of the Country Liberal Party in the early-seventies and remained active members of the party during their lifetime.

Nan and Harry Giese are survived by their daughter Diana and their son Dr Richard Giese and his family. They must be very proud of their parents' contribution to the benefit of the Northern Territory—because I know that I am.