Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

I rise on behalf of the opposition to express our condolences following the passing of the Hon. Sir Ransley Victor Garland KBE, a former minister. I note that he passed at the age of 87. As I begin, I wish to convey the opposition's condolences to his family and friends.

Sir Victor Garland, who I understand was widely known as Vic, lived a life that combined contributions to the private sector with public service. He went from local government to federal government, serving as a minister under prime ministers William McMahon and Malcolm Fraser. From this platform he would go on to represent the nation as its high commissioner in London, before contributing extensively as a member of private company boards in the United Kingdom and returning to Perth 15 years ago. He was not easily characterised as either a progressive or a conservative within his party. He instead took a pragmatic and constructive approach to politics and policy, and he routinely sought to make the best of whatever opportunity he had.

Sir Victor was born in 1934 and grew up in Perth. An alumnus of a state primary school, the prestigious Hale School, and the University of Western Australia, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in economics, he entered the accounting profession. In doing so he followed in the footsteps of his father, practising as a chartered accountant from 1958 until he entered federal parliament. At the same time he was also an active member of his community, particularly through his service in local government, eventually becoming deputy mayor of the town of Claremont. At the same time, he had been active in the Western Australian division of the Liberal Party, holding offices, including that of senior vice-president, as well as being a member of the Federal Council of the Liberal Party.

When Paul Hasluck resigned from the House of Representatives in 1969 to become Governor-General of Australia, Sir Victor Garland succeeded him as the member for Curtin. I note that in his first speech he was quite generous in acknowledging the significance of both Sir John Curtin, his namesake in the seat, and his predecessor, Mr Hasluck. The seat is named for the great Labor Prime Minister. It is situated in Perth's affluent beachside suburbs and has been a comfortably Liberal seat over many decades. When he made his first speech, Sir Victor acknowledged John Curtin, as I said. He said:

John Curtin was a man who, in times of great difficulty, drew credit to himself and, indeed, to his associates by his straightforwardness and fine qualities which caused him to tread the highest path of duty.

It was a magnanimous contribution about another person from the other side of politics.

Sir Victor said he felt the awe and honour of being elected a member of the House of Representatives and, unusually for the time, he specifically acknowledged the women who were active in his electorate, working, as he said, 'for the principles in which they believe'. He was preoccupied by the international affairs of the time, remembering that Australia was fully engaged in the Vietnam War. He spoke of his concerns about the increase in nuclear and non-nuclear aggression, as well as the role of China, which echoes some sentiments more recently expressed. Understandably for someone of his political persuasion, he emphasised the need for the support of the growth and development of non-Communist Asian states. He also praised the creation of regional institutions such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asia and Pacific Council. He noted that the economic growth of South-East Asian countries was dependent on their ability to provide social justice, recognising that this was something to which Australia could contribute, and he praised budget commitments for aid and assistance for education in the region.

He supported increases in defence funding, but he believed they must also be accompanied by increases in the aid budget. He called for Australia's growing wealth to be shared with neighbours in our region, noting we needed to accept our responsibility but also that increasing Australia's participation and leadership would come with the benefit of stronger relationships with South-East Asian countries. These were prescient comments, and indeed they are still relevant today. As Sir Victor said, security and economic development are two sides of the same coin.

Perhaps fittingly for someone elected to a seat of such significance, Sir Victor Garland spent very little time on the back bench before he was called upon to serve as a minister. He first entered the ministry in the McMahon government in 1971 as Minister for Supply, a portfolio that encompassed a wide range of responsibilities that we would now largely associate with the industry and resources minister. He added Minister Assisting the Treasurer to his duties before the defeat of that government at the end of 1972, when Gough Whitlam led Labor into power for the first time since 1949. That took Sir Victor into opposition. In the ensuing three years he held shadow portfolios, including spokesperson on the Public Service and the Australian Capital Territory as well as being chief opposition whip in the House of Representatives. This latter role was not one he especially sought, but it seemed it did enable him to make use of his number-counting skills behind the scenes. I was intrigued to read in the Adelaide Advertiser that this involved something of a personal metamorphosis. It reported: 'Mr Garland developed a reputation for a certain aloofness when he became supply minister during the final 12 months of the McMahon government because of the fairly formal way that he ran his portfolio. The image changed quite dramatically during the three years of the Labor government. Mr Garland made a point of getting to know press men and Parliament House workers and often attended the late-night round of parties that made Parliament House swing during the sitting weeks.' It was an intriguing metamorphosis.

He was a conspicuous supporter of Malcolm Fraser when Fraser successfully seized the leadership of the Liberal Party and the opposition from Billy Snedden. This led to a return to the front bench for Sir Victor when Mr Fraser became Prime Minister at the end of 1975. This was a personally challenging period. He resigned his new ministry early in 1976 after being the subject of electoral bribery charges which were dismissed by a magistrate. His exile lasted 19 months. Between 1977 and 1980, he went on to hold portfolios including veterans' affairs, special travel representations, business and consumer affairs, and assisting with industry and commerce. With his accounting background and previous experience in the treasury portfolio, he was particularly well suited to these economic portfolios. In these roles, he represented Australia overseas on numerous occasions and pursued policy reforms ranging from tariff implementation to increased customs vigilance, competition regulation and consumer education.

His tenure as a minister came to an end when he accepted an appointment as Australia's high commissioner to the United Kingdom in London at the end of 1980. He began his new role in 1981 and served until 1983. His previous experience, particularly in the trade portfolio, meant he was well placed to take up the diplomatic position. In 1982, he was made Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. At the conclusion of his term, he remained in the United Kingdom for an extended period of time. He took up positions on a number of corporate boards, making a substantial contribution in a range of areas. He returned to Perth in 2007.

Sir Victor Garland was one of the last surviving ministers of the McMahon government. With his passing, Tom Hughes is the only remaining Liberal member of that ministry. As we mark Sir Victor's death, we again pause to reflect, as we did yesterday in expressing our condolences following the death of Donald Grimes, on the diminishing number of living members of the governments that led Australia through the 1970s and 1980s. In doing so, we consider the impact of those governments in shaping the nation we are today.

Through his roles in both the McMahon and Fraser governments, Sir Victor made a contribution to building modern Australia. He would go on to represent our nation overseas, capping his Public Service career in this country first with service to Australia in the United Kingdom and then with service to that country as well. The opposition expresses our condolences following the passing of Sir Victor Garland, and we again convey our sympathies to his family and friends.