Page 2041 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 28 May 1991
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historian and the myth-maker to tell the story of how the world came to be as it is. It is the task of the prophet to tell the story of what might be. The historian presents the choice: history is a book of wisdom for those making that choice.
Indeed, Manning Clark made many choices throughout his life. I have referred already to his choice and his extraordinary generosity towards ordinary men and women of Australia.
He also, of course, made some political choices, although he was not an overtly political man. He was a supporter of many of the Labor Party's ideals, particularly during the heady and reformist days of the Whitlam era. It was a great privilege for the Labor Party locally to have Manning Clark present at the launch of our first campaign under self-government, back in 1988, I think.
Manning Clark also made a choice to live in Canberra. Indeed, he spent 42 years living and working in Canberra. He loved Canberra and he was always willing to defend it against any of its detractors. In fact, in response to a very ill-advised remark by Prince Phillip, about whether Canberra had a soul, Manning Clark said at a public meeting, "People who say Canberra has no soul are talking about themselves". If I had no other reason to love Manning Clark, that would be enough to cause me to love him, because it is an extremely true statement. It came from somebody who knows and loves Canberra.
Mr Speaker, I believe that Professor Manning Clark was the greatest Australian I have known. It was an extraordinary honour to know him. The sympathies of the Labor team in the Assembly go to his wife Dymphna and to his large family on his death.
DR KINLOCH: On behalf of the Residents Rally and also for myself, I very much endorse the remarks of both the Chief Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. I pick up, if I may, two of their comments. Mr Kaine referred to Manning as "a noncomformist with a passion for life". I have seen that at first hand. Ms Follett rightly quoted from that magnificent passage at the end of volume 6. I honour Manning as "an enlarger of life", which indeed he was. Anyone who was at that extraordinary gathering yesterday would say, "There was Canberra's soul". As one observer said, "There was also volume 12 of the Australian Dictionary of Biography on the pavement all around". It was just an amazing sight.
I have a particular regard for Manning, and I hope that I may be allowed to express this in this very appropriate arena. He was head of the department of history, which took me on board in September 1966 - 25 years ago. Some of you may say, "Well, that was one of the things that perhaps Manning should not have done", but I owe being here in Canberra to Manning Clark. I remember so well arriving here in Canberra. He had just been in hospital, but one of
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