Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .
Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 6 Hansard (23 May) . . Page.. 1617 ..
MR STANHOPE (Leader of the Opposition) (5.07): Mr Speaker, I would like to speak this evening of two friends of mine, who were also members of the Australian Labor Party, who have died in recent days.
David Green died suddenly on 12 May. His death was unexpected and, of course, a great shock to his family and his friends. David was a prominent journalist, both on daily papers and for government. He started his career in 1951 as a copy boy with the Adelaide Advertiser. He worked as a reporter for the Advertiser and he graduated to having his own daily column on that paper. At different stages he was the Advertiser's representative in Melbourne and worked for a time in Fleet Street.
In 1965, David began a long career in government information. He joined the Department of the Navy and shortly afterwards became its director of public relations. In that role his colleagues credited him with restoring the public image of the navy which had been so badly damaged by the Melbourne-Voyager collision and its aftermath.
Over the next 20 years and more David played a similar role with the Australian Tourism Commission and the Commonwealth Department of Education. His final government post was with the then ACT Schools Commission.
As his colleagues have noted elsewhere, David worked with drive and enthusiasm and produced work of the highest quality. In 1989, David started his own consultancy and continued to run it until the time of his death Through his consultancy, David assisted me when I was running for the Assembly and after that.
His friends from his days in the papers and in government public relations talk of David's capacity and the quality of his work. My experience was the same. David's advice was first rate and so was the product he delivered. Too often, he met unreasonable deadlines.
David the person was outstanding, too. His most striking features were his generosity, his gentleness and his interest in so many things. Modesty was another of his defining characteristics. David had every reason to be proud of his achievements, but I cannot remember him ever talking of them.
David Green was a good man and a good friend. I will miss him. I express my sorrow and that of all members of the ACT branch of the Australian Labor Party to David's family.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .