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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 4 Hansard (1 April) . . Page.. 1112 ..

MR CORNWELL (continuing):

Barry was certainly involved with and committed to the concept of self-government. Anybody who had been involved, certainly as a member of the advisory Assembly, between the years of 1974 and 1986 could not but be supportive of the concept of self-government for this territory. There were too many things that came across our desks, almost on a daily basis, that highlighted the problems that we were suffering in the ACT from being governed effectively by a minister who, in all but one case, was remote from this territory. That one minister, I might add, was a member of the House of Representatives for the ACT and was defeated at the next election, which probably says something for the feelings of people in relation to self-government.

That view was certainly shared passionately by Barry Reid. I remember having numerous discussions with him, and other members, about the need for some sort of self-determination for the ACT. I remember the bipartisan support that we had on this issue. It is a nice memory to retain that, irrespective of our parties, we recognised that it was important that we should unite on this.

I am sorry that subsequently there was a rift between Barry and the Australian Labor Party. I do not know the details, but I think it was regrettable. Nevertheless, I have no doubt that he would have felt strongly to have taken that action, regrettable as it might have been.

I suppose my most enduring memory of Barry Reid is the fact that he was always a friendly person; he always listened, as I said earlier, to the views of other people; and he was very involved in the community. Although we did not agree on everything, I still have fond memories of my time serving with him in the previous Assembly and, of course, in subsequent years when we occasionally ran into each other.

Mr Speaker, on behalf of the opposition, I extend my condolences and those of my colleagues, to his wife, Wally, and his sons.

MR WOOD (Minister for Disability, Housing and Community Services, Minister for Urban Services, Minister for the Arts and Heritage and Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (10.48): Mr Speaker, I knew Mr Barry Reid when he was a member of the predecessor to this Assembly, the old advisory council, and I was a mere branch member in the ACT. I knew him as an active and enthusiastic member of the advisory council. Subsequently, on a couple of occasions he was a little bit over enthusiastic, and then there was the separation that has been mentioned.

However, I know that Barry Reid's enthusiasm and willingness to be part of the community, and to be a helpful and strong community member, remained undiminished. That was also evident in the years before 1989 when he was one of those-and there were not a large number of them-who were very enthusiastic about the concept of self-government. He anticipated the benefits that this would bring, although I do remember him talking on one occasion, when we were following a regime to reduce our levels of expenditure, about the financial difficulties that would emerge from self-government.

Barry Reid was always a sincere advocate for people and for the ACT. It was most noticeable that he had a genuine desire to support and help people in the community. As has been mentioned, he had the ability to pursue issues strongly and effectively, and he displayed these qualities as a member of the ALP and after he left that organisation. He

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