Page 374 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 15 February 2005
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Death of Mr John Dainer
MR STANHOPE (Ginninderra—Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Environment and Minister for Arts, Heritage and Indigenous Affairs): I move:
That this Assembly expresses its deep regret at the death of John Joseph Dainer, who, before his retirement, held the position of Special Magistrate in the ACT Magistrates Court and had a distinguished career in the Royal Australian Air Force, and tenders its profound sympathy to his family, friends and colleagues in their bereavement.
Before his retirement, John Dainer held the position of special magistrate in the ACT Magistrates Court and had a distinguished career in the Royal Australian Air Force. John Dainer, or JD as he was affectionately known, passed away on Saturday, 5 February after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He will be sorely missed by his wife, Elizabeth, his children and their spouses—Chris, Debbie, Michael and Anna—and his six grandchildren.
John Dainer had a long and fulfilling career in the legal sector in the military. He was a well-liked and well-respected member of the bench and the local legal fraternity. His career began in 1947 when he joined the New South Wales Police Force. He served in both country and metropolitan police stations as a general duties officer and in the scientific investigation team.
In 1955 he began his law studies and was admitted as a barrister in New South Wales in 1960. Just under a month later he was appointed to the Royal Australian Air Force Special Duties Legal Branch and a year later transferred to the Department of Air in Canberra.
In 1963 he took leave from the RAAF to take up a three-month position as assistant to the registrar of the ACT Supreme Court. Deciding to pursue a legal career as a partner in the law firm Gallen, Kelly and Dainer, he resigned from the permanent air force and took up with the RAAF general reserve.
In 1966 the Australian involvement in the Vietnam War grew significantly, and in October of that year Mr Dainer rejoined the permanent air force and served in Butterworth, Thailand and in South Vietnam, as it was known then. He was awarded the Vietnam Medal and a Return from Active Service Badge and returned to Canberra in 1969, where he again resigned from the permanent air force and again joined the reserve.
He also took up a position with Minter, Simpson and Co solicitors and joined the ACT Legal Reserve Panel. During this term he worked as a solicitor and barrister in the ACT courts. In 1973 his commitment to justice was rewarded when he was appointed to the ACT Magistrates Court and took the oath of office in front of the then Chief Justice Russell Walter Fox. He continued his service to the RAAF reserve, and in April 1985 was awarded the Reserve Force Decoration and was appointed a defence force magistrate. Magistrate John Dainer was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in 1988 for his services to the RAAF specialist reserve as a reserve legal officer.
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