Page 1845 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 17 June 2008
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government was responsible for a number of innovative arts initiatives, the legacy of which persists to this day.
Trevor continued to demonstrate his commitment to the Canberra community following his retirement from politics and was actively involved in a number of community projects. It was a mark of Trevor Kaine’s passion for this city that, even after his health had been seriously compromised by a stroke, he agreed to accept my offer to join other former Chief Ministers as a member of the Centenary of Canberra Task Force—another opportunity to serve his community, another opportunity to contribute ideas and energy to the place he loved.
Regardless of which side of the chamber we sit on today, we surely are as one in our admiration of and affection for Trevor Kaine. Everyone in this chamber owes him a debt of gratitude for the foundations he helped to lay through the structures and policies he pursued during his time in the Assembly.
On behalf of the government, I offer my most sincere condolences to Trevor’s wife, Sandie, to all the members of his family and to his wider circle of friends. And on behalf of members of the Assembly, I formally acknowledge Trevor Kaine’s significant contribution to the Australian Capital Territory’s democratic processes. Our city has lost a good man and a true gentleman.
MR SESELJA (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (10.37): On behalf of the Canberra Liberals, I pay our respects to Trevor Kaine and his family. Mr Kaine was a great Canberran. He was well regarded as a good thinker, an approachable person and, most importantly, a very honest and decent man. Moreover, he was a strong champion of the interests of Canberra, and on a number of occasions he stood up to our detractors on the hill, including his own party.
Trevor Kaine came from very humble beginnings and started his working life at a young age. He had a very diverse range of private interests, even while juggling a demanding public career. He led a very full life. Trevor Kaine began his public service in the predecessor to the current Legislative Assembly, first winning a seat in the 1974 poll, when he topped the Liberal vote in the northern ACT electorate of Fraser, which was named after the corresponding federal electorate. Trevor was elected in 1974 alongside a number of local identities who were or became quite significant players in Canberra’s political landscape, including Jim Leedman, Jim Pead, Gordon Walsh, Ros Kelly, and Susan Ryan.
It was a very different Assembly in those days; its powers were very limited and its work was run on a part-time basis with MLAs holding down other day jobs and the meetings of the Assembly occurring in the evenings. In these circumstances, given the lack of financial incentive and the considerable disruption to family life outside of work hours, it was unusual for a very capable senior public servant such as Trevor Kaine to put himself forward for election to local office.
Trevor brought strong financial management skills to the Assembly in 1974, and he was the obvious choice to serve as a Chairman of the Public Finance and Legislation Committee. Although the powers of the Assembly were rather limited then, the Chairman of the Public Finance Committee had some important functions, including
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