Page 1849 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 17 June 2008
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Trevor Kaine believed in the importance of public service and impressed this idea on his family. He has two daughters who have made a contribution to Australia and the diplomatic service. On behalf of the Canberra Liberals, I convey our condolences to Trevor and his family.
MR MULCAHY (Molonglo) (10.48): I will take a few moments to join with my parliamentary colleagues in paying tribute to Trevor Kaine. History will record Trevor Kaine as an important player in the early days of self-government in the ACT. His contribution to Canberra was considerable and will not soon be forgotten. His was a life of service, and it is appropriate today that we remember the contribution that he made to the territory.
I first met Trevor Kaine some 19 years ago in 1989, when I was working as a lobbyist. Over the years, although we were not close friends, we had a series of professional dealings. He attended the opening by the Hon John Howard of the Australian Hotels Association’s new offices in Barton in 1996 when I was national executive director of that organisation. The records will show that he was photographed with the former Prime Minister by the Canberra Times after that event. As I have said, I was not a close acquaintance of Trevor, but, since our first dealings, we had fairly regular communication. Throughout all of our dealings, he was, as others have touched upon already, professional, competent, and efficient.
Trevor was born in 1928 in Penguin, Tasmania, and was educated in Victoria and Queensland. He served in the RAAF and obtained the rank of wing commander in his 22-year career. He was also a senior public servant in the defence department, a role of which I recall him being quite proud, and he worked at the Australian Embassy in Washington DC.
It was the air force that first brought Trevor to Canberra in the 1950s, but Trevor’s next career is what will be best remembered. His involvement in ACT politics extended some 27 years and encompassed both the time before and during self-government in Canberra. The pinnacle of this service was his time as Chief Minister between 1989 and June 1991. That period was flanked by terms as opposition leader. Trevor also served as Minister for Urban Services in the Carnell government.
Trevor Kaine made, as I have said, a significant contribution to the ACT, and it is appropriate that we pay tribute today to him and his many years of visionary service for his country and the people of the ACT. I join in extending my condolences to his surviving family members.
DR FOSKEY (Molonglo) (10.51): I am very pleased to be able to join with other members in this motion of condolence for the family of Trevor Kaine. While I did not know Trevor Kaine personally at all, I am well aware of the important role that he played in the early days of self-government in the ACT and his considerable skills in public administration. I have asked the former Greens member of the Legislative Assembly, Kerrie Tucker, who did work with Trevor, to provide me with some comments. People will be aware that Kerrie represented the ACT Greens at Trevor’s funeral last week.
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