Page 5272 - Week 14 - Thursday, 19 November 2009
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If a matter went up that wasn’t within the direct portfolio of the Minister for the Interior, he had to take it up with his colleague. There were too many fingers in the pie of the Territory.
His long commitment to the Canberra community, both inside and outside the political process, is evidenced by his work with the Canberra Hospital Board and the Woden Valley Hospital, the ACTTAB Board, the Canberra Commercial Development Authority, the ACT Electricity Council and the media. This morning we have heard about his involvement with the Territorial. He was also a great supporter and patron of a number of sporting clubs. All of this commitment was recognised when he received an MBE in January 1972.
While I did not know Jim personally, it is clear that he was a dedicated and active member of the Canberra community. Again, I offer our most sincere sympathy to Jim’s wife, Ita, his children and his friends as they mourn the passing of this great Canberran.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra): I would like to add my words of condolence on the passing of Jim Pead.
As we have heard, Jim Pead was born in Sydney and arrived in Canberra with his parents at the age of 18 months. His father worked on the building of Old Parliament House and the Peads lived at the Causeway. Jim attended St Christopher’s school in Manuka and eventually obtained a degree from the Canberra University College. According to his sons, one of his boyhood highlights was when Australia’s first native-born Governor-General, Sir Isaac Isaacs, on departing from Canberra, gave Jim his dog Blackie. From then on, the vice-regal dog lived at the Causeway.
Jim worked for a time in the Department of External Affairs as a trainer. It is fitting to know that Jim’s daughter Judy followed in her father’s footsteps, rose through the ranks and has had a distinguished career in foreign affairs. Jim left the public service, as we have heard, to open Canberra’s first self-service supermarket, in Yarralumla. Yarralumla was the centre of the Pead family life for many years.
In 1954, Jim began his long political career when he was elected to the advisory body—according to Jim’s son Gary, almost by accident. For the next 30 years, Jim served the growing city of Canberra. He was Chairman of the Advisory Council from 1964 to 1974 and became the President of the advisory ACT Legislative Assembly from 1974 to 1984. Over all those years Jim was a sort of de facto mayor of Canberra. In that role, he greeted vice-regal dignatories and presided over civic functions.
During the course of his public life, he was involved in the establishment of the milk authorities, the water control board, the ACT Electricity Authority and ACTTAB. He served on the boards of Canberra Hospital and the Woden Valley Hospital.
Jim considered that one of his greatest achievements was the establishment of the Canberra Commercial Development Board and the design and building of the Belconnen mall. We have heard the Chief Minister and Mr Seselja speak about that. Jim was bitterly disappointed when the federal government sold the mall and put the
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