Page 2211 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 1 August 2017
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Tharwa to have a chat to Val and to ask Val to step up and serve in the Assembly. I am very glad that he did. It was typical of Val that, even though he was reluctant when called upon to serve, when the need was there he did step up, and I think at great expense to himself in many ways. He stood up, he made the commitment and he came into this place. I am very glad, for a whole range of reasons, that he did. The compelling argument that if he did not it would likely be a Green that came into this place was probably what sealed the deal for Val.
In retrospect, and having spoken to Val, he was very glad that he did step up as well, despite his initial reticence. He enjoyed being here and he did get a lot out of it. He made it very clear to me at the time that if he did come into this place then he would speak his mind. Those who were here at the time would agree that he kept that side of the bargain. He kept his word on that. As Mr Coe and Mr Barr have alluded to, his maiden speech was a beauty, and very different from most of our maiden speeches. I encourage those that were not here to look at it on Assembly on Demand or to read it, because it was very forthright. He talked about a lot of topics not normally spoken about in this place, and particularly about the rural community.
He gave it to a few people—all of us, I think, in various degrees. Despite being a politician himself, he did not have a high regard for politicians. Mr Corbell and Mr Gentleman particularly copped it from Val. He argued that the rural communities had not been served particularly well by this Assembly, and I think that, to a large extent, he had a point. I think that we should remember his words at the time and make sure that we serve our rural communities. A lot of what he said about the bushfires was borne out in 2003, and it reminds us to be ever vigilant. It was certainly an honour to have him here and his plain speaking served this place well.
I visited Val in hospital earlier this year. He had a difficult time during his illness before he died. I thanked him personally on that occasion for his service to the community, to this Assembly and to the Liberal Party. I made the point that, although his service was brief, he had probably made as much of a contribution as many who have lingered in this place for a lot longer. Val did not dispute that. You would not be surprised to hear that he did not dispute that fact.
Many of us who were at his funeral last week heard some great stories. We were at the cemetery in Queanbeyan, in the bush setting. It was a very appropriate place and setting for Val. Many of his friends, family and colleagues were there, amongst all the birds chirping in the bush. We were regaled by some wonderful stories of his life. It certainly was a remarkable life.
I say to Val’s family, friends and former colleagues, to those from the Tharwa community and everyone who was touched by his life, thank you very much for sharing Val with us last year. We appreciated having him in this place and we are all much richer because of it.
MR WALL (Brindabella) (10.19): I rise to join my colleagues today in paying tribute to a truly decent Canberran, Mr Valentine Max Jeffery OAM, AFSM, very affectionately known by all of us as just Val. I reflected just a moment ago on when I first met Val. It is a story I never actually got to tell him when our lives crossed
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