Page 4636 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 31 October 2017
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Justice Gallop will be remembered for his long and dedicated service to the legal profession. In 1998 he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his service to the law and to the community. He retired as an ACT Supreme Court judge in July 2000, on his 70th birthday.
Following his retirement, he remained a servant of the broader ACT community. One of his most significant contributions was to conduct a major inquiry into the ACT disability sector in 2001. The resulting report highlighted ways to improve ACT disability systems that have benefited many Canberrans. The Board of Inquiry into Disability Services, commonly known as the Gallop report, is often referred to as a turning point for the ACT disability sector. It recommended sweeping reforms, including individual care plan programs negotiated with families, something that is now a key feature of the national disability insurance scheme, developed well over a decade later.
The report also led to a significant increase in funding to ACT disability services and highlighted the importance of independent oversight and external scrutiny of services for people with a disability. It also led to the professionalisation of qualifications in the disability sector, including the development of a postgraduate qualification in disability studies. To this day, the Gallop report is referred to as a touchstone for any changes to the disability sector.
As has been noted, one of Justice Gallop’s great passions was his love of sport. As a prominent member of Canberra’s cricketing community, it is fair to say that Justice Gallop indeed had a good innings. He was a very talented cricketer, captaining the ACT representative team from 1962 to 1966 and playing, as has been mentioned, for the Prime Minister’s XI against South Africa in 1964. It has been noted in other places that there is a question as to whether he was actually supposed to hit the winning runs that day or whether there had been other arrangements made between the teams.
As a long-time president of the ACT Cricket Association, one of his achievements was acquiring the management rights for the Manuka Oval. As a result of his significant sporting accomplishments, Justice Gallop was inducted into the ACT Sport Hall of Fame in 2002 and, as has been noted, the ACT cricket first grade one-day competition was renamed the John Gallop Cup in 2007.
Madam Speaker, while the Canberra community will undoubtedly miss Justice Gallop, who leaves a remarkable legacy, the people who suffer most at this difficult time are his family and his close friends. Our thoughts and our sympathies are with them during this time of bereavement. I extend my condolences to the Gallop family.
Question resolved in the affirmative, members standing in their places.
Independent Integrity Commission—Select Committee
Report
MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong) (10.21): I present the following report:
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