Page 205 - Week 01 - Thursday, 14 February 2019
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Thursday, 14 February 2019
MADAM SPEAKER (Ms J Burch) took the chair at 10 am, made a formal recognition that the Assembly was meeting on the lands of the traditional custodians, and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.
Mr Shane Madden
Motion of condolence
MR BARR (Kurrajong—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Social Inclusion and Equality, Minister for Tourism and Special Events and Minister for Trade, Industry and Investment) (10.01): I move:
That this Assembly expresses its deep regret at the death of Mr Shane Madden, who served in a number of important roles within the ACT legal system, including 13 years as a Magistrate in the ACT Magistrates Court, and tenders its profound sympathy to his family, friends and colleagues in their bereavement.
This Assembly expresses its deep regret at the death of Mr Shane Godfrey Madden. Before his passing on 23 November 2018 at the age of 73, Mr Madden had a distinguished legal career. He served in a number of important roles within our legal system, including, as I have mentioned, the Magistrates Court for 13 years.
He served as a magistrate from 1996 until his retirement in July 2009. During this time, Mr Madden was the first magistrate for the ACT Children’s Court and he regularly presided over the Ngambra Circle Sentencing Court. He was known in the legal profession as a decent and fair-minded magistrate who showed compassion and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander offenders and their elders.
Prior to moving to the bench, Mr Madden worked in the senior leadership team of the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions, including through its formation in 1991. He also served as acting president of the former ACT tenancy tribunal and as a member of the former ACT credit tribunal.
Madam Speaker, in 1997 Mr Madden worked tirelessly as the coroner on the inquest into the death of Katie Bender, resulting from the demolition of the Royal Canberra Hospital on Acton Peninsula. As part of that inquest, he presided over 118 days of sitting and produced a 657-page report that identified the systemic failures. The report led to important changes to government work safety policies and procedures.
In addition to his contributions to the legal profession, which are considerable, Mr Madden was also an active member of the local community. He was a life member of the ACT Brumbies, and refereed more than 300 rugby games for ACT Rugby between 1987 and 2006—refereed no doubt as fairly and impartially as he served on the bench. And refereeing any rugby match, Madam Speaker, given the complexity of the rules in that sport, is no mean feat. He served as chairman of the Brumbies disciplinary committee from 1999 to 2009. He had a deep passion for the sport of rugby, to which he contributed so much.
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