Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I join my colleague the member for Adelaide in making some brief remarks on the passing of Christopher John Hurford on 15 November last year. As the member for Adelaide and other speakers have pointed out, Chris Hurford was a former member of this place and a minister in the Hawke Labor government from 1983 to 1987. The details of Chris's personal life and his parliamentary service were comprehensively outlined in the contributions yesterday by the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, Senator Birmingham, Senator Don Farrell—and, a moment ago, by you, Mr Deputy Speaker Georganas—so I'll just make some brief remarks recollecting some of my own memories of Chris Hurford and his service to our nation.

Australia in 1969 was a very different country than it is today. That was the year Chris was first elected to parliament. Our needs were very different, life was very different and there was a different class of politicians—old-school politicians who had lived through World War II and had invaluable life experience. With Chris Hurford, that was very much the case. He had lived in India and England and then migrated to Australia as a Ten Pound Pom. Even within Australia, he spent time in Sydney, Perth and Broken Hill, finally settling in Adelaide. That life experience, I believe, made him the very effective, very competent and highly respected politician that he turned out to be—and, indeed, a very competent minister. It is also what made him a very popular local member, winning eight consecutive elections in what has not always been a safe Labor seat.

Perhaps Chris Hurford's most notable ministerial role—as you, Mr Deputy Speaker, pointed out just a few moments ago—was as immigration minister during a period when Australia experienced a substantial diversification of migration. He developed an affinity with the migrant communities, reciprocating the tendency for those communities to view him as their minister. Chris was also heartfelt on workers' issues, perhaps driven by his Catholic beliefs, his experience with large families and his time in the working town of Broken Hill. Within the Labor Party, Chris Hurford played a key and leading role in the formation of the Labor Unity faction in South Australia. After politics, he served as Australian Consul-General in New York from 1988 until 1992, and in 1993 he was awarded the Officer of the Order of Australia.

From my recollections of Chris and my relationship with him, Chris was a man of stature and intellect. When he walked into a room, his presence was immediately noted. And he was always ready to share good advice with upcoming colleagues, including me. I recall having some discussions with Chris when I stood for federal politics in both 2004 and then shortly after when I was elected in 2007. I can only say that his advice at the time was something I very much appreciated.

I extend my condolences to Chris's family—noting that his wife, Lorna, passed away in 2005—particularly to his children, Alex, David, Philippa, Kate and Richard; his sons-in-law and daughters-in-law, Marg, Jack, Mark and Emma; and his eight grandchildren, Sam, Georgia, Timmy, Tom, Tess, Clare, Matt, and Charlie. Finally, I thank Chris for his service to our country. May he rest in peace.

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