Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to support the motion moved by Senator Evans and offer on behalf of coalition senators sincere condolences upon the death of former Liberal senator from Victoria, George Conrad Hannan. George Hannan died on 1 May at the age of 98—a grand age indeed. His grandson observed the irony of such a strong conservative passing away on May Day.

George filled no fewer than two casual vacancies in the Senate, the first in 1956 and the second in 1970. That must be unique. He served for a total of 13 years in this place—a full six-year term from 1959 to 1965 and then a term shortened by the 1974 double dissolution, from 1970 to 1974. I note that whenever he was up for election, he was always in the precarious third spot on the Liberal Party’s Senate ticket in Victoria; that was in the days when we only had 10 senators from each state. He was born in Wagga but grew up in Albury and went to boarding school in Goulburn then studied law in Melbourne. He spent his non-political life working in his own legal practice in Melbourne.

As Senator Evans noted, George served with the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve during World War II, becoming a lieutenant in 1942. He worked in the radar division, which suited his electronic knowledge and experience with amateur radio, hence his long interest in communications. As shadow communications spokesman, it would be remiss of me not to mention that from a young age George had an interest in areas of communication, broadcasting and technology, as shown through his interest in amateur radio, subsequent work with the Navy and his interests and committee involvement during his time in parliament.

George participated in the Parliamentary Library’s oral history project and gave a detailed account of his life and of his time in the federal parliament, which does make interesting reading. He did that in November 1984 just before the 1984 federal election. In that oral history he describes his mother as having very conservative views on political matters, while his father was more affiliated with the Labor tradition. So, as Senator Evans noted, we see who won out! In that Parliamentary Library interview George described the development of what were his apparently very conservative views. He stated that it was after World War II that he discovered a strong conservative feeling and that ‘things for which the Labor Party stood after the war were nothing like the ideals that had actuated my father’.

George joined the Liberal Party in 1946, drawn to our party because he was ‘impressed by the aims and objects set out by Mr Menzies’, for whom he had a lifetime of admiration. Prior to the war he supported Menzies and after the war he thought the Liberal view was better for Australia. He was a strong supporter of the Liberal Party structure upon its formation, stating that ‘a man from down at branch level could beat the Prime Minister for endorsement if he was good enough’. That does not happen very often, however! He was a proud conservative during his time in parliament, interested in foreign affairs and broadcasting and very well known for his anticommunism, which was a hot button issue in the fifties.

George was an active member of a number of select committees during his time in the Senate, including the Select Committee on the Encouragement of Australian Production for Television in 1962 and 1963, and was a strong champion of Australian broadcasting content. As Senator Evans noted, he was not endorsed by the executive of the Victorian division of the Liberal Party in 1974. Having sought and failed in preselection due to what Senator Evans noted was his view that the then administration was controlled by ‘trendies’, he was concerned that the party was drifting away from the Menzies principles, so he established the National Liberal Party to contest the election in 1974. He stated in the Parliamentary Library interview that ‘the trouble is, too much of what is called small ‘L’ liberalism doesn’t mean conservative at all, it means jumping on any bandwagon that is going by’. I guess that sums up former Senator Hannan’s view of the world.

In 1974, the Age, in discussing his new party, described him as one of the best ‘boots and all’ orators on the Liberal benches. He was certainly passionate about his conservative views. Having stood for his National Liberal Party, he had a temporary absence from our party but later rejoined and remained active. He has received a lifetime service award through the Victorian division of the Liberal Party, and it is good to see that degree of forgiveness by the Victorian division. I understand he was a frequent caller on many Victorian Liberal politicians to provide his views. I must say I regret never having met George Hannan. From what I have read of him and from what I know, I am sure I would have liked him very much indeed.

To his wife of 71 years, Eileen, and their children and grandchildren, on behalf of the Liberal and National parties I place on record our sincere appreciation of George’s long and meritorious public service and tender our profound sympathy at this time.