Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Assistant Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to make a contribution to the condolence motion on Keppel—or Kep—Enderby QC. Mr Enderby entered parliament at a by-election as the Labor member for the Australian Capital Territory in 1970. He was re-elected in 1972 and then, following a redistribution, was elected as the first member for the newly created seat of Canberra in 1974. He lost his seat in the double dissolution of 1975.

During the Whitlam government Mr Enderby held various portfolios, including Minister for the Northern Territory. However, he is most well known for his role as Attorney-General from February 1975 until the dissolution of parliament on 11 November 1975. Mr Enderby went on to become a judge of the New South Wales Supreme Court and chairman of the Serious Offenders Review Council.

Retirement allowed him to pursue his interest in Esperanto, becoming President of the Universal Esperanto Association. This involvement was borne out of a belief that if the world spoke a single language it would lessen conflict. He was also an advocate for voluntary euthanasia. From 1986 to 1998 he was the national president of the Australia-USSR society.

Kep Enderby lived a full life for a boy from Dubbo, whose first claim to fame was as an amateur golf champion before enlisting in the Royal Australian Air Force and after the war training as a barrister. He flew helicopters into his 60s. His contribution to the other place included introducing the Family Law Act, which included no-fault divorce, and the establishment of the Family Court as well as the abolition of the federal death penalty.

In his speech on the Territory's Senate bill, Mr Enderby said, 'It is true that a long-term policy of the Australian Labor Party is not to encourage the long future of the Senate, but here one has to grasp the facts of political life.' He concluded his contribution by saying, 'Let the government do the right thing by the people of the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory and let them have Senate representation.' He made news by backing working mums, the establishment of childcare services and sick-leave entitlements for either parent. This was big news in 1970.

In 1971 he was the vice president of the Kanangra Society, the Aboriginal society, which sponsored the observance of National Aborigines Day in Canberra and Queanbeyan. He stated that Australians were becoming increasingly aware of all forms of social injustice but particularly in relation to the Aborigine. He really was ahead of his time. He stated that Aborigines suffered because they were discriminated against by their situation and lack of education and employment opportunities. Those are the very things we are trying to remedy by this government's commitments to get Indigenous children to school, adults to work and safer communities.

Interestingly, what also made the news back then was Mr Enderby's call for Australia to be republic and his opposition to the Black Mountain telecommunications tower. On behalf of the Nationals in the Senate, I extend to Mr Enderby's family our sincere condolences.

Question agreed to, honourable senators standing in their places.