Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That the Senate records its sorrow at the death, on 15 November 2020, of the Honourable Christopher John Hurford AO, former Minster Assisting the Treasurer and Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, and former member for Adelaide, places on record its gratitude for his dedicated service to the Parliament and the nation, and tenders its deep sympathy to his family in their bereavement.

The Hon. Christopher John Hurford AO, lived a long life, dedicated to improving the lives of all Australians and representing our great nation in public service. By the age of 15, Chris had lived on three continents, experiences which would shape his future and inform his worldly outlook. Chris helped to pioneer the widening of the Australian Labor Party and of the Labor movement, expanding, through his life, Labor's base beyond its traditional origins. He was a dedicated and strong believer in the Australian Labor Party and an active member of its South Australian branch, and indeed I acknowledge colleagues from the South Australia branch of the Labor Party on the other side here in the chamber and of course in the gallery.

Although I am informed that, apparently, in 1949, at the age of 19, he was somehow found standing at the Scarborough polling booth handing out voting cards for the Liberal Party at that historic election—

Senator Farrell interjecting—

I note Senator Farrell's interjections. I'm sure that the record can be corrected in that regard if need be!

Chris had been born on 30 July 1931 to Monty and Kathleen Hurford-Jones in Mhow in central India. His father, Monty, was an Englishman from Bristol who served in Gallipoli and France as an officer with the British Army. His mother, Kathleen, was an Australian whose father was a mining engineer. The two met in Rangoon, Burma, in 1919, marrying shortly thereafter.

Chris spent his early years living in India, where his father was stationed after transferring from the British Army to the Indian Army. In 1940, Kathleen took Chris, then aged nine, and his younger brother to Western Australia to attend boarding school at the Jesuit Saint Louis School, where he remained until he was 14. During these years, Chris spent many of his school holidays on his grandparents property near Boyup Brook. His grandparents were a great influence on Chris's life, and the time spent on their property was where his love of country, rural and regional Australia blossomed.

In 1945 the family travelled to England via three months in India to spend time with their father, who was stationed there until India gained its independence in 1947. Once they reached England, Chris attended The Oratory School near Reading to finish his education. When he was aged 18, the family moved back to Australia, settled in Western Australia and, while Chris sought to go to university, earning a living became the priority at the time. He began his working career as a trainee chartered accountant in Perth at Rankin, Morrison & Co. However, a couple of years later, after receiving a telegram from an old school friend, he moved across the country to work in the mining industry in Broken Hill.

Broken Hill introduced Chris to the trade union movement and was also where he completed his first accounting qualifications at the Broken Hill Technical College. After two years in the mining industry Chris had saved enough money to go back to England and study part-time at the London School of Economics, where he would later graduate with honours in economics. I doubt that the path from the mines of Broken Hill to the London School of Economics is an especially well-trodden one, or indeed has been trod by many others, if any. It is a testament to the work ethic and drive of Chris that he did make that remarkable journey.

During his time in London he met his future wife, Lorna Seedsman, a social worker from South Australia. Chris and Lorna would later marry, in 1960, and together have five children. While in England, Chris's passion for politics developed and he joined the British Labour Party. In 1958, upon return to Sydney, he joined the local branch of the Australian Labor Party and a year later moved to Adelaide to be with Lorna, where he was tasked with reviving the Labor Party's North Adelaide branch. Chris would twice stand for the state electorate of Torrens, in both 1962 and 1965. Fortunately for him, he was unsuccessful both times. I say 'fortunately' because he was later quoted as saying he 'was bloody glad I didn't win because I wasn't really interested in state politics'—with apologies to Mr Atkinson in the gallery.

Chris's unsuccessful attempts at state politics—and he's not the only one to have unsuccessful political attempts in their life, I say personally, and looking at you, Senator Farrell; I will come to that—would lead him to run for the federal electorate of Adelaide in 1969, defeating the then 25-year-old Liberal incumbent member for Adelaide, Andrew Jones. Chris Hurford would go on to win Adelaide at seven more elections—in 1972, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1984, and 1987—holding the electorate for 18 years through a remarkable series of wins. Notably, having won Adelaide from a Liberal MP, his successor candidate in the Adelaide by-election of 1988—I'm sorry to mention, Senator Farrell—lost Adelaide to the Liberal candidate, Michael Pratt, at that election. It's a testament to Chris that he held that seat for all those years between those two Liberal MPs, short lived though their careers were in the federal parliament. As a parliamentarian Chris served in many roles, including as Minister for Housing and Construction, Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs and Minister Assisting the Treasurer, as well as holding a number of roles in the shadow cabinet. Throughout this time he had many notable achievements. As the Minister for Housing and Construction he was responsible for the introduction of Labor's First Home Owners Scheme in 1983—going back to the opening remarks I made about his work in broadening Labor's base and the traditional origins of our side of politics under Menzies in seeking to make home ownership a core pillar of our party, this was a demonstration of the work that Chris Hurford did in reaching out to broaden the Labor Party base through policies such as the First Home Owners Scheme.

Throughout his time as minister for immigration Australia saw a large increase in the intake of migrants. Chris Hurford played a key role in the development of the skills oriented aspects of Australia's immigration policy which would contribute not only to our success as one of the most multicultural nations in the world but also to the successful development of the social licence and support that underpin those immigration policies. Chris, of course, in that long service, had also been a member of the Whitlam government. During the Dismissal in 1975, on his way to question time, he had been confronted in the corridor and informed of what happened to him, reflecting what a very sad time it was for him at that stage.

After his service in the ministry and following the 1987 election, Chris was one of the longest-serving members of the ministry and of the Labor Party's parliamentary caucus, and he chose to leave the ministry to make way for new blood. Shortly after making that decision and retiring from the parliament, he was appointed as Australia's consul-general in New York, promoting Australia's interests there with distinction for four years. In returning to Adelaide and to South Australia, Chris accepted the offer of a role at the new University of South Australia, helping to establish a new and important institution, which has grown from those early years to serve so many South Australians and create new opportunities for so many. In 1993, in recognition of his service to the Australian parliament and to Australian-American cultural and commercial relations, Chris was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia.

Like so many of us in this place, family was important to Chris, and I do recognise his family in the gallery today. He was a loved and cherished husband, father and grandfather. Equally, like for many having to come to Canberra, it was a challenge to be taken away from family. He spoke of taking the time to phone his children every day—something that I do and I know Senator Wong and many others in this place do, reaching out to keep contact with their loved ones. In our travels today that's a little easier than it was during the time of service for Chris and those who've gone before us. He was quoted talking about having to make those calls, wherever he was, from the hot phone boxes in Meekatharra or Port Hedland, or indeed anywhere around the country or the world, making the effort to maintain those connections. Reflecting beyond the work of his posting in New York, he noted the wonderful benefit that provided of allowing him to spend more time with his children, who would often spend long periods visiting or staying with him in those years.

The Hon. Christopher Hurford AO passed away on Sunday 15 November 2020, aged 89. His wife, Lorna, had passed away in 2005. Together, they had been married for over 45 years. Chris reflected, 'She had been my best friend for about 50 years.' Chris and Lorna are survived by their five children, Alex, David, Philippa, Kate and Richard, and eight grandchildren. On behalf of the Australian government and the Australian Senate, I extend to Chris's loves ones our gratitude for his service to our thankful nation and our sincerest condolences.