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

by leave—I move:

That the Senate expresses its sadness at the death, on 1 January 2022, of the Honourable Sir Victor Garland KBE, former Minister for Supply, Minister for Post and Telecommunications, Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister for Special Trade Representations, and former member for Curtin, places on record its gratitude for his service to the Parliament and the nation, and tenders its sympathy to his family in their bereavement.

We take the opportunity here today to remember the life of the former member for Curtin Sir Ransley Victor Garland KBE, a man who served as a minister in the McMahon and Fraser governments and who would go on to become the Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. Sir Victor Garland was first elected to the parliament in 1969 as the member for Curtin, a seat he would represent until his resignation from the House of Representatives in 1981. During this time he was re-elected at five different elections by the people of Curtin, a vote of confidence in his ability to effectively represent the beachside Perth electorate.

Victor was a Western Australian through and through. Born in 1934, he grew up in Perth, gaining his education at Hale School before completing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Western Australia, majoring in economics. Following in his father's footsteps, Victor practised as a chartered accountant from 1958 until his election to parliament in 1969. During his professional life, Victor maintained an active involvement in the community he grew up in, serving in a number of charities and on the Claremont town council from 1963 until 1970. During this time, he also maintained an active involvement in the Liberal and Country League of Western Australia—later, of course, known as the WA Division of the Liberal Party of Australia—where he held the position of senior vice-president.

Following his election to the parliament in 1969, in his first speech to the House of Representatives, Victor paid tribute to the sacrifices of his parents and the opportunities that he was fortunate enough to have by virtue of their hard work. He acknowledged former Prime Minister John Curtin, after whom his electorate was named, and his predecessor as the member for Curtin, Sir Paul Hasluck, the 17th Governor-General of Australia. Sir Victor strongly admired the contributions these two sons of Western Australia made, perhaps foreshadowing, in a way, his own immense contributions to come.

Sir Victor was a man who knew what he had come to parliament to fight for, highlighting in his maiden speech that he believed his electors wanted him 'to have an eye to the interests not only of Curtin but of Western Australia when those interests are rightly involved in the national interest'. He added:

… I think my electors want me to act in the interests of Australia, in which each State is an integral part of the Federation, an Australian nation with rising strength, importance and responsibilities.

Sir Victor Garland understood at core the meaningful impact of our shared liberal values in the economic and social prosperity of Australia—those basic tenets of individual freedom and free enterprise, that businesses and individuals are the true creators of wealth and employment. He highlighted this in his maiden speech, stating:

It is as important to the growth of the country that initiative, inventiveness and resourcefulness should be encouraged as it is to have a fair sharing of the nation's wealth, for history shows that the best societies, the richest, the most efficient and the most satisfying in which to live, are those in which individual initiative is allowed a wide scope of expression and where innovation, striving and ambition are not stifled.

Sir Victor had a quick rise in his political journey, becoming the Minister for Supply in the McMahon government at the age of just 37, a position he would hold from 1971 until the 1972 election. In 1975, after the coalition's historic victory, Victor Garland was again appointed as a minister, this time as Minister for Post and Telecommunications, and as Assistant Treasurer. The latter position provided him with a primary role in forming economic policy at a critical time for the newly elected Fraser government. Under Malcolm Fraser's leadership, Victor would also serve as Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Minister for Special Trade Representations and Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs.

As Minister for Special Trade Representations, Victor Garland undertook significant negotiations with the European Community—something to which I can relate; I equally understand the challenges that can be involved. He continued this work post-politics upon his appointment as Australia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, a position he held from 1981 to 1983. Testament to his contribution and service at the highest level of public office, Victor Garland was knighted in 1982.

Sir Victor Garland is remembered for the liberal values he not just believed in but lived out in his approach to public policy. In the same way that Sir Victor honoured those who came before him, the sacrifices of the men and women who built Australia, we honour Sir Victor for his contributions to our nation. He was a proud Western Australian, proud of where he came from, who believed in the infinite potential of Australia. This was emphasised by his powerful words: 'No-one will now dare say that any objective is not possible for Australia.' Indeed, that is true; any objective is possible for our nation, a nation with ambition and so much pride in all that we seek to achieve.

On behalf of the Australian government and the Australian Senate, I extend our sincerest condolences to Sir Victor Garland's family and our thanks for his service to our party and to the nation.