Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death on 1 January 2022 of the Hon. Sir Ransley Victor 'Vic' Garland KBE, a former minister and member of the House of Representatives for the division of Curtin, Western Australia, from 1969 to 1981.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to 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.

Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on behalf of the opposition to express our condolences following the passing of the Hon. Sir Ransley Victor Garland KBE, a former minister. I note that he passed at the age of 87. As I begin, I wish to convey the opposition's condolences to his family and friends.

Sir Victor Garland, who I understand was widely known as Vic, lived a life that combined contributions to the private sector with public service. He went from local government to federal government, serving as a minister under prime ministers William McMahon and Malcolm Fraser. From this platform he would go on to represent the nation as its high commissioner in London, before contributing extensively as a member of private company boards in the United Kingdom and returning to Perth 15 years ago. He was not easily characterised as either a progressive or a conservative within his party. He instead took a pragmatic and constructive approach to politics and policy, and he routinely sought to make the best of whatever opportunity he had.

Sir Victor was born in 1934 and grew up in Perth. An alumnus of a state primary school, the prestigious Hale School, and the University of Western Australia, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in economics, he entered the accounting profession. In doing so he followed in the footsteps of his father, practising as a chartered accountant from 1958 until he entered federal parliament. At the same time he was also an active member of his community, particularly through his service in local government, eventually becoming deputy mayor of the town of Claremont. At the same time, he had been active in the Western Australian division of the Liberal Party, holding offices, including that of senior vice-president, as well as being a member of the Federal Council of the Liberal Party.

When Paul Hasluck resigned from the House of Representatives in 1969 to become Governor-General of Australia, Sir Victor Garland succeeded him as the member for Curtin. I note that in his first speech he was quite generous in acknowledging the significance of both Sir John Curtin, his namesake in the seat, and his predecessor, Mr Hasluck. The seat is named for the great Labor Prime Minister. It is situated in Perth's affluent beachside suburbs and has been a comfortably Liberal seat over many decades. When he made his first speech, Sir Victor acknowledged John Curtin, as I said. He said:

John Curtin was a man who, in times of great difficulty, drew credit to himself and, indeed, to his associates by his straightforwardness and fine qualities which caused him to tread the highest path of duty.

It was a magnanimous contribution about another person from the other side of politics.

Sir Victor said he felt the awe and honour of being elected a member of the House of Representatives and, unusually for the time, he specifically acknowledged the women who were active in his electorate, working, as he said, 'for the principles in which they believe'. He was preoccupied by the international affairs of the time, remembering that Australia was fully engaged in the Vietnam War. He spoke of his concerns about the increase in nuclear and non-nuclear aggression, as well as the role of China, which echoes some sentiments more recently expressed. Understandably for someone of his political persuasion, he emphasised the need for the support of the growth and development of non-Communist Asian states. He also praised the creation of regional institutions such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asia and Pacific Council. He noted that the economic growth of South-East Asian countries was dependent on their ability to provide social justice, recognising that this was something to which Australia could contribute, and he praised budget commitments for aid and assistance for education in the region.

He supported increases in defence funding, but he believed they must also be accompanied by increases in the aid budget. He called for Australia's growing wealth to be shared with neighbours in our region, noting we needed to accept our responsibility but also that increasing Australia's participation and leadership would come with the benefit of stronger relationships with South-East Asian countries. These were prescient comments, and indeed they are still relevant today. As Sir Victor said, security and economic development are two sides of the same coin.

Perhaps fittingly for someone elected to a seat of such significance, Sir Victor Garland spent very little time on the back bench before he was called upon to serve as a minister. He first entered the ministry in the McMahon government in 1971 as Minister for Supply, a portfolio that encompassed a wide range of responsibilities that we would now largely associate with the industry and resources minister. He added Minister Assisting the Treasurer to his duties before the defeat of that government at the end of 1972, when Gough Whitlam led Labor into power for the first time since 1949. That took Sir Victor into opposition. In the ensuing three years he held shadow portfolios, including spokesperson on the Public Service and the Australian Capital Territory as well as being chief opposition whip in the House of Representatives. This latter role was not one he especially sought, but it seemed it did enable him to make use of his number-counting skills behind the scenes. I was intrigued to read in the Adelaide Advertiser that this involved something of a personal metamorphosis. It reported: 'Mr Garland developed a reputation for a certain aloofness when he became supply minister during the final 12 months of the McMahon government because of the fairly formal way that he ran his portfolio. The image changed quite dramatically during the three years of the Labor government. Mr Garland made a point of getting to know press men and Parliament House workers and often attended the late-night round of parties that made Parliament House swing during the sitting weeks.' It was an intriguing metamorphosis.

He was a conspicuous supporter of Malcolm Fraser when Fraser successfully seized the leadership of the Liberal Party and the opposition from Billy Snedden. This led to a return to the front bench for Sir Victor when Mr Fraser became Prime Minister at the end of 1975. This was a personally challenging period. He resigned his new ministry early in 1976 after being the subject of electoral bribery charges which were dismissed by a magistrate. His exile lasted 19 months. Between 1977 and 1980, he went on to hold portfolios including veterans' affairs, special travel representations, business and consumer affairs, and assisting with industry and commerce. With his accounting background and previous experience in the treasury portfolio, he was particularly well suited to these economic portfolios. In these roles, he represented Australia overseas on numerous occasions and pursued policy reforms ranging from tariff implementation to increased customs vigilance, competition regulation and consumer education.

His tenure as a minister came to an end when he accepted an appointment as Australia's high commissioner to the United Kingdom in London at the end of 1980. He began his new role in 1981 and served until 1983. His previous experience, particularly in the trade portfolio, meant he was well placed to take up the diplomatic position. In 1982, he was made Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. At the conclusion of his term, he remained in the United Kingdom for an extended period of time. He took up positions on a number of corporate boards, making a substantial contribution in a range of areas. He returned to Perth in 2007.

Sir Victor Garland was one of the last surviving ministers of the McMahon government. With his passing, Tom Hughes is the only remaining Liberal member of that ministry. As we mark Sir Victor's death, we again pause to reflect, as we did yesterday in expressing our condolences following the death of Donald Grimes, on the diminishing number of living members of the governments that led Australia through the 1970s and 1980s. In doing so, we consider the impact of those governments in shaping the nation we are today.

Through his roles in both the McMahon and Fraser governments, Sir Victor made a contribution to building modern Australia. He would go on to represent our nation overseas, capping his Public Service career in this country first with service to Australia in the United Kingdom and then with service to that country as well. The opposition expresses our condolences following the passing of Sir Victor Garland, and we again convey our sympathies to his family and friends.

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of my Western Australian Senate colleagues, I would like to associate myself with the remarks of the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Birmingham, and those of Senator McAllister. Unfortunately, I never met Vic Garland—as he was affectionately known across the Western Australian Liberal Party—but he is testament to the strength of the Western Australian Liberal Party. Over many years, we have sent people from the comfortable suburbs of Curtin to our national parliament and they have served us with distinction—Allan Rocher, who was a member of the Senate for a short time; Julie Bishop; and Sir Paul Hasluck. And Celia Hammond follows in those esteemed footsteps.

What is often overlooked is that, for a brief period, Vic Garland worked closely with another famous Western Australian, Sir Billy Snedden, whom we don't often think of as a Western Australian. Sir Billy was born in West Perth, educated at the University of Western Australia and was the inaugural chairman of the Young Liberal Movement of Australia. In listening to the contributions from Senator Birmingham and Senator McAllister, those of us from Western Australia have been reminded of the strength of the WA division and the very strong role we have played in sending very credible, competent people to our national parliament—and, indeed, to the prize of all prizes, the high commissioner post in London. On behalf of the Western Australian senators, and all members of the Western Australian Liberal Party, I associate myself with those remarks and send our condolences.

Question agreed to, honourable senators standing in their places.