31 October 1989

4005 ?Cegietainr Tnnrt Tuesday, 31 October 1989 THE PRESIDENT (H-on Clive Griffiths) took the Chair at 3.30 pm, and read prayers, MOTION - CONDOLENCE The Late ProfessorGordon Reid - Former Governor of Western Australia HON iNI. BERINSON (North Metropolitan - Leader of the House) [3.34 pm]: I move, without notice - That this House records its deep regret at the death of the fanner Governor of Western Australia, Professor Gordon Reid, and extends its sincere sympathy to Mrs Ruth Reid and their family. It is only a few days since we paid tribute to Professor Gordon Reid on his retirement as Governor of Western Australia. On behalf of the Government it is now my sad duty to express the deep regret and sense of loss which I am sure that all Western Australians share at his early and untimely death. At all times Professor Reid fulfilled his duties as Governor in a compassionate and caring manner. His decency, integrity and intellect made him one of this State's most popular Governors. His warmth and sincerity made him a true representative of the people and, conversely, the object of the most widespread respect and affection. Professor Reid's period as Governor was preceded by other distinguished service to the nation in many areas. Born in Sydney on 22 September 1923, Gordon Stanley Reid left school at the age of 14 to become a telegraph boy. During World War HI he served as a navigator in the Royal Australian Air Force and at the end of the war joined the Commnonwealth Public Service. His deep understanding and love of the parliamentary system was fostered by his work in the House of Representatives, first as a reading clerk, then through a succession of positions until he was appointed the Sergeant-at-Arms. In 1958 he moved into Academe. For six years he was senior lecturer in public administration and comparative government at the University of Adelaide and then reader in politics until 1965. It was Western Australia's good fortune that the Reids moved to this State in 1966, when Gordon Reid became foundation professor of politics at the University of Western Australia. Canberra lured him back for several years in the early 1970s, but Professor Reid returned to Perth and eventually became Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Western Australia in 1978. There are many today who had the fortune to work with, or under, Professor Reid at UWA. H-e will long be remembered at the university as an outstanding man of learning who remained above all party politics. His authority in the field of the parliamentary system was recognised in 1983 when the Commonwealth Parliament commissioned Professor Reid to produce a 200 000 word history of the Australian Parliament to coincide with the bicentennial. This epic work alone assures Professor Reid of a distinguished place in the recording of Australia's constitutional history. On 2 July [984 Professor Reid was sworn in as Governor of Western Australia. On the same day the University of Western Australia honoured his distinguished academic career by bestowing on him the title of emeritus professor. On the expiry of his initial term as Governor, Professor Reid was reappointed for a further term. It was a measure of the regard in which he was held that that decision was received not only with universal approval but also with genuine enthusiasm. Together, Professor and Mrs Ruth Reid served Western Australia with great distinction, dedication and warmth and it is a great sadness that their time together has now been cut short. [ am sure that this House, and indeed all Western Australians, will join in paying tribute to the memory of Professor Gordon Reid and in offering to Mrs Ruth Reid and her family our most sincere and heartfelt sympathy. As a mark of respect to the late Professor Reid I will move at the conclusion of today's sitting that the House should not sit tomorrow, it being the day of his funeral. 4006 [COUNCIL] HON GEORGE CASH (North Metropolitan - Leader of the Opposition) [3.39 pm): I formally second the motion. In doing so I indicate my support and the support of the Opposition to this very important motion. It is with deep regret that we join with the Government in acknowledging the recent death of the former Governor of Western Australia, Emeritus Professor Gordon Stanley Reid. The Leader of the House was correct in saying that it was only a few days ago that many members in this House paid tribute to the tremendous contribution that both Professor Reid and Mrs Reid made to the State during their period of residence at Government House, Perth. There is no question that in the minds of all Western Australians Emeritus Professor Gordon Reid was a warm and generous person. Without question, he was a compassionate man who will be sadly missed by all Western Australians. HON E.J. CHARITON (Agricultural) [3A41 pm]:. On behalf of members of the National Party in the Legislative Council I endorse totally the remarks made by the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition in relation to this condolence motion to Mrs Reid on the sad loss of former Governor, Professor Gordon Reid. Similar remarks have been made in this place on many occasions in recent times and I fully endorse those comments and the commuents made today. THE PRESIDENT (Hon Clive Griffiths): As President of the Legislative Council one of the highlights of my parliamentary life was the opportunity to serve this Parliament during the time that Professor Gordon Reid was Governor of Western Australia. I first met Professor Gordon Reid in the late 1970s; and in 1979, at my invitation, he gave the keynote address at the regional conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association which was held in Perth to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Western Australia. In 1982, when Speaker Thompson and I established the History of Parliament Committee, one of' the first people we invited to participate on it was Professor Gordon Reid. He served that committee well for two years until 1984 when he was appointed Governor of Western Australia, after which he served as a consultant to the committee, so his work for Western Australia, which has already been acknowledged by the Leader of the House and the other speakers this afternoon, is well known. I put on record the work that he did in support of this Parliament in the two spheres that I have mentioned. It was a great honour for me to have been associated with him and his wife, Ruth, and I share with other members in extending to Mrs Reid and the family our deep condolences. I ask honourable members to rise and pass this motion by standing in silence for one minute. Question passed, members standing. STATEMENT - BY THE LEADER OF THE HOUSE Business Franchise (Tobacco) Sill - Anti-smoking Legislation Derails HON J.W. BERINSON (North Metropolitan - Leader of the House) [3.46 prnl - by leave: Members will note from the circulated Orders of the Day that I hope to have debate on the Business Franchise (Tobacco) Bill resumed as soon as possible. Members will recall that debate on the Bill was adjourned previously, contrary to the Government's wishes, on the grounds that details of the Government's general anti-tobacco legislation should be made available first. There was even a suggestion, as I recall it, that the anti-smoking package might not be forthcoming at all. Without wishing to cover old ground, I am bound to say that the forced adjournment of the Bill when I was about to reply to the second reading debate was especially unfortunate in that it deprived the House of any opportunity to receive an indication of the Government's response to the concern which had been expressed. I had substantial infonnation available to me at the time and it might well have assisted the House to hear it. That would not, of course, have prevented a move to adjourn at some other appropriate time, such as during the Committee stage. Be that as it may, I am now in a position to indicate to the House that the Minister for Health will initiate moves on the Business Franchise (Tobacco) Bill 1989 today in the Legislative Assembly. [ propose to now provide a summary of the provisions of that Bill with a view to [Tuesday, 31 October 1989] 400740 persuading the House that substantive debate on the Bill can safely be advanced on the basis of detailed knowledge of the Governiment's anti-smoking proposals. The background to the Bill is that smoking is the largest single cause of preventable deaths and diseases in the commuunity. In Western Australia more than 1 700 people die prematurely each year because they smoked. The health care cost of diseases caused by smoking in Western Australia is estimated at $112 million this year, rising to $146 million in 1992-93. The legislation now being introduced in Western Australia is simnilar to that successfully established in Victoria and South Australia. It is based on recommendations from international authorities such as the World Health Organisation and the International Union Against Cancer, and follows strong representations from the Australian Medical Association and many other health and community organisations. Point of Order Hon GEORGE CASH: I invite you, Mr President, to consider the fact that in the statement now being delivered by the Leader of the House he is canvassing the subject of a debate currently before the Legislative Assembly. It is my understanding of Standing Orders that that is out of order and I would ask you to rule accordingly.

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