VICTORIA PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) FIFTY-THIRD PARLIAMENT FIRST SESSION Legislative Council Vol. 436 Spring 1997 [From 7 October to 20 November 1997] Internet: http://www.viOlet.net.au/vicnet/vicgov /parl/parlia.html By Authority: VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT PRINTER The Governor His Excellency the Honourable Sir JAMES AUGUSTINE GOBBO, AC The Lieutenant-Governor Her Excellency Professor ADRIENNE E. CLARKE, AO The Ministry [AS FROM 6 JANUARY 1997] Premier, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, and Minister for the Arts ............. " The Hon. J. G. Kennett, MP Deputy Premier, Minister for Agriculture and Resources ........................ The Hon. P. J. McNamara, MP Minister for Education ................... The Hon. P. A. Gude, MP Minister for Industry, Science and Technology ........................... The Hon. M. A. Birrell, MLC Minister for Health, and Minister for Aged Care ................. The Hon. R I. Knowles, MLC Minister for Police and Emergency Services, and Minister for Corrections .... The Hon. W. D. McGrath, MP Minister for Finance, and Minister for Gaming ................... The Hon. R M. Hallam, MLC Treasurer, and Minister for Multimedia ..... The Hon. A. R Stockdale, MP Minister for Small Business, and Minister for Tourism ............... The Hon. Louise Asher, MLC Minister for Transport .................... The Hon. RF. Cooper, MP Minister for Roads and Ports .............. The Hon. G. R Craige, MLC Minister for Housing, and Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs ....... The Hon. A. M. Henderson, MP Minister for Tertiary Education and Training, and Minister assisting the Premier on Multicultural Affairs ........ The Hon. P. N. Honeywood, MP Minister for Planning and Local Government .......................... The Hon. R R C. Maclellan, MP Minister for Youth and Community Services .............................. The Hon. D. V. Napthine, MP Minister for Sport, and Minister for Rural Development ......................... The Hon. T. C. Reynolds, MP Minister for Conservation and Land Management ......................... The Hon. M. T. Tehan, MP Attorney-General, Minister for Fair Trading, and Minister for Women's Affairs ....... The Hon. J. L. M. Wade, MP Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet ..... The Hon. Rosemary Varty, MLC Members of the Legislative Council FIFfY-THIRD PARLIAMENT - FIRST SESSION President: The Hon. B. A. CHAMBERLAIN Deputy President and Chairman of Committees: The Hon. P. R. HALL Temporary Chairmen of Committees: The Honourables G. B. Ashman, B. W. Bishop, Bill Forwood,Jean McLean, D. A. Nardella, B. T. Pullen, and C. A. Strong Leader of the Government: The Hon. M. A. BIRRELL Deputy Leader of the Government: The Hon. R. I. KNOWLES Leader of the National party: The Hon. W. R BAXTER Deputy Leader of the National Party: The Hon. R M. HALLAM Leader of the Opposition: The Hon. T. C. THEOPHANOUS Deputy Leader of the Opposition: The Hon. M. M. GOULD Member District Party Member District Party Asher, Hon. Louise Monash LP Katsambanis, Hon. Peter Ashrnan, Hon. Gerald Barry Koonung LP Argyris Monash LP Atkinson, Hon. Bruce Norman Koonung LP Knowles, Hon. Robert !an Ballarat LP Ba~:ter, Hon. William Robert North Eastern NP Lucas, Hon. Neil Bedford, PSM Eumemmerring LP Best, Hon. Ronald Alexander North Western NP Luckins, Hon. Maree Therese Waverley LP Birrell, Hon. Mark Alexander East Yarra LP McLean, Hon. Jean Melbourne West ALP Bis~n. Ba7t Wilfred North Western NP Nardella, Hon. Donato Bo , Hon. lair Antonio Melbourne North ALP Cameron Chelsea LP Nguyen, Hon. San~ Melbourne West ALP Bowden, Hon. Ronald Henry South Eastern LP Powell, Hon. Eliza Brideson, Hon. Andrew Jeanette North Eastern NP Ronald Waverley LP Power, Hon. Pat JikaJika ALP Chamberlain, Hon. Bruce Pullen, Hon. B~ Thomas Melbourne ALP Anthony Western LP Ross, Hon. John illiam Cover, Hon. !an James Geelong LP Gameliel Higinbotham LP Craige, Hon. Geoffr~ Ronald Central Highlands LP Smith, Hon. Kenneth LP Davis, Hon. David cLean East Yarra LP Maurice South Eastern Davis, Hon. Phi~ Rivers Gippsland LP Smith, Hon. Wendy Irene Silvan LP de Fegely, Hon. 'chard Stoney, Hon. Eadley Graeme Central Highlands LP Strachan Ballarat LP Strong, Hon. Christopher Eren, Hon. Ta~ Ergun Doutta Galla ALP Ariliur Higinbotham LP Forwood, Hon. Bill Templestowe LP Theophanous, Hon. Theo Furletti, Hon. Carlo Angelo Templestowe LP Charles JikaJika ALP Gould, Hon. Monica Mary Doutta Galla ALP Varty, Hon. Rose~ Silvan LP Hall, Hon. Peter Ronald Gippsland NP Walpole, Hon. Doug Hallam, Hon. Rwer Murray Western NP ThomJ:son Melbourne ALP Ha~an, Hon. illiam Wells, on. Ronald James An onyNeville Geelong LP Herbert Eumemmerring LP Hogg, Hon. Carotine Jennifer Melbourne North ALP Wilding, Hon. Sue deCarteret Chelsea LP Heads of Parliamentary Departments Council- Clerk of the Parliaments and Oerk of the Legislative Council: Mr A. V. Bray Assembly - Oerk of the Legislative Assembly: Mr P. J. Mithen Hansard - Chief Reporter (Acting): Ms C. J. Williams Library -librarian: Mr B. J. Davidson Parliamentary Services - Secretary: Ms C. M. Haydon CONDOLENCES Tuesday, 7 October 1997 COUNCIL Tuesday, 7 October 1997 his own accounting practice, Norman and Cartledge, with offices in Melbourne, Morwell and Sydney. When the Second World War broke out Mr Norman enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force. He The PRESIDENT (Hon. B. A. Chamberlain) took served in Malaya with the 8th division and rose to the chair at 2.33 p.m. and read the prayer. the rank of lieutenant. Unfortunately, from 1942 to 1945 - for three years - he was imprisoned at the CONDOLENCES infamous Changi prisoner of war camp. He was fortunate enough to survive his time there. He Hon. Leslie George Norman served time in Changi with others who went on to become most extraordinary members of Australian Hon. M. A. BIRRELL (Minister for Industry, society, including Sir Wilfrid Kent Hughes and Science and Technology) - I move: Sir William Leggatt, and Tom Mitchell, another former member of this house. Sir William and That this house expresses its sincere sorrow at the Mr Mitchell both served as ministers in the early death, on 5 July 1997, of the Honourable Leslie George 1950s. Norman and places on record its acknowledgment of the valuable services rendered by him to the Parliament After the war and after putting some of the and the people of Victoria as a member of the experience of Changi behind him, Mr Norman Legislative Assembly for the electoral district of Glen resumed his accounting practice. In November 1947 Iris from 1947 to 1952 and as Minister without Portfolio he stood for Parliament and won the seat of Glen in 1950. Iris. As a devout Methodist and staunch conservative, he was bitterly opposed to socialism. Leslie George Norman was a remarkable individual He therefore fitted squarely into some of the key for his contribution to the Parliament, the principles debates of the time. He advocated less government he displayed therein and his later contribution to as one of his personal beliefs. broader community life. He is remembered for his contribution to the liberal Party and also for seeking In government Mr Norman was appointed to improve the relationships between Australia and Government Whip in the Hollway government. Japan after the Second World War. Leslie Norman There could not have been a more demanding passed away on 5 July this year at the age of 83. position than that of Government Whip in a minority government for which every vote in the Mr Norman was a member of the lower house for house counted. It was a difficult task that, from all I five years from 1947. :His service included one year know of the man, he carried out with great as Leader of the then liberal and Country Party professionalism. In 1950 Mr Norman was appointed during an extremely turbulent period of Victorian an assistant minister in what was then the Hollway politics when governments were coming and going, liberal and Country Party government. After the seemingly, every few months. He was part and defeat of that government he became leader of the parcel of that time and sought to bring to bear a party in December 1951, with Sir Henry Bolte as his great sense of fairness and principle to the way he deputy. worked. In this case it was to his personal disadvantage. In 1951, at the age of 38, Mr Norman It is clear from reading the history of this man that ousted former Premier Tom Hollway to gain the he was a person of enormous principle, seemingly at leadership of the liberal and Country Party, only to personal expense. He argued against Mr Hollway's be defeated in the subsequent 1952 election, when electoral redistribution reform proposal, which Mr Hollway stood against him in his own seat of would have provided two state seats for every Glen Iris and won that seat. federal seat. The aim of that scheme was to reduce the influence of country voters. Mr Hollway was Mr Norman was born in Melbourne in 1913. He was convinced that the political instability in Victoria at a man of ordinary means. He was the son of a the time was the result of an electoral system that tramways inspector, who was an active unionist. gave undue weight to rural Victoria. The issue After matriculating at the age of 15 from University quickly came to a head in July 1952 at a meeting of High School he worked as a clerk with an the Liberal Party when Mr Norman gave his casting accounting firm while studying accounting at night vote against a tied motion to accept government to advance himself. At the age of 23 he established with the support of the Country Party. In other CONDOLENCES 2 COUNCll- Tuesday, 7 October 1997 words, as a matter of principle, he personally voted This extraordinary man is very important to our to deny himself the premiership of the state. history. Much of what he did was motivated by his wanting to make a contribution to the community at Mr Hollway still sought support for his electoral large.