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Other Parliamentary SpeechesThis page is dedicated to Peter's speeches during parliament that do not fall under Questions or Questions without notice. They range from debating legislation, reporting on events or issues in his seat of Southport and his Ministerial Statements.
Sir James Killen |
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| Posted by Administrator (admin) on Feb 21 2007 |
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Mr LAWLOR (Southport-ALP) (5.38 pm): Last month Queensland lost one of its most distinguished citizens in Sir James Killen. I knew him well because we had common interests: politics, the law and, of course, horseracing. He may have had more mates on the Labor side than the conservative side, but he certainly had many from both sides. Ironically, through an appointment made by the Borbidge government, I got to know Sir James even better and appreciated his many qualities.
In 1996, the then racing minister, Russell Cooper, appointed Jim to the Racing Appeals Tribunal. I was already a member of that tribunal, but given that I had stood in the 1995 election, again unsuccessfully against Mick Veivers, I fully expected to be replaced. But to my genuine surprise I was reappointed and went on to serve with Sir Jim and also the distinguished solicitor and friend, Leo Williams, on the tribunal for the next five years.
Hearing appeals over greyhound and harness racing matters can be exacting and even boring, but with Jim on the panel that was never the case. He was able to relate to the owners, trainers, drivers and other licensees appearing before us with the same ease with which he mixed with Prime Ministers, judges and Archbishops. I well recall the occasion when a greyhound trainer offered to bring his dog into the tribunal to Jim's great amusement because he said that Jim and the dog had a lot in common.
Jim Killen had a long association with the great sport of horseracing. He owned a number of thoroughbreds with well-known owners such as the race caller, Vince Curry, and with well-known businessmen Jim Kennedy and the late Brian Sweeney. They had some success-certainly more than I did.
As a barrister, he loved appearing for jockeys appealing against a suspension. In one case he appeared for Norman 'Whopper' Stephens, who was suspended for causing interference in a race at Eagle Farm. Jim told the story about how when Stephens was asked why he tried to get through a narrow gap between two horses, thereby causing the interference, he said, 'I was riding a skinny horse.' Jim lost the appeal but he certainly added that story to his extensive repertoire.
He attended the Gold Coast Turf Club quite often where he and his wife, Lady Benise, were better known than Gai Waterhouse and John Singleton. The Gold Coast Turf Club and the whole racing industry will miss him. Above all else, he was a man of generous spirit who crossed the political divide in a way we seldom do today. We are unlikely to see his like again, and we are poorer for that.
I extend my sympathy, and that of the racing industry, to Lady Benise, his daughters, Diana and Heather, and particularly to his granddaughter Dana, who lives on the Gold Coast. Dana recently gave birth to her first child, a son, Scott. Sadly Jim did not live to see the arrival of his first male heir, but he knew Scott was on the way and it gave him great comfort.
Sir James was a great Australian, a great Queenslander and a great bloke. There are many stories told about Jim. One was when Prime Minister McMahon in a party room meeting said, 'Well, I guess I'm my own worst enemy.' Killen's booming voice from the back responded, 'Not while I'm alive you're not.' Unfortunately, he is now no longer with us.
Then there is the famous 'Killen, you were magnificent' message that he allegedly got from Prime Minister Menzies, but he actually invented it. The press were on to him all the time about what did the Prime Minister say, so he just said, 'Killen, you were magnificent.' That is ironic because he won the seat of Moreton in 1960 on Communist Party preferences which gave the anticommunist Menzies coalition a majority of one in the federal government.
With the passing of Denis James Killen I have lost a friend and Australia and Queensland have lost
a great character and a wonderful politician and, as I have already said, a genuinely good bloke.
Last changed: [PUBLISHED_DATE] at 1:08 PM
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