Tuesday, 17 October 2023

Faraday school kidnapping

Nicholas McGOWAN (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (16:26): I rise to actually draw the public’s attention to a significant anniversary. It is the 51st anniversary of the Faraday kidnappings. That is a remarkable story in this state’s history, not least because at that time six young people were taken hostage in the small country town of Faraday, including their teacher at the time. At that point in the Hamer government there was a Victorian education minister Lindsay Thompson, who actually himself went to deliver a ransom. The ransom was $1 million. It seems a bit too bizarre to be believed or true, but it is true and it happened. Mr Thompson as the education minister was accompanied by an assistant commissioner who was dressed up as a ministerial driver at the time, and in the back of the car was what would be a future commissioner of this state holding a high-calibre rifle with him to drop off the ransom. Those who had actually kidnapped the children never turned up, but it was a tribute and a great testament to the bravery of Lindsay Thompson, who later became this state’s 40th Premier. He received also the bronze medal for bravery for his efforts from the Royal Humane Society. His son Murray Thompson served in this Parliament in the other place, and to quote him, he said of his father:

The courage, purpose and principle he brought to his unforeseen role at Faraday was the same he brought to his desk everyday.