Tuesday, 18 June 2024

Condolences

Hon. Louis Stuart Lieberman AM

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:04): I move:

That this house expresses its sincere sorrow at the death on 17 May 2024 of the Honourable Louis Stuart Lieberman AM and places on record its acknowledgement of the valuable services rendered by him to the Parliament and the people of Victoria as a member of the Legislative Assembly for the electoral district of Benambra from 1976 to 1992 and as Minister for Planning from 1979 to 1982, Assistant Minister of Health from 1979 to 1981, Minister for Minerals and Energy and Minister of Mines in 1981, and Minister for Local Government from 1981 to 1982.

I would like to, on behalf of the government, formally recognise Mr Lieberman’s contributions to the state of Victoria. He made a difference to the lives of many in the Northern Victoria electorate throughout his lifetime. Born in Swan Hill, Mr Lieberman completed his schooling in Albury and remained in the Albury–Wodonga area, where he began his early profession as a barrister and solicitor, eventually becoming a founding partner of a Wodonga law firm, Harris Lieberman Boyd. He also made contributions before entering politics, when he served in the 8th/13th regiment of the Victorian Mounted Rifles in the Australian Army Reserve and when he was part of the local consultative committee for the development of the Albury–Wodonga growth centres decentralisation plan.

After being elected Mr Lieberman demonstrated his commitment to improving public services and developing the state’s infrastructure through his numerous ministerial portfolios, as outlined earlier, and also many shadow ministerial portfolios. Mr Lieberman’s contributions extended beyond the state level, as he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives for the seat of Indi in 1993, becoming my local member when I was in high school. During his time in federal Parliament he served on numerous committees, including the Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, which he chaired. His leadership in these roles reflected his dedication to addressing critical national issues and promoting community welfare.

In recognition of his significant service Mr Lieberman was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2016, an honour that highlighted his extensive contributions to the parliaments of Australia and Victoria and his dedication to the Albury–Wodonga community. This involved several community service positions, including serving on many local boards, many of them in the position of chair, including the Hume Building Society, Albury–Wodonga chamber of commerce, Mercy Health Albury, La Trobe University, Upper Murray Family Care, Salvation Army, Wodonga District Hospital and Albury Wodonga Health.

His professional accomplishments speak for themselves, but he was also known for his kindness and passion for furthering the interests of the border community. His consultative approach to public service and his ability to connect with people earned him respect and admiration from colleagues and constituents alike. After his passing I did spend some time on the Border Mail Facebook page, where the comments were just glowing. Anyone who had met Mr Lieberman was saying how kind and thoughtful he was and that he had the ability to make people feel heard and valued and as though his time was never more important than theirs.

On behalf of the government I do extend my condolences to Mr Lieberman’s wife Marj and his family and friends. Mr Lieberman’s commitment to his community and his kind and compassionate nature will be remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (12:08): It is my pleasure on behalf of the Liberal Party to contribute to this condolence motion for a man whom I knew well, the Honourable Lou Lieberman AM. Lou was a man that I would describe as a giant amongst men, and not necessarily because of his stature, although his height of over 6 foot 4 did mean that Lou towered over most men. But for me the things that made Lou stand out were more to do with his character than his stature.

Lou Lieberman was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He was an incredibly humble man and a man of great intellect who would only speak if he had something of importance to say. He was also an incredibly kind and generous man – generous with his time and his advice, assistance and compassion. He was a man who loved his electorate and who genuinely fought to always provide the best outcomes for his region and for his constituents.

Lou was born in Swan Hill in 1938 and moved with his family to Albury as a child. He went on to study law and returned to the Albury–Wodonga area as an articled clerk with a local law firm, where he met his wife Marj. As a qualified barrister Lou commenced his own practice in Wodonga. In 1976, following the retirement of long-serving Benambra MP Tom Mitchell, Lou decided to run for the seat of Benambra and was elected to the Legislative Assembly on 20 March 1976. Lou served as the member for Benambra for 16½ years, during which time he also served in the ministries of both the Hamer and Thompson governments as the Minister for Local Government, Minister for Minerals and Energy, Minister of Mines, Minister for Planning and Assistant Minister of Health. Lou also served as the shadow minister for health, further education, water resources and property services.

Lou retired as the member for Benambra on 14 August 1992 to contest the federal seat of Indi, which he won on 14 March 1993. Lou served as the member for Indi for eight years, six months and 28 days, retiring on 8 October 2001. During his term in the federal Parliament Lou served as Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition and as the chair or a member of several committees. Lou guided both Benambra and Indi through a very important period in the history of the region, which was the years of the Albury–Wodonga Development Corporation. This was a period of great change that would have a significant impact on the future of Albury–Wodonga, and there was no-one better suited to overseeing this time, to ensuring the greatest benefit that could be achieved for the region, than the quiet achiever Lou Lieberman.

Retiring from politics did not mean retirement from contributing to his community. After his parliamentary career Lou chaired the boards of both the Hume Bank and Albury Wodonga Health as well as the gift-giving committee for the Mercy Million Building Appeal for health services. On Australia Day 2016 Lou was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia, a well-deserved recognition.

All public tributes to Lou have remembered him as I do – as a fine Australian who was dedicated to his electorate, a man who was intelligent, generous and compassionate and someone who just got things done. I extend my condolences and those of the Liberal Party to his wife Marj, his children Justine, David and Ben, his grandchildren Allison, Katrina, Alex and Gemma and his extended family and friends, but I also extend my condolences to the Liberal Party members in the electorate of Indi, who are all grieving the loss of Lou Lieberman as well. Vale, Lou Lieberman.

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:12): I rise to join this condolence motion that has been moved by the Leader of the Government and to reflect some of those comments made by the leader and also by Ms Lovell. Lou Lieberman was not a man that I knew well, but I remember him from when I was a child because both he and my father served in this Parliament. With Dad being elected in 1973 and then Lou three years later, they contributed and shared portfolios together in the areas of local government and minerals and energy.

In Lou’s capacity as the member for Benambra, having that real interest in the cross-border community of Albury–Wodonga, he had a huge interest in looking at that national growth area – long before it became a national growth area, actually. When my father was the minister for decentralisation and state development, they worked very collaboratively together on that area, so they had a great rapport. I recall a photo of Lou and Dad with this enormous, disgusting snake wrapped around their necks – it still sends shivers up my spine, because I loathe snakes – they were in the High Country. They worked very closely together, and there were a lot of things that they achieved in the Hamer and Thompson governments. In Lou’s case it was in his capacity as Minister for Planning with the protection of heritage laws and other things, in other areas around local government and in all of those portfolios that he held so very, very well as a state member of Parliament during that time. He then, as has been acknowledged, moved into the federal sphere and became the member for Indi, following in the footsteps of the great Ewen Cameron, who I also know tremendously well. Lou was a marvellous representative both in the federal Parliament as well as here in the state Parliament.

A lot has been said about Lou Lieberman. He was recognised publicly through the AM he received. He then went on to serve – I know Mr Davis understands this – as chair of Albury Wodonga Health. He was very committed to health services in that area. He did a lot, and he was very concerned, when we lost government in 1982, about the plans for Wodonga Hospital. It seems that things have not changed very much around those issues. He was a great local representative. He really did champion a lot of causes for his community, and as has been said, post politics he served on various boards and represented his community extremely well. He was also, I understand, when he left politics, appointed as a parliamentary adviser to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Former Prime Minister John Howard described Lou as a fine Australian who dedicated much of his life to public service. He worked tirelessly for his constituents, and I think that is well recognised by the community. I too send my condolences to his wife, children and those that loved and knew Lou Lieberman.

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:15): I am honoured to rise and to reflect on the important life and contribution of Lou Lieberman, someone I knew very well, in common with Ms Lovell. He was a fine man of great integrity. He was a person of generosity, a person whom, if you were a minister wanting to talk about something, you could actually ring and have a conversation with. Actually his wisdom, his knowledge, of both the federal and the state parliaments was profound. He also had those amazing cross-border links. He knew New South Wales, and in 2014 as health minister I appointed him as chair of the board of Albury Wodonga Health in part because of that knowledge of New South Wales and the border regions. He did a fine job in that position. Obviously that is a unique cross-border health service, a health service that is very important for the north-east of the state, a health service that was able to deliver great quality services and a health service that was able to deliver more as a whole rather than its subject parts.

I do want to say something further. Obviously he was in the federal Parliament and did an excellent job there, but from 1976 to the early 1990s in the state Parliament he made a huge contribution, Tony Plowman following him. Bill Baxter, who was in this place too, was his predecessor. He really stood out in the work he did in the Benambra community. I know that Bill Tilley was also close to him and talked to him regularly. He was a person, as I say, of wisdom, thought and integrity, and I for one am very sad that he is gone. I want to pay tribute to the work he did in public life over so many years, and I also obviously want to join in acknowledging his family and their obvious grief. But a fine Victorian and a person of huge merit and integrity. He will be missed.

The PRESIDENT: I ask members to signify their assent by rising in their places for 1 minute’s silence.

Motion agreed to in silence, members showing unanimous agreement by standing in their places.

The PRESIDENT: As a further mark of respect the house will adjourn, and the Chair will resume in 1 hour.

Sitting suspended 12:19 pm until 1:23 pm.