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Title

DEATH OF FORMER SENATOR THE HONOURABLE JAMES LUKE CAVANAGH

Database

Senate Hansard

Date

21-08-1990

Source

Senate

Parl No.

Electorate

SA

Interjector

The PRESIDENT

Page

1798

Party

ALP

Presenter

Status

Final

Question No.

Questioner

Responder

Speaker

Senator CROWLEY

Stage

Type

Context

Miscellaneous

System ID

chamber/hansards/1990-08-21/0037

Note: Where available, the PDF/Word icon below is provided to view the complete and fully formatted document

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Hansard

Start of Business
SWEARING-IN OF SENATORS
ELECTION OF PRESIDENT

Senator BUTTON
Senator BUTTON
Senator HILL
Senator BOSWELL
Senator POWELL
Senator HARRADINE
Senator VALLENTINE
Senator BUTTON

PRESENTATION TO GOVERNOR-GENERAL
LEADERSHIP OF AUSTRALIAN DEMOCRATS

Senator POWELL

ELECTION OF DEPUTY PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES

Senator BUTTON
Senator HILL
Senator COLSTON
Senator BUTTON
Senator HILL
Senator POWELL
Senator HARRADINE
Senator CRICHTON-BROWNE

DISTINGUISHED VISITOR
DEATH OF FORMER GOVERNOR OF NEW SOUTH WALES, REAR ADMIRAL SIR DAVID JAMES MARTIN, KCMG, AO
DEATH OF FORMER SENATOR THE HONOURABLE JAMES LUKE CAVANAGH

Senator BUTTON
Senator HILL
Senator BOSWELL
Senator COULTER
Senator FOREMAN
Senator HARRADINE
Senator LEWIS
Senator SCHACHT
Senator COLSTON
Senator WALTERS
Senator CROWLEY

DEATH OF FORMER SENATOR ALBERT PATRICK FIELD

Senator HILL
Senator BOSWELL
Senator COLSTON
Senator COULTER
Senator HARRADINE

PETITIONS

Mining and Export of Uranium
Medicare: Abortions
Very Fast Train Proposal
Foreign Bases, Uranium Exports and Arms Exports
Nuclear Warships
Family Law Legislation
Air Landing Fee: New South Wales
Telephone Directory: Western Australia
National Acoustic Laboratory: Southport
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
Telecom Australia: Gawler Manual Assistance Centre
Papua New Guinea and Bougainville
Papua New Guinea and Bougainville
Five-Dollar Note
Family Law Legislation

Senator BROWNHILL

Repatriation Hospitals

Senator NEWMAN

Procedural Text

DAYS AND HOURS OF MEETING

Notice of Motion

Senator ROBERT RAY

PARLIAMENT HOUSE ADVISORY PANEL

Senator ROBERT RAY

AUSTRALIAN WHEAT INDUSTRY

Senator PANIZZA

MIDDLE EAST

Senator VALLENTINE

COMMISSION TO ADMINISTER OATH
HOURS OF MEETING

Senator ROBERT RAY
Senator LEWIS
Senator HARRADINE
Senator VALLENTINE
Senator ROBERT RAY

SITTINGS OF THE SENATE
MIDDLE EAST

Ministerial Statement

Senator BUTTON
Senator HILL
Senator POWELL
Senator GARETH EVANS

BUDGET STATEMENT AND PAPERS 1990-91

Senator BUTTON
Senator HILL

MIDDLE EAST

Ministerial Statement

Senator DURACK
Senator VALLENTINE
Senator LOOSLEY
Senator MacGIBBON
Senator SCHACHT
Senator TEAGUE
Senator O'CHEE
Senator COULTER
Senator HARRADINE

Division
Procedural Text

ADJOURNMENT
DOCUMENTS
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

Education and Literacy Programs
(Senator Reid, Senator Gareth Evans)
Network of Women in Australian Adult and Community Education
(Senator Walters, Senator Bolkus)
Australian Horticultural Corporation and Australian Horticultural Research and Development Corporation
(Senator Archer, Senator Cook)
Screw-worm Fly
(Senator Archer, Senator Cook)
Pseudomonas Syringae
(Senator Archer, Senator Cook)
Red-banded Mango Caterpillar
(Senator Archer, Senator Cook)
Chalkbrood
(Senator Archer, Senator Cook)
Standing Committee on Agriculture and Australian Agricultural Council
(Senator Archer, Senator Cook)
Standing Committee on Soil Conservation and Soil Conservation Council
(Senator Archer, Senator Cook)
Tasmania: Forest and Forest-related Issues
(Senator Archer, Senator Cook)
Meat Industry
(Senator Archer, Senator Cook)
Day Care Centres: Children
(Senator Walsh, Senator Tate)
Non-Government Organisations Environment Initiative
(Senator Bell, Senator Gareth Evans)
Medibank Private
(Senator Colston, Senator Tate)
Australian Defence Force: RIMPAC Exercise
(Senator Vallentine, Senator Robert Ray)
South Pacific Forum: FLNKS Observer Status
(Senator Vallentine, Senator Gareth Evans)
Tax Avoidance
(Senator Macklin, Senator Button)
United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation and Self Determination
(Senator Vallentine, Senator Gareth Evans)
HMAS Tobruk
(Senator Vallentine, Senator Robert Ray)
Nurrungar: Joint Facility
(Senator Vallentine, Senator Robert Ray)
Woomera Range
(Senator Vallentine, Senator Robert Ray)
Satellite Trading System
(Senator Vallentine, Senator Robert Ray)
Pine Gap: Joint Facility
(Senator Vallentine, Senator Robert Ray)
Telecom Australia: Customers' Bonds
(Senator Colston, Senator Collins)
Kimberley Conservation Conference
(Senator Walsh, Senator Richardson)
Screw-worm Fly
(Senator Brownhill, Senator Cook)
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Computerisation
(Senator Brownhill, Senator Collins)
Food Products: Cholesterol
(Senator Jones, Senator Button)
Gun Laws
(Senator Jones, Senator Tate)
Meat: Market Development
(Senator Brownhill, Senator Cook)
Civil Aviation Authority: Charges
(Senator Brownhill, Senator Collins)
Australia Post: Lettergram Service
(Senator Brownhill, Senator Collins)
Federal Airports Corporation
(Senator Brownhill, Senator Collins)
Rural Adjustment Scheme
(Senator Brownhill, Senator Cook)
Office of Government Information and Advertising
(Senator Brownhill, Senator Richardson)
Australian Wool Corporation: Shearer Training
(Senator Brownhill, Senator Cook)
Veterans: Asbestos-related Diseases
(Senator Newman, Senator Tate)
Gasfuse Australia: Safety Device
(Senator McLean, Senator Button)
Veterans' Pensions: Reviews
(Senator McLean, Senator Tate)
Austrade
(Senator McLean, Senator Button)
AZT (Zidovudine)
(Senator Jones, Senator Tate)
Infectious Diseases: Port of Entry Screening
(Senator Jones, Senator Bolkus)
Brucellosis
(Senator Jones, Senator Cook)
Aircraft: Purchase or Loans Guarantees
(Senator Macklin, Senator Collins)
Antarctic Expedition Ships
(Senator Calvert, Senator Richardson)
Government Departments: New Headquarters
(Senator Parer, Senator Bolkus)
Russell Hill Incinerator
(Senator Reid, Senator Bolkus)
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service
(Senator Brownhill, Senator Cook)
Defence Public Relations
(Senator Newman, Senator Robert Ray)
USAF Aircraft: Customs Inspection
(Senator Vallentine, Senator Robert Ray)
Antarctic: Fuel Spillage
(Senator Calvert, Senator Richardson)
Antarctic: Casey Ice Runway
(Senator Calvert, Senator Richardson)
Defence Inspector-General
(Senator Newman, Senator Robert Ray)
Ministerial Councils
(Senator Newman, Senator Button)
Ministerial Councils
(Senator Newman, Senator Button)
Ministerial Councils
(Senator Newman, Senator Robert Ray)
National Consumer Affairs Advisory Council
(Senator Jones, Senator Tate)
Department of Defence: Appropriations for Local Government Authorities
(Senator Bishop, Senator Robert Ray)
Market Research, Opinion Polls or Surveys
(Senator Short, Senator Gareth Evans)

Tuesday, 21 August 1990
Page: 1798

Senator CROWLEY (South Australia) —I would simply like to add my remarks to those of my colleagues on the death of a South Australian senator, Jim Cavanagh. When I came into Parliament in 1983, Jim Cavanagh had been retired for two years and he featured, along with a number of other retired senators, in many of the stories that were then told about that time and particularly about times past. Indeed, it is probably a line I can offer to many senators today: it is the role of new senators to listen to the stories told and retold, often quite differently, about the events and the particular heroes or villains from times past. So I would have to say that when I came into the Senate Jim Cavanagh, in his own lifetime, had become the stuff of myth and legend.

In reading about the man, I am particularly struck about his closing comments in the Senate when he referred to his own lack of formal education. There are two things I would like to say about that: firstly, many Australians of Jim Cavanagh's age did not have access to a formal education and were never able to develop their full potential. As has been said many times already, Jim Cavanagh was one of those people who argued passionately for the rights of the poor and the workers in Australia, not only from his own experience but also from his lifelong commitment to establishing those rights for people. Secondly, notwithstanding his lack of formal education, Jim Cavanagh succeeded splendidly. His lack of formal education did not, in the end, restrict him-at least in this place.

However, I think we can say fairly that the challenge of lack of formal education, coupled with considerable intelligence, did mean restricted opportunities for many people. I am pleased that the Australian Labor Party provided one path of opportunity for Jim Cavanagh to make his considerable contribution in this place on behalf of ordinary Australians. I join in messages of sympathy to his family.

The PRESIDENT —Order! I wish to associate myself with the condolence motion. Reference has been made this afternoon to the late Senator Cavanagh's knowledge of the Standing Orders. I admit that he did have a great knowledge, but I must say that I think it was his interpretation of the Standing Orders that at times kept the Senate tied up for long periods, which is a very good tactic when in opposition.

I will just recall a personal story: I had been a member of the Senate for approximately six months. I went to Jim Cavanagh and said, `Jim, I would like some advice. I find the time in the chamber when you are in opposition pretty boring, and I find the committee work very stimulating. What should I do about that?'. He said, `Well, you should put forward a notice of motion to change the Standing Orders so that can take place'. So I did that. When it came up for debate, of course, the first person on his feet to completely demolish my argument was Senator Jim Cavanagh. He then went on to lecture me about how the voters sent me here to sit in the chamber and not to sit down in committee meetings.

Jim Cavanagh did have a very strong belief that he should spend as much time as possible in the chamber. I think that is one of the reasons why he became such a formidable debater in this chamber. He will be sadly missed, particularly by the Australian Labor Party in South Australia. I wish to associate myself with the condolence motion to his family. I invite all honourable senators to stand in silence to signify their assent to the motion.

Question resolved in the affirmative, honourable senators standing in their places.

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