Mike Fetter 1948 - 2012

Vale Mike Fetter

 

Members of the Alumni were saddened to hear of the sudden death on 19 September of Mike Fetter. Mike (Michael Max Hermann) Fetter was born in Varel, Oldenburg, (then) West Germany on 28 April 1948. He came to Australia as a child and started his education in Cooma before attending Narrabundah High, after which he completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree at the ANU, where he met and wooed his future wife Robyn. Mike later completed a Diploma of Applied Science at the Canberra College of Advanced Education (now the University of Canberra).

 

Mike’s first public service employment was on a temporary basis in the Department of Trade, after which he worked as an editorial clerk at The Australian in 1966-67 and then in 1967-69 as an information assistant at the High Commission for Pakistan. His public service career proper began in the Department of Air in February 1969. Mike was promoted to a position in the Department of Education and Science before promotion to the Department of Defence in 1972. It was from Defence that Mike was promoted to the Joint House Department in April 1980. In those days, the secretariats for both the Public Works Committee and the Joint Committee of Public Accounts were located in the Joint House Department.

 

Mike joined the Department of the House of Representatives in December 1982 when the department took responsibility for the Public Works Committee and the Joint Committee of Public Accounts. He is best remembered for his long and dedicated service as a member of the PWC team, but Mike also worked to support the Joint Committee on Electoral Reform, later the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters, and did important work in the Bills and Papers Office and the Office of the Security Controller before retiring in May 2002.

 

A memorial service for Mike was held at Norwood Park on 27 September. It was a very well attended service, which would have been a comfort to Robyn and Mike’s daughters Delia and Leila. Delia and Leila led the tributes paid to Mike. It became very clear that the qualities that we had seen in Mike at work were the same as his family and friends had known – the gifts of enthusiasm, of helpfulness and kindness, and the determination to get on with the task at hand, seeing things through to their conclusion. It was also clear that Mike had been very proud to have contributed to the work of the Federal Parliament, and through it to our nation.

 

We thank him for his friendship and support and extend our deepest sympathies to Robyn and Delia and partner Ben (Wollongong) and Leila and husband Denis (Canberra).

 

TALK BY PROFESSOR GEOFFREY LINDELL

Some members of the Alumni will recall that each year Professor Geoff Lindell makes a presentation to the department on a matter of legal or constitutional importance.

Prof Lindell had a distinguished career teaching constitutional law, and has been a consultant to the department since his retirement.

This year Prof Lindell’s talk will be given on 10 November at 11.00 am in Committee Room 2R3. The subject is The Inquisitorial Powers of the Commonwealth Parliament and the Status of Parliamentary Resolutions – A Power to Order the “Creation of Documents” by Public Officials and Private Citizens?

Prof Lindell has provided the following synopsis:

The Houses of the Commonwealth Parliament inherited the same legal powers to send for “persons papers and records” which were enjoyed by the British House of Commons in 1901. This talk questions whether those powers include the authority to order public officials and private citizens to “create” documents in the sense of providing information and documents which go beyond their existing state of knowledge and possession. The opportunity is taken to reflect on the efficacy and legal status of the resolutions passed by those Houses – an issue which was raised in one of the most famous cases on parliamentary privilege, namely Stockdale v Hansard (1839).

Any member of the Alumni who would like to attend will be most welcome. Please email Lynnette Eager at lynnette.eager.reps@aph.gov.au if you would like to join us.

Peter Buckley's passing

We are saddened to learn of the passing of Peter Buckley on Monday 30 May 2011.  Peter worked for the Department of the House of Representatives for over 41 years and was known to many of us.

Vale Ian Booth 1947 - 2011

Ian Booth tragically died on Tuesday 19 April 2011, while out running on one of his favourite tracks on Mt Ainslie.  An ambulance came but the team was unable to help.  Ian was just 63.

Ian worked in the Department of the House of Representatives in the 1970s and then moved on to the Parliamentary Library.  His House career was in the Committee Office and many alumni who worked in the office at that time will remember Ian for his fabled smile, laugh and good cheer and his thorough and dedicated contribution to House committees' work.

John Hession remembers Alf Nicholls

Alf Nicholls (1918-2011)

The death occurred recently in Canberra of former Department of the House of Representatives staff member Alf Nicholls.  Alf worked in the Department from November 1970 until he retired in April 1979 and I was fortunate to work with him during my time in the House in the late 1970"s.

Alf was a one time personnel officer and later committee staff member of the House Expenditure Committee.  This was during the time when Vic Garland was committee chairman (later to be a minister in the Fraser government and High Commissioner to the UK).  It was also a time when parliamentary committee staff were located in the old Hotel Canberra, now the Hyatt Hotel.

Alf was a long time resident of Reid and was famous for often walking to work.  He and his wonderful wife Jean were staunch members of the nearby Reid Uniting Church.  Alf was also a very keen gardner (both flowers and vegetables) and an officeholder in the Canberra District Historical Society.

Canberra will be much poorer for his passing.  He was such a kind, caring man, a real gentleman.

PS Alf's brother and Lyn Eveston's father, Bert Nicholls, also died recently.  Many alumni will have fond memories of Bert who was a long time employee of the Department of the Senate.