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PRIME MINISTER
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON PJ KEATING MP
THE HON FRED DALY AO
With the death of Fred Daly, Australia has lost an outstanding Parliamentarian, the
last survivor of the Curtin Labor Government, a man who humanised the
parliamentary and political process and brought it closer to people, and one of our
leading raconteurs and wits.
Fred Daly loved the Parliament. He was a brilliant and frequently very funny
parliamentary speaker. He entered Federal Parliament in 1943 and he served as a
backbencher under John Curtin and Ben Chifley.
Much of his political career was spent during the long years of the Labor Party's
opposition from 1949 to 1972, first as Whip and then as a member of the front bench.
Fred's fighting spirit, his enjoyment of the rough and tumble of parliamentary
exchanges and his humour were very important in maintaining the parliamentary
party's morale during this period.
Fred spent his last three years in active politics as a member of the Whitlam
Government. His work as a Minister and particularly as Leader of the House of
Representatives was marked by his alert mind, quick wit and good humour.
In the twenty years of his retirement, Fred Daly became a much loved writer and
public speaker about Australian politics. His fund of memories and anecdotes
served to keep younger generations informed and interested in the political history of
the 1940' s, 50' s and 60' s where so much of Fred's political life had been lived.
Fred spent those years in Canberra and became something of an institution in the
National Capital's political, social and sporting life.
My sincere sympathy goes out to Fred Daly's family. He will be deeply missed.
GLADSTONE 2 August 1995