Page 917 - Week 03 - Thursday, 21 March 2019
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Thursday, 21 March 2019
MADAM SPEAKER (Ms J Burch) took the chair at 10 am, made a formal recognition that the Assembly was meeting on the lands of the traditional custodians, and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.
Mr Grant Lalor
Motion of condolence
MR BARR (Kurrajong—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Social Inclusion and Equality, Minister for Tourism and Special Events and Minister for Trade, Industry and Investment) (10.01): I move:
That this Assembly expresses its deep regret at the death of former Magistrate Grant Lalor and tenders its profound sympathy to his family, friends and colleagues in their bereavement.
I rise this morning to move a motion of condolence on the passing of former magistrate and Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions assistant director Grant Lalor, who passed aged 71 on 26 February this year. Today we mourn the loss of Mr Lalor, a man of significant achievement, who was devoted both to his family and to the law.
Mr Lalor moved to Canberra in the 1960s to study law at the Australian National University, before heading to Papua New Guinea to work as a public solicitor. One of his key achievements whilst in PNG was successfully securing the release of individuals involved in tribal conflict from their unlawful incarceration. From the beginning of his career, Mr Lalor was committed to ensuring the fair administration of justice.
On returning to Canberra, Mr Lalor worked as a commonwealth prosecutor, where he was a mentor and adviser to many young prosecutors and support staff. In his time at the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, he conducted numerous trials for a wide range of offences, and he always worked with great compassion to achieve justice for vulnerable victims.
While in this role, he was involved in the first case where DNA was of major evidentiary value. He was also involved in the first trial to be conducted in the Christmas Island Supreme Court. The defendants were tried on the basis of a murder charge under the Singapore Penal Code, which at that time applied on Christmas Island rather than Australian law. Mr Lalor also worked on the Age tape inquiry, and prosecuted the first criminal trial to be successfully conducted in Jervis Bay Territory.
Mr Lalor was appointed a full-time ACT magistrate in 2004. During his time in that role, Mr Lalor was highly regarded amongst his peers. His hardworking attitude, energy, enthusiasm and commitment to his work as a magistrate meant that his colleagues considered him a person of great integrity and professionalism. I am told
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