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Sir William and Lady Mary Deane pictures at the launch of Project Compassion – his work with the
needy isn’t always so public
Perhaps the country’s most famous Catholic, and a man of special qualities, Sir William Deane recently stepped down
as Australia’s Governor General. Chris Hook writes
“He’s always very accommodating and always ready to give of his time.”
Lucy Limbers, St Vincent de Paul’s national communications
manager, was speaking of Sir William Deane, who recently stepped down as Australia’s first Catholic Governor General.
Ms Limbers told a telling anecdote that revealed the values the now former Governor
General brought to the once-tired old Governor General’s office.
Ms Limbers worked regularly with Sir William as he gave much of his time to a variety of Vinnies causes, most recently the launch of Charles
O’Neill House for the homeless in Surry Hills.
“He always goes the extra mile” even if the media is not always there to mark it, said Ms Limbers. She told of how Sir William sometimes visited Vinnie’s
Matthew Talbot Hostel in Woolloomooloo not for media events but to share a meal and talk privately with the hostel’s guests.
“He’s always very one-on-one in (his) contact,” said Ms Limbers. “He spends his
time sitting and talking, and shares of himself with them (hostel guests), just as they do with him.”
Toby O’Connor, head of the Australian Catholic Social Welfare Commission, told a similar tale. One of Sir
William’s first public tasks was to officially open a small homeless men’s service in Canberra. Afterwards, Sir William took it upon himself to meet and mingle with the service’s clients.
“He brought
humility,” Mr O’Connor observed. “He filled a vacuum created by the Prime Minister and Kim Beazley, who lacked any sort of vision. I think he was an outstanding person.” And when, just over a week ago, Australia’s
first Catholic Governor General came to the end of his tenure in office, he finished up in much the same way – spending time with the less fortunate.
Sir William and Lady Mary Deane’s last day at Yarralumla
was marked by a lunch attended by 27 homeless kids from Fr Chris Riley’s ‘Youth Off The Street’ program. It is the only charity of which Sir William will remain patron after leaving office, Fr Riley said.
He
said Sir William had brought a real concern for social justice to his time in office.
“The biggest thing he’s done is make social justice a priority for this nation … I think he’s pointing toward this
country looking after the underdog,” he said.
Sir William provided an example for Christian Churches across the country, he added.
On Sir William’s last day in office, Fr Riley’s young protégés
enjoyed a smorgasbord lunch with him and Lady Mary, who then gave them each a $40 gift. Sir William told them half was for them, but half was for someone else.
The children turned around and straightaway gave
the $20 to Fr Riley. Sir William was quite touched by their gesture, said Fr Riley.
Sir William’s time as Governor General has been characterised by a sense of social justice that has brought praise from
other Catholic agencies, too.
“I think his time in office is notable for his moral leadership, particularly in reconciliation. He has great compassion for people,” said Sandie Cornish, director of the
Australian Catholic Social Justice Council. “He came to office (at a time) when political debate was taking a nasty turn (in 1996 with the rise of One Nation). He added decency to the public debate.”
Upon
taking office, Sir William said that participating in the process of reconciliation with Australia’s Indigenous peoples was one of his goals and his work in this area is highly regarded.
“He was a great
support to Aboriginal people,” said Ms Elsie Heiss, NSW councillor for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Commission.
“His heart was in the right place for reconciliation. Every
Aboriginal person that ever met him felt his individual warmth.”
As so many commentators have noted, Sir William managed to reinvigorate a tired and somewhat anachronistic office. He has left very large shoes
for his successor, Dr Peter Hollingworth, the former Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane, to try and fill.
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