Member of the Legislative Assembly for Kew (1971–1981)
108-565: Premier of Victoria Elections Related [REDACTED] The development and implementation of the Special Assistance Program in Victorian Primary Schools during the period 1979 - 1982 constituted the most significant innovation in the provision of special education services to children experiencing learning difficulties and in addressing declining literacy and numeracy standards. Up until
216-763: A Health and Human Relations Education curriculum and compulsory Physical Education in government schools. Also, it completed the construction of the Victorian Arts Centre , established the Australian Children's Television Foundation , established the Meat Market Craft Centre , acquired and established the Heide Museum of Modern Art , created Film Victoria and reconstituted the Victorian College of
324-611: A Liberal parliamentarian, a management educator and an information technology industry executive. He was President of Self Employed Australia (formerly Independent Contractors Australia ) from 2008 until 2018. He is retired and lives in Wye River, Victoria . As Minister for the Arts from 1979–82, Norman Lacy was responsible for the construction of the Victorian Arts Centre and the design of its management structure,
432-490: A building trade apprentice from Richmond (the electorate Holding represented) he was in the wrong party. Lacy returned the banter in numerous parliamentary debates in which he took on Holding and his party over the growing level of unemployment that was emerging in the Australian economy under the federal Whitlam government . From the time that he joined the party in 1972, Lacy was an active and vocal "small l" Liberal and
540-496: A concern that teachers undertaking SART duties were not qualified in special education, but their proposals to the course committee were rejected. The Report of the Victorian Ministerial Committee on Special Assistance Programs (1980), in one of its major recommendations, identified the need to reorganise and integrate the range of specialist professional services available (external to the school) into
648-551: A federal Liberal politician, and Alan, a Rhodes Scholar, chemist and managing director of ICI Australia. Hamer was educated at Melbourne Grammar School and Geelong Grammar School and graduated in law from the University of Melbourne , where he was resident at Trinity College from 1936. He was a member, with his brother Alan, of the College First XVIII Australian Rules football team, and
756-532: A generous mentoring role with the young parliamentarian. It was a relationship over which Lacy agonized a few years later due to the criticism of Thompson that was implied from the substantial reforms in the administration of education in Victoria that Lacy was convinced he must pursue while in Cabinet.(Detail here: [4] and here: [5] ) He became increasingly convinced and vocal that the government must restructure
864-604: A great admirer of his mentor. Lacy was prominent in defending Hamer's integrity and reputation in the Parliament against the attacks of the two renegade right wing Liberal MLAs, Charles Francis (Caulfield) and Doug Jennings (Westernport) and in September 1977 he successfully moved in the party room for their expulsion. He attacked the two members for their disloyalty to the Premier and their party colleagues by abstaining in
972-642: A member of the Victorian Institute of Secondary Education Council from 1977 to 1979. In 1977 he attended the 8-week Advanced Management Program at the Australian Administrative Staff College Mount Eliza on a scholarship he was awarded by the Parliament of Victoria. It was here that Lacy conceived and developed the general thrust of the decentralized regional and school based reforms that, with Education Minister Alan Hunt , he later introduced into
1080-709: A patron of the Public Transport Users Association from 1989. He died of heart failure in his sleep on 23 March 2004, and his family accepted the offer of a state funeral from the Labor Premier, Steve Bracks . Hamer was praised by Victorians of all political views. The former Labor federal president, Barry Jones (and was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly between 1972 and 1977 serving alongside then Premier Hamer), called him "the finest flower in
1188-506: A personal crisis of identity, significance and purpose for which he had little support. After parliament, Lacy developed a career in management education and consulting. At this time, he was greatly influenced by his reading on technological change in particular Barry Jones book Sleepers, Wake! . In September 1982, he joined the Management Consulting Services division of Deloitte, Haskins and Sells , one of
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#17327975541941296-417: A reformist liberal agenda particularly in human services, education, environment protection, planning and the arts. It reformed the administration of the highly centralised Department of Education in Victoria into a regionalised organisation with devolution of greater control to local schools. It established a Special Assistance Program to address illiteracy and innumeracy in primary schools. It introduced
1404-537: A safe seat and as a result he was defeated along with Bill Borthwick, Glynn Jenkins, Lacy and many others in the 1982 change of government. He believed that the long term consequence of this was that the Party had not prepared for a future in the highly successful Hamer mold and thereafter lacked any capacity for enlightened leadership and progressive policy development. Lacy resigned from the Liberal Party soon after
1512-568: A single co-ordinated service. To implement this recommendation, Norman Lacy established a Working Party within the Victorian Education Department to examine and report on the means to achieve this objective. Early in 1981, work began on planning for the reorganisation all the relevant special education services provided by the Education Department into a single co-ordinated service delivery system under
1620-581: A strong supporter of the leadership of Rupert Hamer . In particular, he was active in his support for Hamer's private member's bill for the abolition of capital punishment in Victoria. Lacy made what many regarded as the finest parliamentary speech of his career on the bill, in which he made much use of his theological training. [3] As a result, he made a number of friends amongst the Labor opposition, including fellow Anglican and Education spokesman Robert Fordham , as well as Barry Jones , who for many years had led
1728-417: A vote on an opposition no-confidence motion over Housing Commission of Victoria land deals. He argued that for an elected representative to abstain from voting was an abrogation of their principal responsibility upon which parliamentary democracy was based. He believed that MPs were primarily paid to vote, the record of which was democratically critical information for voters at subsequent elections. To abstain
1836-555: The Australian Children's Television Foundation was born with funding support from the Commonwealth Government collectively matched by all the State governments except Queensland. The Foundation has continued to flourish into the 21st century under the dual leadership of Edgar as Executive Director and its long term Chairman and patron Janet Holmes à Court . [19] His work in the planning, budgeting and delivery of
1944-563: The IT Super superannuation fund. The establishment and growth of IT2 as the second most successful IT job board, in partnership with SEEK (2002–2005) and with Fairfax Digital (from 2005) was a significant achievement. As was the design, establishment and growth of the ITCRA Certified Recruitment Professional program. Having become an independent contractor in 1991, in early 2000, Norman Lacy joined
2052-483: The Special Assistance Program to deal with illiteracy and innumeracy, by training and appointing an additional 1,000 Special Assistance Resource Teachers to primary schools, for introducing a reformed Health and Human Relations Education curriculum, and for compulsory physical education in government schools. [1] Lacy's mother died of lung cancer at the age of 44 on 21 February 1956, when he
2160-520: The 1982 election , Lacy worked assiduously on policy development. He developed policies on a number of issues within his portfolios. Almost every week during the spring session of Parliament in that year he delivered a ministerial statement in the Legislative Assembly on one of these policies in an attempt to counter the emerging mood for change in the electorate. With a solid margin, he had no expectation that he would lose his seat, but he
2268-528: The Burwood tram line from Warrigal Road to Middleborough Road. These were the first new trams and first new tram line since 1956, when Bolte stopped further expansion of the system and cancelled an order for 30 extra W7 class trams . Restrictions on shop trading hours, and on public entertainment on Sundays, were eased. A major new centre for the performing arts, the Arts Centre Melbourne ,
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#17327975541942376-796: The Hamer Hall . In March 2024, his 31-year-old grand-niece Amelia Hamer was selected as the Liberal candidate for the Division of Kooyong in the 2025 Australian federal election . Norman Lacy Norman Henry Lacy (born 25 October 1941 ) is an Australian former politician, who was a Minister in the Hamer and Thompson Cabinets of the Victorian Government from May 1979 to April 1982. He grew up in Richmond, Victoria and
2484-630: The Labor opposition under Clyde Holding , increasing his party's already large majority. He won an even larger victory in 1976, defeating Holding yet again. Hamer, assisted by key allies such as Planning Minister Alan Hunt , Conservation Minister Bill Borthwick , Attorney-General Haddon Storey , Social Welfare Minister Vasey Houghton , Housing and Youth Sport and Recreation Minister Brian Dixon and Community Welfare Services Minister Walter Jona moved to modernise and liberalise government in Victoria. Environmental protection laws were greatly strengthened,
2592-440: The Special Assistance Program was the provision of 1000 Special Assistance Resource Teachers "in the delivery of services to children with special needs." They were given "a major on-site responsibility facilitating a productive relationship between parents and pupils and teachers." [23] The program involved the training of these primary teachers as Special Assistance Resource Teachers and their placement in schools. Their role
2700-464: The Special Assistance Program . As a result, a reorganised multi-disciplinary service was created on a "one stop" referral basis through 50 statewide Special Assistance Resource Centres allocated one to each Primary Education Inspectoral District throughout Victoria. the professional disciplines offered at each centre included: educational psychology, social work, speech therapy and special education. The availability of these services to primary schools
2808-777: The Victorian division of the Liberal Party of Australia (LPA) and a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly (MLA) for the division of Kew . Hamer was born in Melbourne to Elizabeth Anne McLuckie and Hubert Hamer, a solicitor. His three siblings all achieved success in their fields: his sister was Alison Patrick (1921–2009), an internationally known historian of the French Revolution ; his brothers were David Hamer (1923–2002),
2916-804: The Windsor Hotel and Regent Theatre in Melbourne and Shamrock Hotel in Bendigo. By 1979, however, the gloss was wearing off the Hamer image, as Victoria was beset by increasing economic difficulties, rising unemployment, industrial unrest and a decline in Victoria's traditional manufacturing industrial base. At the same time, the Labor Party was mounting a stronger challenge to the Liberals than it had in some time. Frank Wilkes had taken over as ALP leader from Holding in 1977, and took Labor into
3024-404: The death penalty was abolished, Aboriginal communities were given ownership of their lands, abortion and homosexuality were decriminalised and anti-discrimination laws were introduced. Hamer began the modernisation of Melbourne's moribund tramway system (now the world's biggest by route length), ordering 100 new trams immediately with further orders following, and approving the extension of
3132-718: The "Guidelines" and "Curriculum Statement" on 8 December 1981. [16] Lacy used his ministerial membership of the Australian Education Council and the Australian Arts Ministers' Conference to initiate the establishment of the Australian Children's Television Foundation . [17] He appointed Dr Patricia Edgar to the Arts Ministry staff to steer the project, provided office space and establishment funding, and won
3240-683: The 'big five' chartered accounting firms. Soon afterwards, in April 1983 he bought a home in Camberwell, Victoria and moved in. In October 1983, with the support of the firm, he took leave to study full-time at Durham Business School at Durham University in the north east of the United Kingdom. While at Durham, he was elected by his fellow students to the Board of Studies of the School. He used
3348-554: The 1979 election with a realistic chance of winning government for the first time since 1955. Ultimately, the Liberals suffered an 11-seat swing, losing many seats in eastern Melbourne. Their majority was reduced to only one seat, although they could also count on the support of the rural-based National Country Party . In spite of the setback, Hamer continued in office. He promoted some new younger ministers such as Lou Lieberman (Planning), Norman Lacy (Educational Services and The Arts) and Jeff Kennett (Housing) who continued to pursue
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3456-527: The 1st 3 years of this period, he and his wife lived at 26 Bambra Street, Mount Eliza after which they moved back to their home in Camberwell. In 1988, the college invited him to attend the internationally renowned Leadership Development Program at the Center for Creative Leadership at Greensboro, North Carolina, USA to assess the program and to be trained there to deliver it under license in Australia. During
3564-464: The Arts . These changes were not enough to prevent Labor from taking seven seats off the Coalition in Victoria at the 1980 federal election , over half of its nationwide 12-seat swing. During this period the conservative wing of the Liberal Party, which had always disliked Hamer's social liberalism, began to undermine his position. The leading conservative, Economic Development Minister Ian Smith ,
3672-790: The Concert Hall interiors, the BASS ticketing system of the project, as well as its delays and cost over runs, in debates that were often led by Opposition Leader John Cain . In May 1980, prior to introducing the legislation to establish the management structure of the Victorian Arts Centre , he undertook a study trip with George Fairfax, the centre's Executive Director to Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Washington, Toronto, Ottawa, London and Paris to assess administrative structures at major performing arts centres in these cities. However, Lacy's relationship with Fairfax deteriorated soon afterwards when he had to inform Fairfax that he could not support
3780-460: The Department of Education integration program. By 1982 SAR teachers were no longer being appointed to primary schools, leaving individual schools to decide whether to appoint a SAR teacher from their staffing allocation. There was no indication of what curriculum and in-service support would be provided for schools conducting a special assistance program..." Rupert Hamer Member of
3888-450: The Education Department administration. The committee's report was the basis upon which the Special Assistance Program was established. [1] The process for the establishment of the Special Assistance Program in Victorian Primary Schools was outlined in a speech Mr Lacy delivered to Special Assistance Resource Teachers (SARTs) at a seminar held at Hawthorn State College (Victoria, Australia) on 15 December 1980. [2] In it he announced
3996-805: The Education Department to regional centres of the state and to primary and secondary school councils. For the first time parents represented on school councils had a role in the selection of their school's principal. Lacy's role in the Education portfolios included responsibility for the Special Services, the Building Operations and the Planning Services Divisions. He used this responsibility to initiate compulsory Physical Education in Schools. [15] For this, he
4104-610: The Hamer Liberal Government announced Victoria's first major review of its educational policies for more than 50 years. Anticipating the new direction, in July 1979, the Assistant Minister of Education, Norman Lacy established a Ministerial Committee on Special Assistance Programs . The committee consisted of people drawn from school staffs, special education facilities, teacher training institutions and
4212-405: The Legislative Assembly for Kew (1971–1981) Premier of Victoria Elections Related Sir Rupert James "Dick" Hamer , AC , KCMG , ED (29 July 1916 – 23 March 2004) was an Australian politician who served as the 39th premier of Victoria from 1972 to 1981, and prior to that, the 18th deputy premier of Victoria from 1971 to 1972. He held office as the leader of
4320-556: The Liberals. At the election the following year the Liberals were defeated after 27 years in power. Hamer is the last non-elected Victorian Premier to have subsequently been elected in his own right. Hamer remained active in public and community affairs after his retirement. He was chairman of the Victorian State Opera from 1982 to 1995, president of the Victorian College of the Arts from 1982 to 1996 and
4428-602: The Origination and Quality of Male Neighbor Relationships on Middle Class Housing Estates." He graduated in 1976 and his third daughter was born the same year. Soon after the 1976 election, Lacy was appointed Chairman of the Parliamentary Party Committee on Social Welfare by the new Minister for Social Welfare Brian Dixon . Lacy was a strong supporter of the politically moderate former Australian rules footballer and Melbourne champion. He admired
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4536-800: The Parliamentary Liberal Party from 1976 to 1979. He was defeated at the state election that saw the demise of the Thompson Liberal Government and the election of the Cain Labor Government . Lacy was on the Victorian Parliament's Qualifications Committee in 1973 and 1974. It was on this committee that Lacy got to work with the Opposition Leader Clyde Holding , who often reminded Lacy that for
4644-561: The Primary Division monitored the progress of the implementation and produced a number of evaluative reports that were presented to the Minister. From the beginning of the 1982 school year, schools with an enrolment of between 150 and 300 pupils designated and appointed a SART to carry out the role on a half-time basis. This resulted in and additional 302 primary schools in Victoria having a school based resource teacher, bringing
4752-632: The Trust going over his head to directly lobby the Treasurer for the extra multimillion-dollar funding required for the proposed new interiors. In the end, he won the argument with his long standing mentor and friend, Treasurer Lindsay Thompson and the Truscott designs were dropped. In March 1981, Lacy had the Victorian College of the Arts Act passed through the Victorian Parliament. [8] Its purpose
4860-735: The Under 16 Championship in Adelaide (1956); as Vice-Captain in the under 18 Championship in Sydney (1957); and as Vice-Captain also in the under 18 Championship in Davenport, Tasmania (1958) in which year, he also won the Best and Fairest Player award. Soon after the death of his father in May 1960, Lacy was accepted by Dr Stuart Babbage, Principal of Ridley College (University of Melbourne) , to live in at
4968-684: The University of New England who became a significant influence in Lacy's career after politics. At the end of 1981, the Government legislated to scrap the teaching divisions of the Education Department (Primary, Secondary and Technical) and to abolish the statutory bodies - the Committee of Classifiers and the Teachers' Tribunal. The reforms included the decentralisation of the administration of
5076-408: The Victorian Deakinite tradition.". Despite being a knight, Hamer was a staunch republican and a member of the Australian Republican Movement's advisory committee. Shortly after his death in 2004, the main concert hall of the Melbourne Arts Centre , of which Hamer had played a significant role in its development and the arts in Victoria generally, known as the Melbourne Concert Hall, was renamed
5184-415: The Victorian Teachers Union vigorously targeted him. Right wing Christian groups (including the rural based Concerned Parents Association who ran a candidate against him) and the DLP (with the direction of their preferences against him - the first Liberal to be so treated) targeted him over his Health and Human Relations Education program. Norman Lacy was separated from his first wife in January 1982 and
5292-440: The Victorian education system. Norman Lacy's loyalty towards, and open support for, his leader, Premier Rupert Hamer was rewarded after the 1979 election by the Premier personally selecting him for his new Cabinet and giving him the Ministry for the Arts which until then had been held by Hamer. He was also made Assistant Minister of Education in support of another strong Hamer supporter, fellow small "l" liberal, Alan Hunt , who
5400-402: The abolitionist campaign on this issue. He also became the unofficial "numbers man" on the Government side of the Legislative Assembly where support for the bill was hard to come by. In that he was assisted by his close friend Peter Block , who undertook a similar role in the Victorian Legislative Council where he was a member for Boronia Province , which included Lacy's lower house seat. 1976
5508-404: The additional cost and waste that would be involved in shelving the already acquired Concert Hall interior fittings and finishes in favour of new designs that the Trust had commissioned by John Truscott and was then actively promoting. Being responsible for both the generously funded Arts, and the over stretched Education, building programs created a moral tension for Lacy. Nor was he impressed with
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#17327975541945616-405: The administration of primary and secondary education in Victoria to a devolved school management system which empowered school communities, councils and principals who would obtain specialist support services from regional directorates. He tried, largely without success, to convince Thompson to have his ideas for educational reform, incorporated into the 1979 election policy, but otherwise he remained
5724-510: The amalgamation was to avoid the unnecessary duplication of functions by the three organisations; to enhance the capacity of the Government to meet the present and future media needs of Victorians; to simplify access to film materials and to enlarge the benefits to be derived from the use of such materials. Lacy saw this initiative as supportive and complementary to his push to have the Australian Children's Television Foundation established. Other highlights of this period were: Norman Lacy held
5832-440: The appointment of Jeff Kennett as Leader of the Liberal Opposition in 1982. He regarded Kennett as being in the Bolte mold, erratic, untrustworthy and lacking policy substance. Recognising Lacy's interest in and commitment to education issues, Deputy Premier and Education Minister Lindsay Thompson invited Lacy to Chair his Parliamentary Party Committee on Education. This brought the two men closer together and Thompson performed
5940-411: The appointment of Paul Clarkson, a former CRA executive, as Director of the Ministry for the Arts after the retirement of Dr Eric Westbrook the founding Director. Then in 1981, with Alan Hunt, he secured the replacement of Dr Laurie Shears as Director General of the newly restructured Education Department of Victoria by Toorak State College Principal Revd Dr Norman Curry. During 1981, in the lead up to
6048-446: The career sacrificing position Dixon had adopted on the hanging of Ronald Ryan, his thorough knowledge of economics, his parliamentary debating skills and the value of his many enlightened and reformist policies - particularly the Life Be In It campaign. He long held the view that Dixon was the best prospect the Liberal Party had for a future leader. He thought it incompetent that the Party hadn't arranged for Dixon to be pre-selected for
6156-489: The centre was an Australian Government aid project in association with the Australian Management College , ACIL Australia and the China National Non-Ferrous Metals Industry Corporation (CNNC). During Lacy's tenure, the centre (based at a CNNC university at Yan Jao), where he and his wife lived from 1991 to 1994, trained 1,500 Chinese senior and middle-level managers from more than 300 mines, processing plants and manufacturing plants throughout China. The Centre - whose mission
6264-439: The college in Parkville, Victoria , while he studied for his Leaving Certificate, the minimum requirement for the commencement of theological studies, through the George Taylor and Staff correspondence school, in The Causeway off Little Collins Street in Melbourne. After completing that prerequisite in December 1961, he studied theology at Ridley College from 1962–64. In December 1963, he completed his Licentiate in Theology (Th L),
6372-407: The election to the Women's Electoral Lobby . He pursued this mandate assiduously and against robust public opposition from rural based fundamentalist Christian groups as well as leading members of the Catholic Church and the National Civic Council. With the Premier's support he had the Principles and Policy Statements for Health and Human Relations Education approved by Cabinet on 15 October 1979 and
6480-417: The elements of the service previously performed by external consultants visiting schools. [3] As a result, from the beginning of the 1981 school year SARTs were designated by their schools and appointed to the 575 primary schools with enrolments of greater than 300 pupils. They were mandated to establish the Special Assistance Program in their schools. The Education Department's Special Services Division and
6588-416: The establishment of a national research project at the invitation of the Department of Communications, IT and the Arts in May 2006. SkillsMatch ICT Labour Market Analysis is an on-line consolidated national database that addresses the need for labour market participants to gain an informed understanding of the ICT skills market and future skills demand. With Tower Life Australia in April 2001, he established
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#17327975541946696-420: The establishment of the Australian Children's Television Foundation and the Heide Museum of Modern Art , the creation of Film Victoria , and the reconstitution of the Victorian College of the Arts . As Assistant Minister of Education and Minister for Educational Services from 1979–82, he was responsible for reforming and decentralising the administration of the Education Department of Victoria, for establishing
6804-425: The following 3 years Lacy delivered the 6-day program at Mount Eliza on more than 34 occasions to approximately 900 Australian middle and senior level managers. He regarded this period as the most satisfying of his career. In 1990, the college appointed him to lead a team of 20 staff as Executive Director of the China-Australia Management Centre that was established near Beijing , China . [25] The establishment of
6912-433: The formation and integration of the company by the acquisition and merging of three companies, and its Initial Public Offer and successful listing on the ASX . In July 1999, he accepted the invitation to represent small business in the ICT industry on the Australia Israel Chamber of Commerce IT&T Trade Mission to Israel, led by the Minister for Communications IT and the Arts, Richard Alston . From 2000 to 2009, Lacy
7020-426: The funds available for school assembly halls on a greater number of secondary schools for the purpose of providing a facility for indoor physical education and sport. He became enthusiastic about this program for many reasons not the least of which was that the design developed at his request by the Public Works Department was able to accommodate a regulation sized basketball court. He regarded this as his contribution to
7128-509: The growth of the sport that had given him so much structure and distraction during his teenage years. More than 200 secondary schools benefited from the program that also provided the structural resources needed throughout the state to accommodate his compulsory physical education policy. [21] Returning to Healesville High School in 1981 to officially open such a facility was one of the last highlights of Lacy's Ministerial career. The most significant achievement of Lacy's short time in government
7236-433: The individual ability of each pupil. Also, the ratio of pupils to teachers in schools had been significantly reduced over time and schools had become much more independent in the development of school based remedial programs. In spite of this, there existed large numbers of children in Victorian primary and secondary schools urgently in need of special assistance in the essential skills of literacy and numeracy. This situation
7344-603: The minimum requirement for ordination in the Anglican Church, through the Australian College of Theology . Being too young to be ordained, he spent another year at Ridley, commencing post graduate studies. Norman Lacy was ordained Deacon on St Andrew's Day, 30 November 1964, and Priest on the same day in 1965, at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne , by Frank Woods , the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne . In August 1965, Norman Lacy married his first wife, with whom he had three daughters (in October 1968, in November 1970 and in May 1976). From 1964 to 1966, he served as Curate in
7452-485: The most significant development in remedial education in Victoria with a strategic plan for addressing falling literacy and numeracy standards. The totally new component of the Special Assistance Program was the provision of 1000 SARTs for "the delivery of services to children with special needs." These designated teachers were given "a major on-site school responsibility for facilitating a productive relationship between parents and pupils and teachers." The program involved
7560-434: The new role. A survey of the qualifications and experience of the 575 designated SARTs was undertaken to assess their training requirements. The responses indicated that 200 of the designated teachers had already completed special education training courses. Of these 102 were also experienced in special education teaching. As well 28 of the 375 remaining designated teachers were experienced special education teachers. AREA shared
7668-422: The parishes St Mary's Caulfield and, from 1966 to 1968, at St Stephen's Richmond. He was Vicar of St John's Healesville with Yarra Glen and Christmas Hills from 1968 to 1973. Lacy's interest in education policy was fostered in Healesville through the relationship he established with the parents and teaching staff at Healesville High School. He devoted two days each week teaching religious education to each class at
7776-613: The party's pre-selection for the seat of Ringwood in the Victorian Parliament for the 1973 Victorian state election . Lacy was a member of the Liberal Party from 1972 until 1984. He was Member for the electoral district of Ringwood in the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Victoria from May 1973 until February 1976, and for Warrandyte from March 1976 until April 1982. He was Secretary of
7884-468: The party, Bolte's support was enough for Hamer to prevail in the ensuing leadership ballot, and he was sworn in as premier on 23 August. Hamer represented such a sharp change from the Bolte era that he was able to campaign in the 1973 election as a new, reformist leader, despite the fact that the Liberals had been in power for 18 years. Employing the slogan " Hamer Makes It Happen ", he won a landslide against
7992-489: The political directive to initiate this program was given, there had been no policy within the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development directing Principals of Primary Schools to develop special programs for pupils at risk of illiteracy and innumeracy. From the early 1960s, the Education Department of Victoria (Australia), had developed an extensive range of programs in primary schools that sought to develop
8100-645: The portfolios Assistant Minister of Education from May 1979 to December 1980, and Minister for Educational Services from December 1980 to April 1982. Together, Lacy (in the Legislative Assembly) and Education Minister Alan Hunt (in the Legislative Council ) made a formidable team in the pursuit of their mission to reform the administration of the highly centralised Department of Education in Victoria . [12] As Assistant Minister of Education and later, Minister for Educational Services, Lacy
8208-432: The position to encourage the School to establish the first information technology course for M.Sc. (Management) students. His masters dissertation was on "the perceptions of information technology professionals, their understanding of managerial decision-making and the role of the decision support system designer" . He graduated with a Master of Science (M.Sc.Management) in 1984. After returning to Australia from Durham, Lacy
8316-743: The production and distribution of film in Victoria including film for educational purposes". [9] The Act that he had passed through the Victorian Parliament provided for Film Victoria to be established by the amalgamation the Victorian Film Corporation (as it had been constituted initially in 1976), the State Film Centre and sections of the Audio Visual Resources Branch of the Education Department of Victoria . The purpose of
8424-509: The school building program gave the ex plumber some of his most satisfying experiences. He accepted every invitation he received to visit schools in Victoria. Usually, the purpose of the visit was to open a new school, library, art and craft centre or physical education facility. The latter being the subject of a carefully thought out plan - the Education & Community Activity Centre (Ecacentre) program [20] - which more efficiently expended
8532-595: The school, becoming, in effect, its honorary chaplain. He added to that integration into the school's life by becoming a member of the school's Parents and Friends Association, and was its honorary secretary for some time. Early in his incumbency at Healesville, Lacy joined the Liberal Party under the influence, and with the support of, some prominent Liberal parliamentarians who were amongst his parishioners, including Peter Howson , Vasey Houghton , Russell Stokes and Gracia Baylor . Other Liberals, such as Vernon Hauser and Jim Manson, were active in ensuring that he secured
8640-529: The strategic development and management of the society's CMACS certification program into an industry based, masters level, distance education program for the certification of senior information technology professionals. He achieved this by establishing alliances with Open Learning Australia , a consortium of Australian Universities; the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia (APESMA) and Deakin Australia. From 1998-2000, he
8748-548: The support of NSW Education Minister Paul Landa with whom he co-chaired the early steering committee meetings. In 1981, Lacy addressed the Senate Standing Committee on Education and the Arts arguing for the strategic and national importance of a Commonwealth commitment to recurrent funding for the fledgling Foundation. [18] Lacy's political advocacy and practical support coupled with Edgar's intellectual capacity and lobbying skills eventually won through and
8856-624: The total to 877 schools. It was not planned to designate a SART at schools with less than 150 pupils. At such schools it was planned that the Principal or an appointed staff member would access services from the Special Assistance Resource Centres for children at these schools in need of such services. A major component of stage one was the in-service education component for the SARTs designated by their schools for
8964-521: The training of these primary teachers as SARTs and their placement in schools. Their role was the early detection and remediation of children at risk of illiteracy and innumeracy. The core element of this substantial change in the delivery of special educational services to children was the new role of the school based Special Assistance Resource Teacher (SART) which was the focus of this world-first breakthrough in class room integration of pupils experiencing learning difficulties. The role incorporated all
9072-690: The war he became a partner in his family's law firm and was active in the Liberal Party . In 1944 he married April Mackintosh, with whom he had five children. He continued his military service and remained active in the Citizens Military Force joining the Victorian Scottish Regiment in 1948, of which he was Commanding Officer from 1954 to 1958. Hamer was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council for East Yarra Province in 1958. He
9180-551: Was 14 years of age. Lacy regarded this event as the most formative of his life. [2] He dealt with his grief by throwing himself into sport. He played for his local church basketball team in the Church of England Basketball Association competition and devoted all his spare time to the sport. He went on to represent Victoria three times at the Australian Junior (national under age) Basketball Championships - as Captain in
9288-418: Was Managing Director, of The Swish Group Limited. The position involved the establishment of the company during 1998, firstly as a consultant, and then from December 1998 as Managing Director. The Swish Group was one of the early Internet Service Providers in Australia, focusing on website, touch screen kiosk and CD-ROM design, e-commerce solutions and hosting. [26] His achievements in this position included
9396-851: Was Secretary of the Student Club. He joined the Melbourne University Regiment of the Australian Army in 1935 and served with them until 1939. He was commissioned as an officer in August 1940 in 2nd/43rd Battalion AIF and served at Tobruk , Syria , El Alamein , New Guinea and in Normandy . He was Mentioned in Dispatches in 1945 for "distinguished service in the South-West Pacific". After
9504-575: Was a cowardly and devious means of keeping the electorate uninformed. His speech brought together the key tenets of his political and personal philosophy about which he was passionate - loyalty, transparency and accountability. He was strongly supported by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Sir Kenneth Wheeler and Community Welfare Services Minister Walter Jona Lacy represented the Victorian Parliament as
9612-475: Was a most valuable resource. Block was a constant source of advice on many of the difficult issues that emerged in the critical construction phase of this major national project. Lacy was constantly called on to defend the Arts Centre Trust during some highly charged public debates in the Parliament. [7] He had to defend the acoustics, the design of the spire, the rejection of the proposed changes to
9720-583: Was accessed and co-ordinated by the designated SART within each school and in schools with less than 150 pupils by the Principal. In April 1982, the Cain Labor Government was elected with commitments to the VTU including the reduction of class sizes in primary schools by redeploying SARTs back to class teaching roles. AREA reported that "the SART concept would eventually give way to new policies under
9828-572: Was appointed Manager, Corporate Communications at the new joint venture IBIS DH&S Australia . In June 1985, Lacy married his second wife with whom he had a son in 1998. Soon afterwards, at the invitation of Professor Bill Walker, Lacy was appointed a Member of the Directing Staff (1985–91), and subsequently Director, International Programs (1988–91), at the Australian Management College , Mount Eliza. During
9936-499: Was appointed Minister of Education by Hamer after the 1979 election. Lacy held the portfolio of Minister for the Arts from May 1979 to April 1982. During his Arts incumbency, he was responsible for the establishment of the Victorian Arts Centre Trust [6] and for the construction of the theatres, concert hall and spire of the Victorian Arts Centre . During this period, Lacy's friendship with Peter Block
10044-476: Was appointed to the cabinet of the Premier, Henry Bolte , in 1962, becoming Assistant Chief Secretary. He was Minister for Local Government from 1964 to 1971. After Deputy Premier Arthur Rylah 's retirement, Hamer was elected in a by-election for Rylah's Legislative Assembly seat of Kew in East Melbourne. He immediately assumed Rylah's portfolios of Deputy Premier and Chief Secretary. Although he
10152-441: Was becoming increasingly convinced that the Government could not survive. Three disparate forces combined on election day in April 1982 to end his parliamentary career. Each of them related to a statewide issue upon which he had publicly adopted a strong position. Smarting from the provision of a promised additional 1,000 teachers to the Special Assistance Program rather than to the reduction of student teacher ratios in classrooms,
10260-498: Was built in the centre of the city. These measures won the support of middle-class voters, and the Melbourne daily The Age , which had been critical of Bolte during his later years in power, strongly supported Hamer's government. Hamer was instrumental in the introduction of the Historic Buildings Act 1974 and made significant moves in 1977 which guaranteed the protection of several significant buildings including
10368-488: Was divorced in 1983. Being removed from his young family and then losing his seat in Parliament in April 1982 presented Lacy with the darkest period of his life since the death of his mother in 1956. Living alone in The Avenue, Parkville in the neighbourhood of Ridley College where 20 years earlier he had commenced his theological studies, he wrestled with his loneliness and the loss of his family and career. It represented
10476-399: Was educated at North Richmond Primary School (1946 - 1953) and Richmond Technical School (1954 - 1956). He completed university degrees in theology (Th.Schol., Australian College of Theology) 1969, sociology (B.A. Hons, Monash University) 1975 and management science (M.Sc., Durham University, UK) 1984 and had a diverse career that included periods as an apprenticed plumber, an Anglican priest,
10584-510: Was his establishment of the Special Assistance Program in Victorian Primary Schools. [22] He outlined his ambitious program in a speech he made at a seminar of Special Assistance Resource Teachers in December 1980. In it he announced the most significant development in remedial education in Victoria with a strategic plan for addressing a reported decline in literacy and numeracy skills amongst secondary students. The totally new component of
10692-567: Was jointly responsible with Hunt for the most significant and far-reaching reorganisation of the Education Department of Victoria in the 20th Century. [13] Hunt appointed Lacy Chairman of the external Ministerial Consultative Committee that steered the project in its early phase and the Implementation Steering Committee later. [14] Lacy pulled together an impressive group of people from academia and business to assist him including Emeritus Professor Bill Walker from
10800-423: Was loyal to Bolte, he had a reputation for being much more liberal than his rough-edged conservative leader. By the 1970s, the Liberal government was losing its appeal to younger, urban voters in Melbourne. Realizing that the Liberals had a year at most to retool their image before a statutory general election, Bolte retired in 1972 and endorsed Hamer as his successor. Despite opposition from the conservative wing of
10908-540: Was one of the most fulfilling years in Lacy's life. After his re-election to the parliament for the seat of Warrandyte in March 1976, he was elected by the party room to the position of Secretary of the Parliamentary Liberal Party. During his first parliamentary term, he had completed his Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Sociology part-time at Monash University . His honors dissertation was entitled "A Social Network Approach to
11016-560: Was recognised in March 1983 by the award of a Fellowship by the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation . Similarly, Lacy was responsible for the promotion of a reformed Health and Human Relations Education curriculum in Victorian Schools. He had been personally given this project by the Premier on being appointed to Cabinet after the 1979 election to fulfil a commitment Hamer had made prior to
11124-481: Was reflected in the Australian Parliament 's House of Representatives Select Committee on Specific Learning Difficulties in 1976. The committee had commissioned research by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) that found that 15% to 20% of children completing their primary education had not achieved a functional level of literacy. In late May 1979, within a month of being reelected,
11232-495: Was sacked from Cabinet for disloyalty in March 1981. He was reinstated after pledging loyalty to Hamer, but resigned again in May. It was apparent by this stage that Hamer had lost the support of his party. He resigned in June, and was succeeded by Deputy Premier Lindsay Thompson . The following month he resigned from Parliament, and was knighted, becoming Sir Rupert Hamer . At the ensuing by-election, Prue Sibree retained his seat for
11340-585: Was the early detection and remediation of children at risk of illiteracy and innumeracy. [24] Lacy's greatest political disappointment came from the Cain Labor Government's actions after their 1982 election, directed at de-emphasising and largely dismantling the program. Lacy had a central role in the appointment of two departmental permanent heads in the Victorian public service during his Cabinet career. In 1980, he secured cabinet support for
11448-590: Was the founding Executive Director of the Information Technology Contract & Recruitment Association. This role required the establishment of the Association, the development of its products and services and the ongoing management of its membership and revenue growth. During this period, ITCRA's membership grew from 6 to more than 150 companies across Australia and New Zealand. [27] Lacy's other achievements in this position included
11556-631: Was the reconstitution of the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) made necessary by the repeal in 1980 of the Victorian Institute of Colleges Act and to make it "better able to provide for the preparation of young people to enter upon careers as professional artists. It also represents a most significant development for the Victorian Arts Centre." In October 1981, Lacy created Film Victoria as "a new statutory authority to be responsible for Government activities related to
11664-654: Was to train CNNC managers in western management theory and practice - was one of two that had been promised to the Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang by Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke on a visit to China in 1983. The other, in the iron and steel industry, was located at Wuhan. After returning to Melbourne in 1994, Lacy became Professional Development Director of the Australian Computer Society from 1996–98. This position involved
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