Word has reached us that Chief Minister Gallagher is this morning naming a bridge after the late great Jim Murphy.
It’s the crossing of Gungahlin Drive over Ginninderra Drive, so a big honour for the big man.
UPDATE: Katy Gallagher’s office have sent through this pic of the Chief Minister and the Murphy family out at the site:
Further update: The Chief Minister’s release is now available:
“Jim Murphy made a significant contribution to our community and was a strong advocate of Canberra and I am honoured to be able to name this bridge to remember Mr Murphy’s legacy for many years to come,” the Chief Minister said.
The Chief Minister was joined by Jim Murphy’s wife, Margaret Murphy to officially name the bridge.
Jim Murphy passed away two years ago and was best known for his network of businesses in the ACT.
“Jim Murphy also had a key role in developing awareness of charities, and the development of local sport and the church,” the Chief Minister said.
“Through all these aspects of his life, Jim Murphy helped raise the national and international profile of Canberra.
“It has been two years since Jim passed away and while his legacy is still strongly felt throughout the ACT, it is a fitting tribute to Jim’s standing in the community to have a piece of vital infrastructure named after him.
Loading ...
cranky said :
From the link I posted above, plus some more research. All of these dates can be found on the ACT Legislation Register.
Gazetted 1991 – Crace, Nicholls, Casey, Kinlyside, Taylor, Ngunawal, Moncrieff, Amaroo, Harrison, Kenny, Franklin, Mulanggari, Palmerston
Gazetted 1992 – Gungahlin (25 Feb – The Suburb) Throsby (20 July) Forde (16 July) Ngunawal renamed Ngunnawal (22nd April)
Gazetted 2001 – Bonner (19 May) Jacka (23 April)
Mulanggari de-gazetted 6 July 1995.
All occurred before Stanhope was CM.
RB78 said :
I would really appreciate someone confirming/deyning this claim. If Stanhope did indeed have some input to the naming/renaming of this suburb I would be furious.
They should start dedicating some carparks.. then they can’t get rid of them
PBO said :
Legal drug dealer? just like a doctor hey?
The government also receives about $7-8billion from taxes on alcohol not to mention the myriad of businesses that exist solely because of alcohol.
Oh and your $15 billion figure includes the nebulous $6-7 billion in lost productivity because all those who are affected by alcohol would be good little worker bees for the rest of their lives if not for that evil alcohol. LOL.
Ever heard of a bit of personal responsibility?
Roundhead89 said :
This isn’t the first time I’ve seen that comment made on this site, what’s your source?
Kenny was actually gazetted in October 1991, along with every other suburb in Gungahlin (except Bonner, Forde, Throsby and Jacka), Source: http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/di/1991-96/current/pdf/1991-96.pdf
Rollersk8r said :
After this weeks ACT Governmnet budget the “troll for the bridge might become a toll for a bridge”.
Word is that that it is a shocker – about 9 on the “Wayne Swan 10 is worst scale”.
p1 said :
I thought it would be more of a dead end…
PBO said :
‘Just someone who sold cheap alcohol to the masses’. So you didn’t bother to even read the release, or any of the other comments in this thread? Because he sold grog, you’ve completely dismissed the good that the man did in his life outside of his liquor store?
So I take it you’re a teetotaler? Or are you just a hypocrite?
PBO said :
Well, putting it that way one could rationalise that the ACT Labor Government is recognising the contribution to the hospitality industry by naming the bridge after Jim.
I mean it would be more fitting (but not appropriate) to name it the “ACT Labor Club Bridge” considering the money that club has donated to their Alma Mater. This money was derived from selling cheap alcohol to the masses AND their poker machine addicts.
PBO said :
Well at least we’ve found a troll for the bridge. You’re being absurd. On your reasoning shopkeepers are also directly responsible for lung cancer, obesity, etc, etc.
EvanJames said :
From the ABS:
In 2008 the estimated annual cost to Australia’s health care system from drinking was $15 billion. Between 1995-96 and 2005-06, around 813,000 Australians were hospitalised for injury or disease attributable to alcohol. In the 10 years to 2005, around 32,700 Australians aged 15 years and over died from causes attributable to risky or high risk drinking.
You are right, I should have said Death Merchant.
I am sure he was a great guy and did lots for the community but the fact of the matter is he was just someone who sold cheap alcohol to the masses. I am sure that there are more appropriate people to name it after.
So the Gallagher Labor/Greens government has named a bridge after a former luminary of the Liberal Party. Looks like they’ve progressed a bit since Jon Stanhope intervened to get the name of the Gungahlin suburb McMahon (named after the former Liberal PM during the Canberra Liberal government) changed to Kenny in the early Noughties.
PBO said :
Not that he had a lot of spare time. Did you know that for decades, Jim Murphy would take boys and young men who had fallen afoul of the law or were “at risk” or already living on the streets, give them a job AND ensure they got really thorough training? This is just one of the things he did, he exemplified the concept of “giving back” and did more than any other businessman I can think of. He did it without fanfare or feeling the need to tell the world about it. He did it because he believed strongly that this was something he should do.
These young men are a difficult group to deal with, they’re often angry, distrustful, and apt to fall back into their ways at the drop of a hat. But he worked with htem, and achieved many turn-arounds. This is just one of the things he did for our community.
Calling him a drug dealer is a cheap shot and un-called for.
Primal said :
Could have been the Jim Murphy bypass perhaps?
HiddenDragon said :
As Maxwell Smart would have said: “Hazel, you missed out on that one by just that much”
Serious point….is that the bridge that IS moving away from GDE?
The bump is getting pretty bad now, wouldn’t like to cross it on a motorbike.
PBO said :
Legal drug dealer? Honestly? What – because booze and cigarettes were previously unavailable until Jim arrived on the scene? That’s pretty poor…
mossrocket said :
This is not quite right, Bambino. You don’t get a free pass for your faults and publicity for your good deeds just because you’ve died. Jim, like all of us, was no doubt a complex person with many sides to his character. Nothing wrong with memorialising him for his charity work but no point in ignoring his faults either. That’s just as unfair to the man.
mossrocket said :
Boom boom
Until I read on, I thought it was one of the bridges at Fyshwick – no good reason why they shouldn’t all look much the same, I suppose. Nice for the Murphy family, anyhow.
Has/will Chris Peters be getting a similar tribute (apologies if I have missed it)?
While we’re on this sad theme, we have Dame Pattie Menzies House and now the Margaret Whitlam Pavilion – so I hope Hazel will be getting a suitable tribute from the Gallagher Government.