David Armstrong, affectionally known as DMA or Armo, was in an elite category of Australian intellectuals – a philosopher who developed an international reputation, perhaps the most considerable of any Australian philosopher.
Paul Katz (1957-2014), who suddenly died on November 20 following a brief battle with cancer, was one of the world’s great architects. In his 57 years Katz moved from his native South Africa and studies in Israel and the United States to become the global leader of architects Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF), overseeing some of the most exciting and innovative designs of any firm anywhere, realising many of the world’s tallest buildings and most significant urban renewal projects.
David Coe had a multitude of interests, activities and lives as entrepreneur, investor, investment banker, business strategist, family man, art collector, sports lover. He co-founded, led and lost one of Australia’s most significant investment outfits, Allco.
Michael O’Sullivan was leader of the Federated Clerks Union, a superannuation pioneer and a corporate governance advocate. He was the chair of the $7 billion CareSuper fund (a director from 1996 to 2012) and president for a decade to 2011 of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors.
Michael Maher was greatly admired across the political spectrum as a diligent, local MP who saw the vocation of politics as serving the people.
As the national leader of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (the “shoppos” or “shoppies” union) from 1970 to 1995, Jim Maher was one of the most significant Australian unionists in the past 50 years. He created a powerful force, the country’s largest union, with an influential presence within the Australian Labor Party.
The Hon. Jeff Shaw (1949-2010) QC, former union official, solicitor, barrister, politician, NSW Attorney General, Supreme Court Judge, probably feared his death would only engender reminders of his fall from grace and further shame for his family. Instead, there was an incredible outpouring of sympathy, support and respect, and a fresh, public assessment of the man and his life.
Albert Shanker, union leader, intellectual, social democrat and raconteur was one of the greatest American labour leaders of his time. As President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) from 1974 until his death, he was at times both militant unionist and adviser to US Presidents ranging from Jimmy Carter to Ronald Reagan and George Bush.
Graham Greene described Shusaku Endo, a Japanese who converted to Catholicism, as “one of the finest novelists of our time.” Irving Howe hailed him as “one of the most accomplished writers… living in Japan or anywhere else”, and A.N. Wilson said of one novel: “Endo is always a moralist, but When I Whistle shows him to be a great artist as well.” Endo, one of Japan’s leading writers, was well known.
I first met Hop Van Chu, as he then called himself, in 1984 when the then Opposition spokesman for immigration and ethnic affairs, Michael Hodgman, made some dramatic criticisms of Asian immigration to Australia. This was met with surprise and fear in large sections of this country’s Vietnamese community.