Denis O’Connell: Former Gold Coast mayor farewelled in touching funeral
Friends, former councillors and city leaders on Tuesday paid tribute to the life and contribution of ex-Mayor Denis O’Connell in a touching funeral.
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AN alderman on only $1000 a year during the day, and fisherman at night.
Friends, former councillors and city leaders on Tuesday paid tribute to the life and contribution of ex-Mayor Denis O’Connell.
They remembered his vision to establish the Gold Coast Arts Centre — a decision that would ultimately cost him his job — and preserve the Coombabah Wetlands, and his many battles with some of the city’s most famous characters.
Mr O’Connell died this month after a long illness, aged 86. More than 50 mourners gathered at Southport’s Somerville Funerals to celebrate his life.
In the eulogy, family friend Roland Ellems said Mr O’Connell, who served as mayor between 1982 and 1985, was a “fisherman and a keen player in Gold Coast politics”.
“Denis O’Connell was an incredible citizen of the Gold Coast,” he said.
“He was the last of the true Gold Coasters who came from an ordinary background to become mayor.”
The Order of Australia Medal recipient was born in May 1934 and was a lifelong Gold Coast resident, having attended the Star of the Sea school in Southport before entering the public service and getting elected to the Gold Coast City Council.
Because aldermen were paid only $1000 a year at the time, he would fish at night to make ends meet.
Mourners heard tales of Mr O’Connell’s fiery relationship with his predecessor, Sir Bruce Small, and being the only person to receive an apology from developer Keith Williams.
He was elected mayor by his peers in 1982 following the sudden death of Keith Hunt and served until his defeat in 1985 after his controversial vote to approve the Gold Coast Arts Centre.
Among the mourners on Tuesday were close friends Margaret and Noel Grummitt, former mayors Lex Bell and Gary Baildon, and former Broadbeach councillor Eddy Sarroff.
Mr Bell, who knew Mr O’Connell for more than 35 years, paid tribute to his predecessor as a “man of the people”.
“Denis was a man of the people of course and there are many of those stories of his relationship with people,” he said.
“In his mayoralty he was always prepared to listen and consider the views of others, though he reserved the right to have his own very strong view as well.
“He was a fair man who was prepared to carry out his duties in a proper and respectful fashion.
“I can recall seeing him on Chevron Island as mayor during the 1985 campaign and there was Denis, the man of the people, sitting on a park bench eating a pie — and he said to me ‘nothing like a pie and peas to fill the soul’.”
Mr O’Connell’s contributions to the fishing industry were recognised, as was his protection of the Coombabah Wetlands and connection with the city’s Indigenous community.
He was a longstanding member of the Gold Coast Waterways Authority and was one of only two people ever given life membership in the Queensland Seafood Industry Association.
Tony Risenweber spoke of the respect held by the fishing industry for the former mayor.
“He was a rock for everyone in the fishing industry and mentored me many times,” he said.
Mr O’Connell is survived by his wife of 65 years, Lorraine, and children Suzanne and Greg.
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The long-time civic leader and lifelong Biggera Waters resident died at 2.30am Saturday morning following a long battle with a respiratory condition.
Mr O’Connell was 86 and is survived by his wife of more than 65 years, Lorraine, daughter Suzanne and son Greg.
Suzanne O’Connell on Saturday morning paid tribute to her father.
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“Goodbye everyone. It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my father, Denis James O’Connell OAM at 2.30am on this Saturday morning,” she wrote.
“He put up a good fight from June last year but now he is at peace. RIP.”
Denis James O’Connell was a key player in Gold Coast politics for nearly 20 years and was first elected as an alderman in 1970, serving under then-mayor Sir Bruce Small.
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He was unexpectedly elevated to the mayoralty in December 1982 after the shock death of his predecessor Keith Hunt.
Mr O’Connell served as mayor for three years and played a key role in some of the most consequential decisions in the city’s history, including the completion of the Seawall at The Spit and, most famously, using his casting vote at his last council meeting to approve what became the Gold Coast Arts Centre despite opposition from colleagues.
He later attributed this decision as the reason for his shock loss of the 1985 council election to Denis Pie.
He ran again for mayor unsuccessfully in 1988.
Mr O’Connell returned to prominence in early 2004 when he was temporarily appointed as a councillor to replace Margaret Grummitt who had resigned to contest a state seat at that year’s election.
He served as acting councillor for two months before the election.
Ms Grummitt, who later returned to council before retiring in 2016, remembered Mr O’Connell as a friend and mentor.
“He was a leading light for the Gold Coast and the fishing industry,” she said.
“Denis and Lorraine were always very supportive of me and he was a wonderful mentor, along with Lex Bell and they don’t come much better than that,” she said.
“Whenever there was anything happening on the Town Plan I would always get a summons to see Denis and his favourite expression was ‘this wouldn’t have happened in my day’.”
For the rest of his life Mr O’Connell was a popular commentator on Gold Coast matters, particularly development, and a font of knowledge about its history.
Former mayor Lex Bell paid tribute to his predecessor.
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“We will miss Denis O’Connell. He had a world of knowledge about the history of the Gold Coast and particularly its planning schemes,” he said.
“Denis always had a comment and advice and he had a great deal of wisdom.
“We will miss him.”
Mayor Tom Tate said he had fond memories of his predecessor.
“It is sad to hear of the passing of our former mayor, who came to office in a time of turmoil,” he said.
“Denis steadied the ship at that time and he was never far away when I needed some unfettered advice or a historic view of the city.
“He leaves behind quite a legacy for the Gold Coast, most famously bringing the arts centre to fruition.
“Without his courage and diplomacy this would never have happened.”
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