Tributes for popular Territory Senator Grant Tambling

A long-serving Territory legislator has died, leaving behind a legacy of good works.

Former Northern Territory politician and popular public figure Grant Tambling has died.

The long-time Country Liberal Party identity served at all four levels of government during a distinguished career in public office, culminating in 14 years as Senator for the Northern Territory.

Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro led the tributes, sending condolonces to the long-time Territorian’s family.

“Grant was a proud and fierce advocate for the Northern Territory, particularly on issues such as euthanasia, and Territory rights,” Ms Finocchiaro said.

“Among the long list of achievements throughout his career, Grant was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2011 Australia Day honours.

“I thank Grant for his service and dedication to making the Northern Territory a better place.”

The eldest of three children, Grant Ernest John Tambling was born at Wondai near Kingaroy, Queensland on June 20, 1943.

His parents Ernest ‘Tam’ Tambling and Edna Williamson were school teachers who had married in Darwin in 1941, and returned here to work after the war.

Former NT politician Grant Tambling.

He was named after the USS President Grant, which was used to evacuate his parents out of Darwin to Queensland during WWII.

A student at Darwin primary school, Darwin high school and finally Adelaide Boys’ High School, he returned to Darwin after matriculating in 1960 to study accounting before moving to Sydney for three years to join the AMP Society as an insurance sales agent.

While in Sydney he met trainee nurse Sandra McDowall, with the couple marrying in 1969. Back in the Territory, he continued to work with AMP covering Darwin, Arnhem Land and Gove before Cyclone Tracy “blew away” all his clients in December 1974.

Grant’s interest in public life began soon after his return with Sandy to Darwin, serving as an alderman with Darwin City Council from 1972-74 before being elected to the seat of Fannie Bay in the first ever Territory assembly from 1974.

Grant and Sandy Tambling.

He was deputy leader of the CLP in the early years after the party’s formation.

Elected to the House of Representatives as member for the Northern Territory in 1980, he lost the seat in the 1983 Hawke landslide that saw the coalition turfed from government for the next 13 years.

He returned to Canberra in 1987 as a Senator having spent the previous four years running a newsagency in Parap, as well as serving as deputy chairman of the Northern Territory Planning Authority.

When the Coalition finally returned to government under John Howard in 1996, he was parliamentary secretary for almost six years and played an important local role when Australia led a peacekeeping mission to East Timor.

Former Senator Grant Tambling and his wife Sandy Tambling at his home on the Esplanade. Picture: Keri Megelus

A champion of Territory rights, Grant opposed a private members bill supported by the Coalition to overturn the world’s first euthanasia legislation.

He believed political attacks of this kind hit at the Territory’s democracy and undermined the jurisdiction’s sovereignty.

The bill, he said, was “undemocratic and discriminatory’and took from Territorians, whether they live in the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory or Norfolk Island, the rights that every other Australian enjoys in the parliamentary process”.

Grant’s career in Government ended over his support for a ban on online gambling.

In his final speech to parliament, he offered an apology to his Aboriginal constituents “for the things that I have not done and the programs that I have not accelerated fast enough.”

After politics, he was Norfolk Island administrator from November 2003 to September 2007. Grant is survived by Sandy, son Coryn, daughter Amalia and grandchildren Reuben, Hamish and Castiella.

The NT Government has offered the family a state funeral.