REST IN PEACE
Maurice had the Midas touch, wisdom of Solomon and charm of the Irish BY LLOYD GORMAN This story was intended to be an interview with an incredible man in his prime. Instead it has became a tribute for a life well led. Maurice Spillane was a senior member at the State Administrative Tribunal of Western Australia. The Tribunal was created by former Attorney General Jim McGinty who amalgamated multiple WA civil and administrative review boards into a single ‘super’ tribunal. The new jurisdiction set up to be an accessible one stop shop for a wide range of disputes and appeals against decisions of government and industry bodies. Cases would be dealt with by members with the relevant expertise and the process was designed to be quick and carry a minimum of formality and cost. It also took over the disciplinary functions of dozens of self-regulated trades and professions, everything from doctors and nurse to lawyers, architects to plumbers and estate agents. “It will cover everything from an appeal in a complex state revenue matter involving millions of dollars through to a decision about whether a dangerous dog should be put down,” Mr McGinty said. Four ‘senior’ members (Jill Toohey, David Perry, Clive Raymond and Murray Allen) were appointed with effect from January 1, 2005, as were nine ‘ordinary’ members. Maurice Spillane was one of the nine. He was a practising lawyer in Perth with experience in planning, medial law and indemnity issues. A few years ago I had the pleasure of serendipitously discovering this Irishman - a native of Castleconnell, Limerick - in action at the tribunal. As a reporter for the Subiaco POST newspaper, you would frequently need to trek into the Tribunal in the Perth CBD to follow up on some appeal or another - usually but not always planning related - against a council or Development Assessment Panel refusal for a project. I can’t recall what issue it was that brought me into the tribunal that day but I will never forget thinking ‘who is this guy?’. The distinctive Irish accent and way of speaking immediately hooked my interest. His ‘thick brogue’, as a POST colleague called it, was quickly followed up with generous amounts of wit and warmth, qualities that were trademarks of his refreshing style and character. Future visits to the tribunal were always on the cards and on a good day Maurice would be the presiding member. Even a dry directions hearing where nothing of much happened was enjoyable. Sometimes I would even linger longer in the tribunal after the business I was interested in was concluded, just to prolong the ‘fix’ I got out of watching him at work. Being Irish person myself, I was a bit partial to Maurice but my fellow reporters on the local newspaper also discovered and liked the same THE IRISH SCENE | 9
Maurice Timothy Spillane passed away in St John of God Hospital in Subiaco on May 28, 2020. He was 65. His funeral service including a beautiful eulogy by his son Patrick, touching tribute by close friend Gary Smith and his wife Jane was held at Karrakatta Cemetery and can be viewed at https://livestream. com/accounts/29307044/ events/9158995/ videos/207252420 This edition of Irish Scene is dedicated to his memory.
things about him as I did. We would commonly ask each other when we had returned from the tribunal “did you get Maurice?”. As a mark of our respect POST journalists wrote a tribute to him. I am sure he had that effect on everyone he dealt with, even the most fractious and cranky of characters. Certainly he was highly regarded by his peers. Honorary Irish Consulate and lawyer Marty Kavanagh was very saddened to hear of Maurice’s death and expressed his condolences to Maurice’s family. “I knew him as a highly respected and talented lawyer and Continued on page 10
