"King George V might have been in his grave for almost 60 years, but he still exerts influence on Canberra's decision-makers," read the lede on one of The Canberra Times' front page stories on this day in 1995.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The story detailed how a statue of the monarch had won out over two trees alongside his statue.
That year's report of the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories found that unless something was done, the root systems set down over almost 70 years could bring the statue down.
Since October 1991 it had been fenced off to protect the public from falling stonework and uneven and broken paving caused by roots.
The tree-removal decision had been taken reluctantly and only after every other possibility - including removing the statue - had been considered, a spokeswoman for the National Capital Planning Authority said yesterday, but the trees were nearing the end of their lives anyway.
The blame was been laid on past bureaucrats' failure to carry out maintenance since the King George statue was moved there from directly in front of Parliament House in 1968.
The statue had had a colourful history. About 25 years prior, a young student - who later became a professor at the ANU - climbed it and bestrode the horse in the course of a Vietnam War protest and defied police attempts to get him down.
Charged finally with offensive behaviour, he was acquitted by Justice John Kerr, then of the ACT Supreme Court, in a landmark civil-liberties case on the right to protest.
Miriam Webber
I report on the public service and politics for the Canberra Times. Reach me at miriam.webber@canberratimes.com.au
I report on the public service and politics for the Canberra Times. Reach me at miriam.webber@canberratimes.com.au
