Former Canberran of the Year, civic-minded businessman and self-government critic Jim Service has died, leaving a legacy that impacted almost every facet of life in the national capital.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Service died on Wednesday aged 88. He is survived by his wife Dorothy and much-loved family, including his son and namesake James, who has carried on much of his father's work.
Former prime minister John Howard led the tributes to Mr Service.
"Jim Service gave remarkable commitment to the life of Canberra," Mr Howard said.
"It is hard to think of any aspect of the life of our national capital which did not benefit from his energy. I extend sympathy to his widow and family on their great loss."
Former chief minister Kate Carnell said Mr Service always believed in the private sector potential of Canberra and was a mentor to many, including herself.
"Jim was an extraordinary Canberran who always believed absolutely in Canberra's capacity to be a major private sector town," Ms Carnell said.
Retired high-ranking public servant and diplomat Allan Hawke said Mr Service was influential, but not egotistical.
"He was a wonderful humble man who did more listening than talking," Mr Hawke said.
Max Moore-Wilton, former secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and CEO of Sydney Airport Corporation, knew Mr Service for 20 years both professionally and as a friend
"I think he was doyen of the local Canberra business community," Mr Moore-Wilton said.
"He was a leader in a community business activities through ActewAGL and so on, where he linked major Australian companies into providing services to Canberra.
"His own business was an outstandingly successful property services company where he worked to develop Canberra's capabilities and also very well along major entrepreneurs like Terry Snow to develop the Canberra airport precinct.
"He was a very loyal and stalwart friend and I think he represented a small, tight-knit business community, a very fine group of people who really saw Canberra as their home as well as being the national capital."
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr also recognised Mr Service's "significant contribution to the city over many decades".
"On behalf of the ACT Government, I extend our condolences to his family and friends at this sad time," Mr Barr said.
Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee also paid tribute.
"Jim was a wonderful Canberran and Australian who made an immense contribution to the ACT through his work in the business community along with many charities and organisations," she said.
"Jim's legacy will leave a lasting impression on so many and on behalf of the Canberra Liberals I offer my deepest condolences to his family and friends."
In 1981, Mr Service created JG Service Pty Ltd, a national property and development consulting company based in Canberra. His projects over the years ranged from everything from the Jamison Centre to The Canberra Times building in Fyshwick. But his influence extended far beyond that, as he sat on boards and advisory groups, chair of everything from the National Museum to Actew.
Mr Service was named the 2001 Canberra Citizen of the Year for his work and contribution to business and charity organisations and in 2004 made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to business and to the community particularly through support for arts, cultural and charitable organisations.
"Jim's support as a mentor has been pretty important, certainly important for me," Ms Carnell said.
Over the years, Mr Service has been president of the ACT and Region Chamber of Commerce and national president of the Property Council of Australia, the Building Owners and Managers Association and chairman of the Australian Building Codes Board.
Examples of his extensive patronage included Floriade, Olympics Project 2000, Bundanon Trust, National Gallery Foundation, the Canberra Theatre Trust, the Australia Day in the National Capital Committee, ACT Board of Health, Australian and New Zealand Health Management Network and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
Former chairman of ActewWater and ActewAGL, John Mackay, described Mr Service as a great Australian and great Canberran.
"Among the many things I will miss will be his great companionship, especially at our regular fierce games of poker," he said.
Mr Service was also a long-time chairman of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, patron of the Spirit of Calvary Hospital capital development campaign and supported many major charity events and fund-raising campaigns run in Canberra.
Mr Service was born on February 9, 1933 in Sydney and then spent four years in Fiji. He was educated t Newington College.
After school, Jim went bush for two years as a jackaroo and then worked in Sydney, by 1959 in managerial positions. He moved to Canberra in 1964 as an executive of Moteliers but resigned to form GKS Constructions Pty Ltd with Len Goodwin and Arthur Kenyon.
Their first big project was the Jamison Centre, which led to Kippax Fair before branching out into property consultancies in Fiji and Papua New Guinea. In 1981 he founded JG Service Pty Ltd.
He was president of the Canberra Chamber of Commerce (1975 and 1976), chair of the ACT Advisory Board on Tourism (1975) and deputy chair of the new Canberra Development Board (1979). He was deputy chairman and then chairman of the Civic Permanent Building Society from 1984 until it was absorbed by the Civic Advance Bank in 1986, of which he was appointed chairman.
In the 1980s Mr Service was involved with the Canberra Chamber of Commerce, the ACT Advisory Board on Tourism, the new Canberra Development Board, Calvary Hospital board and Australia Day in the National Capital committee. By 1991 he had added Floriade, NRMA, the [Northern] Territory Insurance Office, Canberra Centre Holdings and the Australian National Gallery Foundation, as well as now being chairman of Advance Bank, formed by merging Civic Advance Bank with Canberra Building Society. He was the first Canberra businessman to head a major national public company.
He then accepted the appointment as chairman of the ACT Board of Health - on condition that he was allowed to relinquish one or two of his other positions.
By 2001, he was still critical of self-government but was resigned to it.
"I was an opponent of self-government at the time, as were most Canberrans, and I must say it has turned out about as badly as I thought it would," he told The Canberra Times then.
"For 300,000 people, we've now got a huge expensive infrastructure of politics which I just don't think is justified."
Mr Service always belived Canberra's advantages needed to be marketed - a well-educated population and several universities for knowledge-based industries, cheaper processing costs for hi-tech industries. He wanted to see his adopted home prosper.
Mr Service's wife Dorothy and son James are also big contributors to Canberra, helping to raise more than $3 million for cancer research through the Canberra Cancerians Committee.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark canberratimes.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram