The Belco Partyย mourns the death of Canberra legend, founder ofย Summernatsย and inaugural party member, Chic Henry.ย
“Our thoughts go out to Chic’s wife Deb and family at thisย sad time,” Belco Party convenor Bill Stefaniak said.
“It was an honour andย privilegeย to knowย Chic Henry since 1989 and to have had the opportunityย to work with him during theย 2020 local election campaign. The Belco Party almost got a seatย and it was out of me and Chic who would get it. I would have loved to have seen Chic get up; he would have beenย a fantastic memberย of the Assembly.ย
” hic was all about helping his localย community He was a former ARA soldier and nationalย water polo player and inย the 1980s heย started Summernatsย in Canberra. Summernats brought thousandsย of car lovers to Canberra at an otherwise dead time of year and brought lots of enjoyment to many people, not to mention much-neededย revenue into our city.
“One of my fondest memoriesย of Chic was on New Year’s Eve 1989-1990ย when some of theย Summernats crowdย got a bit out of hand. I was out with Inspector Graeme Taylorย and we counted 83 somewhatย inebriated guys in the city watchย house that night. There were calls to ban it as a result.
“Thanks to Chic’s positive suggestions as to how it could do better nextย year, and the factย all the coppers I spoke to didn’t mind the trouble and likedย theย overtime, the new Alliance governmentย (whereย I hadย responsibilities for Police and Sport) did not ban it but conducted, courtesy of Chic, the redoutable minister for Urban Servicesย Craig Duby and myself, an economic impact survey which showed that the ACT spent $118,000 on it ($88,000 police overtimeย and $30,000 for Urban services traffic control, etc.,) and the Summernats brought in $5,100,000 – a positive ratio of for every $1 we spent we got more than $40-plus back. It was a no-brainerย – it stayed and the 1990/91 event was brilliantlyย run by Chic and his crew without anyย problems. I still have a photo of myย colleague MLA Robynย Nolan, Chic and my then 16-year-old son Johnย in a vintage sports car at the Nats. Great memories.
“Goodbye old friend and thanks for all you haveย done forย the ACTย and your community. A greatย Australian and a great Canberran,”ย Mr Stefaniak said.
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