1987
CITATION
Mr Chancellor,
Like the legendary J.D. Story, Longland had a career as a public servant in which he exercised both dedication and innovation. Like Story, Sir David was a trusted servant of both the Government and the people of the State. Like Story, he had the responsibility of inaugurating many duties for which there was no precedent. Like Story, he has worked tirelessly for the community after his official retirement. Unlike J.D. Story, however-if! am.not committing sacrilege within these University walls-he has, during a long career, generated far more affection than fear.
Sir David had the responsibility in 1946 of accommodating and inducting post-war migrants to Queensland. In 1957, at the beginning of a period of economic expansion, he was appointed Under Secretary of the Department of Works. In 1969 he became Chairman of the newly constituted Public Service Board and Chairman of the State Public Service Superannuation Board. In 1974 he was appointed Queensland's first Ombudsman-or, more formally, Parliamentary Commissioner for Administrative Investigations.
Beyond his multifarious official duties, Sir David has brought his commitment and skills to many community services. Since 1962 he has been·President of the Queensland Spastic Welfare League. For two years he was N ationalPresident of the Australian Cerebral Palsy Association. And he is the inaugural Honorary Executive Director of the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation.
Sir David's service to education includes lecturing in Advanced Commercial subjects, helping to inaugurate the Bachelor of Commerce degree at this University, and being a member of the Senate from 1968 to 1974.
Mr Chancellor, in recognition of his services to public administration, charity, culture, and education, I present to you Sir David Walter Lon gland, Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, Fellow of the Australian Society of Accountants, Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management; Fellow of the Royal Institute of Public Administration, for conferral of the award of Doctor o_fLaws, honoris causa, to which he has been admitted by the Senate of the University.