Adjournment Debate

TUCKWELL, MR D.

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (17:13): I wish to use the opportunity presented by the adjournment debate to recognise the contribution made by a great South Australian, David Tuckwell, who, regrettably, passed away on 6 February this year. David Tuckwell was a man who I met in late 2008 and the brevity of our acquaintance was, I am sure, my loss and quite possibly to his benefit. He gave a great deal to the communities in which he lived and I wish I had had more of an opportunity to know him over a longer period.

He was born on 28 April 1932. His involvement in the community through which I knew him was through Rotary International. He was inducted into Rotary young—in his 20s—in Mount Gambier. Through that community he served for several decades before moving and bringing that country community spirit with him to the city. He was inducted into the Rotary Club of Campbelltown on 7 January 1974—a club that he served with distinction for 37 years, and his contribution to the community of Campbelltown is widely recognised.

David became president of the Campbelltown Rotary Club for the 1984-85 period, and he also served two terms as secretary. Often in this place members make recognition of people whose service to their community through Rotary has been recognised by being awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship, and, indeed, David was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship in 1988, and the Sapphire Pin in that fellowship in 2006. He was a very easy man to connect with, and, indeed, he is one of those people who was the life and the heart of his community.

The Rotary Club of Campbelltown keenly feels his loss, but the community spirit that he brought to the club and the activities he was involved with certainly live on through the ongoing work of that club, and it will continue to live on for decades to come through the many members who have been inspired to greater service through knowing David.

David was involved in a wide range of activities through the Campbelltown Rotary Club, including fellowship and encouraging new members to get more involved and contribute more through fundraising, as well as working bees on environmental projects and other community projects whenever he was asked. Over the last three years, finishing in September 2010 (very recently), he was involved with a fundraising activity called the Campbelltown Rotary Outback Experience, which raised significant funds, particularly for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

An auction David organised through the Campbelltown Rotary Outback Experience in September last year alone raised $25,000 for the flying doctors, and I was pleased to be able to make some small contribution towards that. Indeed, in David's memory, the Campbelltown Rotary Club has donated a further $5,000 to the important work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and I think that is suitable recognition for his involvement in that organisation. The Campbelltown Rotary Newsletter described David as follows:

His friendly smile and warm greeting, his willing hand for whatever task came up, his sometimes outspoken but usually logical views on matters controversial, will greatly be missed.

That is certainly true. Every month when the Rotary shed sales were held to raise thousands of dollars for local community projects, David would always get on the ABC early to advertise them, and I understand that he had quite a following of listeners on that community billboard program.

He was certainly taken too soon. At his funeral on 11 February at Darroch House the many people who were touched by David in his personal life, as well as through his outstanding work and contributions to the community, showed their appreciation for David's contribution and his life. He was taken too soon at the age of only 78, but his memory will certainly live on through the institutions to which he gave so much.