Condolence

Bolaffi, Mr Allen

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:03): Sir, on indulgence, I rise to speak on the passing of Mr Allen Bolaffi, a prominent businessman, community leader and respected South Australian. Mr Bolaffi was a proud South Australian, educated at Plympton High School and the University of South Australia. He was a leader in the South Australian multicultural community.

Mr Bolaffi served the Portuguese community of South Australia, but is best known for his dedication to the Jewish community. He was involved in a number of Jewish organisations in Adelaide, including a key role in establishing the Adelaide Jewish Museum, and founded the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce and served as its president for the past 20 years. He was director of a number of prominent South Australian companies, and was managing partner of UHY Haines Norton Chartered Accountants.

Mr Bolaffi was renowned for his generosity and involvement in supporting a number of non-government organisations, and I can remember only recently seeing his smiling face. It is a great shock to all of us that he was taken from us so early from an unknown illness. I convey my sympathies and those of the house to Mr Bolaffi's family, including his wife Viv, son Reuben and daughters Amy and Kate.

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (14:05): I would like to echo the words of the Premier and I thank the Leader of the Opposition for allowing me to, on indulgence, share the opposition's commiserations to the family of Allen Bolaffi on behalf of the Liberal Party. Allen Bolaffi was one of the first people who gave me encouragement and advice when I became a candidate for office and, indeed, his son Reuben was the first person who worked in my electorate office, setting up my website and getting me on the path, as it were.

Allen Bolaffi was a director of a number of companies, but he gave an enormous amount to the South Australian community across a range of fields. He was the President of the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce in Adelaide for 20 years. He was the Chairman of the SA Innovation Investment Fund Advisory Committee. He was on the Flinders University audit committee, the Chairman of the Adelaide Jewish Museum and a director of Southern Adelaide-Fleurieu-Kangaroo Island Medicare Local Ltd.

I am going to miss his comments on Twitter, as I am sure many of us will, and many of the fourth estate to whom they were often directed. His advice and instruction to the South Australian public polity was regular, informed, thoughtful, and often from a different sort of perspective, which encouraged thoughtfulness in those to whom it was directed.

It is a reminder of our own mortality. I was with Reuben at a school in my electorate only on Friday and things were going very well, but obviously the weekend's news was terrible for the family. We pass on our condolences to Allen's mother, Yvette; his wife, Viv; his children, Reuben, Amy and Kate; and his grandson, Leon. The member for Bragg and, I believe, the Minister for Communities are currently attending the funeral, which is taking place right now. I believe the member for Bragg will be making some more comments a bit later on today, but we certainly pass on the respects of the opposition to the family of Mr Bolaffi.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!