Condolence

New Zealand Volcano Eruption

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:03): On indulgence, I would like to quickly turn the house's attention to the recent events in New Zealand. For Gavin and Lisa Dallow, and Lisa's daughter, Zoe, their departure from Adelaide on Wednesday last week was to begin the trip of a lifetime—a cruise of New Zealand and the South Pacific. This was to be a celebration of the end of Zoe's year 9 school year at St Aloysius College. The death of Gavin Dallow has now been confirmed.

Gavin had recently completed a decade of work with the Legal Services Commission before establishing his own legal firm. He was an active leader in Rotary and, as a tennis umpire, had officiated 11 times at the Australian Open. Lisa, his wife and Zoe's mother, remains in a critical condition in hospital in New Zealand. For more than 20 years she has been part of the Santos community, our gas producer, where she is a highly respected engineer. I know all South Australians will be praying for Lisa's recovery as we also share in the grief that this family is enduring.

Other families around Australia have also been caught up in this terrible disaster, and we offer our thoughts and prayers to them as well as to those in New Zealand also affected. This is the second time in less than a year that tragedy has joined our nations in grief and mourning. On this occasion, tragedy struck at a place visited each year by 20,000 tourists. Those who embarked on their day visit to White Island on Monday did so with the same sense of anticipation and adventure as those before them had done.

What happened next needs to be the subject of further investigation. But let us first take time to mourn the dead and pray for the recovery of those who remain in hospital. Let us also thank the rescue, recovery and medical teams in New Zealand that continue to respond to the events of Monday.

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:05): I, too, rise on indulgence in support of the Premier’s comments regarding the tragedy in New Zealand. The sadness of this week’s events in New Zealand is underlined by the loss of two members of our South Australian family. Yesterday’s confirmation of the loss of life in such unexpected circumstances is indeed a tragedy.

No words that I can express today will be adequate to express our sympathy to the families of Gavin Dallow and Zoe Hosking. We know that Brian and Ruth Dallow, who are treasures of the north-east community, are devastated. To lose their son, Gavin, who trained as a lawyer and who followed in their footsteps as a dedicated member of their local community, through Rotary, and his stepdaughter, Zoe Hosking, in these dreadful circumstances is a huge sadness for these two remarkable community contributors at this time of their lives.

Both Brian and Ruth have been involved in Modbury Meals on Wheels, UnitingCare Wesley and the Modbury Uniting Church for more than 40 years. Both have been honoured many times for their service to their community, Brian most recently receiving the City of Tea Tree Gully’s Outstanding Citizen of the Year award in 2018. Their son, Gavin, followed in their footsteps and worked at the Legal Services Commission, combining his concern for others in the community with his interest in dispute resolution and commercial law.

He was a member of Rotary International for 23 years. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Prospect where he has served as president and in other leadership roles. He did volunteer work on a project in the Philippines that improved the lives of remote villagers. In addition to his community work, tennis was his passion, having umpired in community, regional and local games for 17 years. He had also been invited to umpire at the highest level, officiating as an umpire at the Australian Open 11 times.

Zoe Hosking was a highly conscientious and motivated student at St Aloysius College, where she attended from reception in 2010 to recently completing year 9. She was a student who excelled across all learning areas and demonstrated strong leadership skills. She embraced curriculum extension activities with energy and enthusiasm, having played water polo, lacrosse, tennis, basketball and volleyball and indeed participated in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme.

Zoe also took part in the Catholic Schools Music Festival choir and the Tournament of Minds. Zoe has been a social justice leader and student representative and was actively involved in the community beyond school through Girl Guides and Rotary. Zoe put 100 per cent into everything she did, and she did it with a smile. I know that her family, friends and school community will miss that smile. Her principal, Ms Paddy McEvoy, has said that the school community are beyond words, but they cherish all they have shared with Zoe and her family over 10 years.

Our prayers and thoughts are also with Lisa Dallow, formerly Hosking, a high-profile engineer with Santos, as she struggles in a critical condition, fighting for life in Hamilton hospital with severe burns to over half her body. Her brother has been maintaining a bedside vigil and providing support, and our thoughts are with him and all Lisa’s family and friends. I would also like to thank the New Zealand emergency service workers, the medical staff and the New Zealand government for their compassion and their efforts and assistance.

These stories emerging from New Zealand are stories of families and friends enjoying a holiday in a beautiful part of the world at a special time of the year. In that context, I also urge South Australians to be safety conscious this holiday season, whether it be on the roads, out and about or even at home. I express our deepest sympathies to the family and friends, classmates and colleagues of Gavin and Zoe. We send our love to Lisa and the Dallow and Hosking families, and we hope that she pulls through from these terrible injuries.

Finally, I would like to thank the member for Florey, who has been assisting and supporting Brian and Ruth Dallow during this difficult time. I, too, would like to join the member for Florey in calling for the Dallow and Hosking families to be given privacy as they deal with these difficult circumstances. We hope that South Australians spare a thought for these families during this time of the year and have a safe and merry Christmas.