Van Der Peet, Ms C.

Ms O'HANLON (Dunstan) (15:23): I rise today to honour the life of Carol van der Peet. Sadly, Carol passed away recently after a short illness at the too-young age of 63. People pass away and, yes, too young, all too often, so why am I honouring the life of this woman? The answer is simple: Carol van der Peet was a person of the best kind. She was someone who dedicated so much of her life caring for others and, in particular, Carol cared for veterans and the extended veterans community.

I think most of us in society know of and value the important role veterans have played and continue to play in our community. They have shaped the country we live in today. Many of us express this sincerely on ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day; however, some people, people like Carol, ensure veterans feel cared for and appreciated every day. Carol van der Peet was such a person.

Carol loved and was loved by Jeff Barrett, who I welcome here to the gallery today, as well as Carol's brother-in-law, Ian. While I did not know Carol well, I knew I wanted to acknowledge her life and mourn her passing because I know how important the people who support our veterans are.

Jeff sent me some notes on his time with Carol and it is obvious to me that theirs was a beautiful love story. As Jeff says: destiny, a love that just happened. They had a life of finding joy in the simple things, mowing acres of lawn together with their ride-on mower, and Jeff and Carol created their own personal playground out at Mount Barker with a flying fox, climbing ropes, swings and a dam.

It is evident to me that what Jeff loved most about Carol was her incredibly kind and caring nature. Carol appreciated the service of veterans and she wanted them to feel loved and appreciated. She showed her care with her own commitment and service to the Vietnam Veterans' Association and all of the veterans advocacy organisations in Murray Bridge. Carol was a committee member of the Aldgate RSL and Jeff's secretary at the Mount Barker RSL.

I met Carol as the membership officer at the Royal Australian Regiment Association in Burnside, where my husband, James, and I attend from time to time—not as often as we would both like. Carol used her role there to chat for hours to members in the club and on the phone, eventually getting around to asking them to renew their membership for another year.

She also helped Jeff on the committee of the 3rd Battalion (3RAR) where they joined together with the Queensland corporation and 3RAR South Australia to become 3RAR Old Faithful. Carol loved being mother duck to the Army cadets. Carol and Jeff would have the cadets over for a sleepover and put on a movie night and BBQ and Carol would help out on cadet bivouacs where she would dress up as Rambo to make sure those young cadets kept in line. However, I have no doubt that it was the best fun because everyone knew how much Carol loved looking after them. It was also her way of making sure the female cadets knew that they had one tough cookie looking after them and everyone, even Jeff, knew there was no coming between Carol and the female cadets.

Carol also loved nature. When she and Jeff bought their little home in Mount Barker she set about planting it out with plants and flowers to attract insects, birds, possums, echidnas, lizards, the occasional snake and a koala. Jeff tells me that if we go to Amblemead we should enjoy the little lake that Carol was instrumental in creating after taking on the developers to ensure continued water flow.

Carol was also a fierce advocate for the community. She worked with Murray Bridge council and the Mount Barker District Council as a social worker and dementia care coordinator. Carol was also a member of the Mount Barker residents' association.

Another of Carol's loves was travel and she and Jeff enjoyed adventures that ensured she saw the best of what the South Australian and Australian outback had to offer, travelling from the beautiful Murray River to the Kimberley, Broome and Fitzroy Crossing. Carol's other love was her fur babies who Jeff loved too, from their lovely Jack Russell Bronson Chica Doro, their hens, and Ruby, who is sure Carol will come home for the quarter meat pie Jeff said she left under Carol's pillow.

Carol will be missed by all who knew her, from Colonel Doc Beard, Colonel Peter Scott and David White, who Jeff served with in Vietnam, to the many other veterans, Vietnam veterans and contemporary veterans Carol would check in on. I am certain I am only taking a small liberty in thanking Carol on behalf of all those whose lives were touched by her kindness.

Most of all, Carol will be missed by Jeff Barrett, her partner of 35 years, and her sister Sue and brother-in-law Ian and the rest of her loving family. Carol was bright, fun and so very caring. She did not complain. She put others' needs before her own. She will be missed.