Cameron, Hon. M.B.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (15:41): By leave, I move:

That the House of Assembly expresses its deep regret at the death of the Hon. Martin Bruce Cameron, former member of the Legislative Council, and places on record its appreciation of his meritorious service, and that as a mark of respect to his memory the sitting of the house be suspended until the ringing of the bells.

I rise to pay tribute to the Hon. Martin Cameron MLC who passed away on 24 June at the age of 89. The political career of the Millicent-born Martin Cameron began in the federal Senate; however, Martin's senatorial service was notable mainly for its brevity. It began in May 1969, when he was nominated to fill the vacancy left by the passing of Senator Keith Laught, and only lasted until October of that same year as a result of an election. However, the Senate's loss would become the state parliament's gain and proof that you cannot keep a determined country boy down.

Cameron had farming in his blood and after completing his studies in Adelaide he took on a 600-acre property at Thornlea, along with his wife, Barbara, turning it into a thriving mixed-use farm, also successfully expanding into agricultural seed supply. During this time Martin joined the Liberal and Country League for whom he ran for the seat of Millicent in 1968 and was legendarily defeated by former Labor Premier Des Corcoran by a single vote. Unbelievable!

To Martin Cameron's extraordinary credit he persevered with his political career, and that is pretty remarkable after losing by a vote. He was tapped to fill a casual vacancy in the Legislative Council in July 1971 and so began his storied career in state politics. While a proud conservative in many ways, there was a progressive streak in Cameron, one that manifested in his passion for representative democracy. His unwavering support for the adoption of universal suffrage for the state's upper house put him at odds with the Liberal and Country League. This issue drove him to follow former leader Steele Hall into the short-lived Liberal Movement in the early 1970s.

He returned home to the rebranded Liberal Party of South Australia a few years later and went on to serve as Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council for much of the government of John Bannon while also serving as the opposition spokesperson on health. He will be forever remembered by everyone within earshot of the parliament for generously choosing to entertain his colleagues and staff by practising bagpipes in the halls of parliament, something that has not yet been repeated.

In 1990, Martin announced his retirement from politics and a return to Thornlea, but that did not mean embracing the quiet life. He went on to serve the state in numerous capacities as a member of the ETSA board, as chair of the inaugural Seafood Council and as chair of the Trustees of The Sailing Ship Trust of South Australia, reflecting his passion for South Australia's maritime history and especially his role in resurrecting the tall ship One and All. He also returned to political service, serving as president of the state Liberal Party from 1995 to 1998. We offer our condolences to Barbara, Martin's beloved wife of 65 years, and to their children, grandchildren and loved ones. I commend the motion to the house.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (15:45): I also rise today to support the condolence motion in recognition of the Hon. Martin Bruce Cameron. Born in Millicent on 24 August 1935 to Gordon and Asta Cameron, he grew up in the South-East before moving to Adelaide to attend Scotch College. In 1954, he undertook six months of national service and then studied agriculture across the Tasman at Canterbury Agriculture College in New Zealand where he earned a diploma.

After returning to South Australia, he worked on farms in the South-East, including at Kalangadoo. In 1958, he met Barbara Hensley and they married in 1960 and together raised five children, building a strong and enduring family life alongside his public career.

Martin first sought election to this place in 1968, contesting the seat of Millicent, and that contest was famous for, as we have heard today, being decided by that single vote. Labor incumbent, Des Corcoran, would be declared the winner. The year after, Martin was appointed to fill what was a casual vacancy in the Senate for the LCL and he served from May to October 1969, but he was defeated at the general election later that year. In 1971, leaning into that passion that he had to serve, Martin made the call to come back to state politics, where he won a Legislative Council by-election for the LCL. As we have heard, he went on to become a key figure in the Liberal Movement under Steele Hall, before he joined once again the Liberal Party when the parties united in 1976.

He was certainly an early and very determined advocate for reform of the Legislative Council, notably the extension of full adult franchise, which he would later go on to describe as his greatest achievement. Re-elected in 1975 as a Liberal Movement candidate and again in 1982 and 1989 for the Liberal Party, Martin served in the Legislative Council for almost 20 years and from 1982 to 1990 held the leadership position, as we have heard, of Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council. He also went on to serve as shadow health spokesman, which he did from 1985 to 1990. It was in these roles that he truly was tireless in holding the government to account, per the Westminster tradition, especially on the state of the state's health system.

While he never went on to serve as a minister, he knew he never had to to keep making his mark, and all those who knew him would tell you that he certainly was known as a very colourful, at times unpredictable, figure in the parliament and somewhat of a larrikin who used humour, persistence and occasional mischief to make his points heard. We have all heard the famous story of the bagpipes that occurred in the corridors of parliament. Of course, it would not be allowed today under your leadership, sir, in that chair.

Martin passed away on 24 June this year in Adelaide. He leaves behind a great legacy and a great family: Barbara, their five children, and many grandchildren. He will certainly be remembered as somewhat of a fighter, a fierce advocate and a reformer, but also a true icon in South Australia’s political story. On behalf of the opposition I extend our condolences to Martin’s family. His service to our state, his commitment to democratic reform and his passion for public life will be long remembered. May he rest in peace.

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:49): I rise to just briefly emphasise—I think the Premier has put it very well, as has the leader—the point about Martin Cameron’s heroics in 1968. Having been encouraged by Ren DeGaris to take on the challenge, and having been moved by a whole lot of what he regarded as objectionable Labor policy in the mid-sixties, he takes on Des Corcoran, loses by a vote but, just as we have been hearing about Harold Allison, he got a 13.1 per cent swing his way to get to that one vote.

We are talking about these major swings in the South-East and, yes, he lost that by a vote but he acquired this huge LCL following as the result of having achieved that and, at the same time, having kind of found his feet as an aspiring politician. Having been encouraged by Ren DeGaris who had a long history in the South-East, he became, even before his candidature in 1968, a key fellow traveller with Steele Hall. Steele Hall was hugely supportive of him and that set the scene for what was at times a highly combative and fraught period of years going on into the mid-seventies within the LCL, and the Liberal Movement. Thank goodness there he was as part of the reunification and serving for a long time having come the long way around to the Legislative Council.

I do just also want to make an observation about dear Barbara who, for the 20 years or so of Martin Cameron’s long and distinguished service ultimately in the state parliament in particular—apart from that short stretch in the Senate—ran and took responsibility for the family farm and all that went on in the South-East during that time. Martin Cameron certainly left his mark as a man of principle, and a man with strong beliefs about how to serve in public life. My condolences in particular to Barbara and the family. May he rest in peace.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley) (15:52): Martin Cameron was born and raised in the South-East. He was educated at Naracoorte, Penola and Millicent for his primary years and then attended Scotch College in Adelaide. He undertook six months of national service in 1954 and went on to study agriculture at Canterbury Agricultural College in New Zealand and earnt a diploma before returning to contribute to farming in the South-East.

Martin’s first foray into politics came in the 1968 election, and we have heard others speak about that, but what else happened with that one-vote victory of the incumbent, Des Corcoran, after that very last swing was that there was a court-ordered supplementary election. There was a second election to determine the legitimacy of that election, and Des Corcoran was ultimately returned after that supplementary election.

Then in 1969, he served just five months in the federal Senate and it was not until 1971 when he joined the Legislative Council. He was a steadfast advocate for universal adult franchise for the council. He often took principled stands that set him apart from established views within the Liberal Party. Of course, prior to 1975 you had to have an interest in property before you could be a candidate for the Legislative Council and before you could vote for anybody in the Legislative Council, and moving away from that was a significant change that he supported.

Between 1973 and 1976 he stood with the Liberal Movement, a progressive faction that split from the Liberal and Country League (the LCL as it was known) and he was the sole Liberal Movement member in the upper house until 1975. He rejoined the Liberal Party in 1976 and later served as Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council from 1982 until 1990. After retiring from parliament, Martin continued to serve the Liberal Party as President of the South Australian Liberal Party and was a vocal supporter of the 'yes' case in the 1999 republic referendum.

I had the privilege of meeting Martin Cameron early in my own political journey, one of the first MPs I was introduced to upon joining the Young Liberals in my early 20s. In those formative years, his warmth, openness and encouragement were instrumental in helping new members like me feel welcome and inspired to be involved. He always had time for advice, a kind word and a gentle nudge towards getting involved. Though many knew him for his legislative accomplishments, and his role in shaping progressive reform within the party, it was his personal generosity and belief in young talent that left an indelible mark for all who knew him.

Martin Cameron's legacy is one of principle, conviction and mentorship. He helped forge a path for reform in South Australian politics, and nurtured the next generation of leaders with humility and encouragement. We honour his memory, celebrate his contributions and extend our deepest sympathies to his wife, Barbara, their children, grandchildren and extended family. May he rest in peace, and may his spirit of public service continue to inspire us all. Vale Martin Cameron.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta) (15:55): I met Martin Cameron in late 1996. I was a newly joined member of the Young Liberal Movement and Martin Cameron was President of the Liberal Party. He was sitting as the chair of the state council—260-odd strong as it was then. At that time, the Liberal Party's membership would have been 7,000 or 8,000, and the breadth of strongly held views in the Liberal Party at that time was, as it is now, a matter of record, and Martin was somebody who united people from those different views. Some people may not know the name Martin Cameron and would have been hearing of some of these achievements over the last 20 minutes or so. They would reflect on the fact that somebody who had the support of Ren DeGaris and Steele Hall for various aspects of his parliamentary career is a notable achievement.

We are joined in the gallery today by the Hon. Dean Brown and the Hon. Michael Wilson, titanic figures of South Australian politics. Michael Wilson was the transport minister who brought the O-Bahn to South Australia. Dean Brown's achievements are many as Premier and Minister for Public Works in the Tonkin government—and I highlight the biggest election victory in South Australia's history.

The other key point as a former education minister I will make briefly—and I apologise for the digression about Dean Brown, the public works minister who ended the DMAC program and thereby ushered in a wave of improved school building programs in South Australia that we have been very grateful for over the last 45 years—is that they were part of a government and a time that Martin Cameron was part of as well. It was a time during the 1970s when there were substantial philosophical questions facing the future of the Liberal Party.

Martin Cameron chose in favour of principle and the community and the state's long-term interests rather than short-term political gain. He was a man of deep principle and also a man of reconciliation. He was someone who was integral to the reunification of the Liberal Party and the Liberal Movement, somebody whose role in bringing people together demonstrated that compromise does not have to be the enemy of principle—in fact, they can work incredibly well together—and in the 1990s, when I came across Martin, the demonstration of that was the high regard in which he was held as president of the Liberal Party, supported by the whole of the state council, irrespective of whether the moderate tendency or the conservative tendency at the time were in the majority. I think there were years when he was president when most of his vice presidents would have been from either side of the party, and Martin had all of their regard.

He was President of the Liberal Party and also, as the member for Unley said, he was patron of the Young Liberal Movement at the time as well. He put a significant amount of effort into ensuring that young people who had an interest in politics were given the opportunity to engage in the senior party and to have their principles and their energy harnessed to the benefit of the Liberal Party. His service to South Australia was profound and his loss will be felt keenly by his family. Vale Martin Cameron.

The SPEAKER (15:59): I first met Martin Cameron in 1984 as a young journo on Rupert Murdoch's first newspaper, The News (Adelaide), which was just across the road. I came to Parliament House one day. Randall Ashbourne was the political journo for the Sunday Mail. He introduced me to Martin. Martin Cameron said, 'You're not one of those Bignells from Glencoe, are you?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'You're not Trevor's son, are you?' I said, 'Yes, I am.' He said, 'He cost me the 1968 election.' I said, 'What do you mean?' He said, 'He always voted Liberal but I know he voted for Des Corcoran in that 1968 election.' I am thinking, 'You've got the wrong bloke. My dad has never voted Labor in his life.'

Fast forward to 2001, I go from journalism into politics as a media adviser. I go down to tell dad that I have joined the Labor Party and he said, 'I've voted Labor before.' I said, 'When did you ever vote Labor? You have been a mad Lib and Country Party person all of my life.' He said, 'I voted for Des Corcoran in the 1968 election and the two elections after that.' So Martin actually was right and he knew who cost him that 1968 election!

I did get to know Martin quite well. He was not a minister but he was the Leader of the Opposition in the upper house and he did a lot of the campaigning for the Liberal Party. Randall was not much of a friend of the Liberal Party so he used to cover the Labor media conferences when I was at Channel 7 and I would cover the Liberal ones and Martin was quite often the front person for the Liberal Party. He was a terrific fellow. I always got on very well with him.

I did see and hear him play the bagpipes here. The leader said that I would stop that sort of behaviour as Speaker. I wouldn't; I would encourage it. I much prefer it to the banging of desks by school students who come in here and make a bit of a racket. Give me the bagpipes any day.

Martin was a great man and he was another one of those great south-eastern political figures that we were very glad to know. Vale Martin Cameron. To his friends and family we wish you well at this difficult time. Could members please rise so that the motion can be carried in the customary manner.

Motion carried by members standing in their places in silence.

Sitting suspended from 16:02 to 16:12.