Members

PRESIDENT, ELECTION

The CLERK: I inform the council of the resignation of the Hon. R.K. Sneath as President and as a member of the Legislative Council. I call on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:18): Thank you, Mrs Davis. I move:

That the Hon. John Gazzola take the chair of the council as President.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:18): I second the motion.

The CLERK: Does the honourable member accept the nomination?

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA: Mrs Davis, I submit myself to the will of the council.

The CLERK: Are there any other nominations?

An honourable member: No.

The CLERK: There being no other nomination, I declare the Hon. J.M. Gazzola duly elected as President of the Legislative Council.

The Hon. J.M. Gazzola was escorted to the President's chair by the mover and seconder of the motion.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:19): I take this opportunity, Mr President, to congratulate you on your election and to welcome you to the presidency of the Legislative Council. I cannot say how delighted I am to see you, as a friend and colleague of very long standing, seated in that place. Having worked with you since coming into parliament, together since 2002—and I know that we also worked together many years prior to that throughout the union movement—I know that you will bring thoughtful deliberation and a very steady hand to this position. I know that you feel strongly about ensuring that South Australia is a healthy, fair and safe place to live, work and play and you believe that as leaders in our community we owe the people who have entrusted us with the authority to represent them a very high standard of parliament and government.

Much of your personal philosophy is formed by the belief in fairness and in the right of all to move forward together, and I am sure that that will stand you in very good stead as we work for the good of all South Australians and in the contribution you will be now making in this new elevated position. There is no doubt your background and many years of experience with the Australian Services Union and later on as Government Whip in this place have provided with you an excellent standing as you will now lead this house through its deliberations. Once again, I wish to congratulate you on your appointment, and I am sure all members of this place share in congratulating you and offering our best wishes for a successful tenure.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): I rise to endorse and support the remarks made by the Leader of the Government and also offer a few remarks of my own. As you will recall, we were both elected in 2002, and I am not sure that even then, Mr President, you would have thought that you would have risen to the lofty heights of the high office of President of the Legislative Council; but you have, and congratulations on that elevation.

I have worked with you over the last decade in a range of capacities, and especially in your role as a whip of the government. In your committee involvement, whether it has been chair of committees or select committees, I think you have always discharged your duties very fairly and even-handedly and I expect you will continue to uphold the high standards you have set for yourself in those committee proceedings. You have always been very diligent and fair, and I suspect that you will discharge your duties here in the same fashion. You did suggest to me one day that it would be a very long time before we were on the other side of the chamber. I do note that you are halfway to this side of the chamber here today.

The PRESIDENT: I thank the council for giving me the honour of being your President and I assure you that I will give my best in upholding the standards and privileges of this council.