Ministerial Statement

Blue, The Hon. M.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:20): I rise today to pay tribute to former Supreme Court Justice, the Hon. Malcolm Blue KC, whose death this past weekend will no doubt be felt by many in the legal profession, not just in South Australia but around the country.

Renowned for his tireless work ethic and an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the law, Justice Blue was well respected by his peers across the profession. Demonstrating his academic skills from an early age, Justice Blue matriculated in the honours list of the top 50 South Australian students and received a scholarship that enabled him to study at the University of Adelaide Law School.

He was admitted to legal practice in 1977, initially working for the commonwealth Deputy Crown Solicitor before moving into private practice where he worked primarily in commercial law. Early in his career he juniored a number of leading counsel at the time, including John von Doussa KC, Rod Matheson KC and Ted Mullighan KC. In 1996, he joined Bar Chambers and was subsequently appointed Queen's Counsel.

His innate sense of justice was highlighted by his work in a class action during his time with Fisher Jeffries, where he represented about 550 pensioners who had invested their money in a family security friendly society that subsequently failed. The fund was marketed primarily at retirees and all investors, one of whom was his aunt, lost their money. He worked tirelessly to secure a favourable settlement for his clients, recouping all of the money they had invested.

His commitment to the law was remarkable, both in and outside of office hours. As a member of the Law Society, he was one of the driving forces behind the capped liability insurance scheme for South Australian practitioners and the state's mandatory continuing professional development scheme. Justice Blue was appointed to the Supreme Court in August 2011, stepping down from the role exactly 13 years later on his 70th birthday.

When someone says they are leaving a job to spend more time with their family, or to pursue other interests, it is a statement that is often treated with cynicism; however, you would be hard pressed to find a single person who would question this in the case of Malcolm Blue. The work requirements for a Supreme Court judge are often challenging and all consuming. His work ethic was second to none. There is no doubt that Justice Blue, after serving the state of South Australia as a respected and tireless judicial officer, well and truly deserved some time amongst the vines at his Willunga vineyard and some well-earned rest. That he is now unable to do so is nothing short of a tragedy.

I extend my condolences to his partner, Angela, his daughters, Charlotte, Victoria and Alex, and so many other friends and loved ones. His memory will be cherished amongst those who knew him and were fortunate enough to work with him and alongside him during his time in the legal profession. Vale the Hon. Malcolm Blue KC.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:23): With your indulgence and that of the chamber, I seek leave to make some brief comments in relation to the ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: I rise today to make a brief statement on behalf of the Liberal opposition in this chamber acknowledging the life and passing of Justice Malcolm Blue. Justice Blue was born in North Adelaide in 1954 and served a rewarding career in the legal sector. He was admitted into the legal practice in 1977 at the age of 23. After decades in the courts, he was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 2001, later serving as a King's Counsel after Her Majesty's death.

In 2008, he became President of the South Australian Bar Association and in 2011 he was elevated to the South Australian Supreme Court, serving under Chief Justice Doyle. During his career, Justice Blue dealt with some of South Australia's most distressing cases. He also handled some of our state's biggest business cases, such as brokering an $80 million settlement after the sale of Adam Internet in 2016 and also overseeing the state government's $360 million claim of alleged defects on the then newly built Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Justice Blue passed away earlier this month, only weeks into his retirement, after a tragic farm accident on his property in Willunga. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family during this sad time. I acknowledge his dedication to law, to justice and to due process in South Australia; his years of service cannot be understated. I note that my colleague in the other place the member for Heysen has a fulsome statement on Justice Blue's life and his passing, given Mr Teague's personal relationship with the former justice.

I thank the Attorney-General for his ministerial statement today and the opportunity to add, on behalf of my peers, some comments from the Liberal opposition acknowledging Justice Malcolm Blue KC's contribution to the state of South Australia. Vale Justice Malcolm Blue KC.