Goldsworthy, Hon. E.R.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (14:37): By leave, I move:

That the Legislative Council expresses its deep regret at the recent death of Eric Roger Goldsworthy AO, former Deputy Premier and minister of the Crown and member of the House of Assembly, and places on record its appreciation of his distinguished public service.

I rise today on behalf of the government to acknowledge the passing of the Hon. Roger Goldsworthy, former member of Kavel in the other place. The Hon. Mr Goldsworthy was born in 1929 in Lameroo, South Australia. Before being elected to the House Assembly, he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Adelaide and went on to become a farmer and a teacher to secondary and adult students.

After being elected as the first member for the then newly formed seat of Kavel in 1970, the Hon. Eric Roger Goldsworthy was re-elected seven times before he stepped down. During that time, he was appointed as the Minister of Mines and Energy and also the Deputy Premier in the Tonkin Liberal government. As Minister of Mines and Energy, Roger Goldsworthy was involved in the establishment of the Olympic Dam mine in Roxby Downs and the Cooper Basin Liquid Scheme and many other contributions, which later earned him a place in the Australian Institute of Energy Hall of Fame in 2017.

The Hon. Mr Goldsworthy was the longest serving deputy leader of the Liberal Party in Australia, with 15 years of service. It was this service to politics, to the Parliament of South Australia and the community that saw the Hon. Roger Goldsworthy awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1997. On behalf of the government, I extend the chamber's condolences to the Hon. Roger Goldsworthy's family and loved ones.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:39): I rise today on behalf of the South Australian Liberal Party to honour the memory of the Hon. Eric Roger Goldsworthy AO, former Deputy Premier and long-serving member for Kavel, and to offer our deepest condolences to his beloved wife, Lynette, and their three children. We extend our sympathies to his son, Rhys, and his wife, Kirsty Goldsworthy, Roger's grandchildren, Zoe, Tom and Harry, to daughter, Caroline, and Ervins Grantskalns, and to his son, another former member for Kavel, Roger Mark Goldsworthy (affectionately known to most of us in this place as Mark), his wife, Tracey, and children, Fraser and Caitlyn, and Caitlyn's husband, Matthew Drader, as well as baby Zara, Roger's first great-grandchild. Our thoughts are with you all, and we of course extend our condolences to friends and extended family, and to all who mourn Roger's passing.

Roger Goldsworthy was born in Lameroo in 1929 and was raised in the heart of South Australia's Mallee region. He farmed. When people say farmers can do near about anything they put their mind to, Roger Goldsworthy was certainly one talented multitasker. He was a scientist by trade, a teacher by profession and a public servant in the very best sense of the word. True to his earliest beginnings, Roger's connection to the land and to South Australia's regional communities grounded everything he would do in this place and his enduring career.

Before he entered public life, Roger earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Adelaide and taught both secondary students and adults. His academic background, particularly in mining and mineral resources, was to serve him and this state well throughout his public life. Before entering politics, Roger worked as a lecturer at the South Australian School of Mines, where he earned the respect of both colleagues and students alike for his intellect and his ability to explain complex ideas with clarity and purpose.

Roger was elected to the House of Assembly in 1970, the inaugural member for the newly created seat of Kavel—a seat he would represent faithfully for 22 years. In 1982, Roger was elected Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party and, when the Liberal Party returned to government in 1993, he was sworn in as Deputy Premier. As Deputy Premier, Roger was a steady hand and a trusted, confidant to Premier Dean Brown. His counsel was always grounded in principle, in evidence and in the long-term interests of South Australia.

In 1979, he was appointed Minister of Mines and Energy in the Tonkin government. In that role, Roger brought his academic expertise and practical knowledge to bear in ways that transformed South Australia's approach to its mining and energy resources. He was a central figure in the development of policies that positioned South Australia as a serious player in the mining sector. It is difficult to overstate the impact of Roger's ministerial work. He was instrumental in establishing the Olympic Dam Project and the Cooper Basin Liquid Scheme. These developments not only reshaped South Australia's economic landscape but continue to sustain thousands of jobs and drive investment in our state.

It was Roger Goldsworthy who navigated the complex negotiations and fierce political opposition to the Roxby Downs project, a development that secured South Australia's place in the global energy and resources market. His vision, his steadiness and his conviction laid the foundation for what would become one of the most significant industrial assets in our state's history.

Outside the House of Assembly, Roger was a founding force behind the SA Chamber of Mines and Energy and served on numerous boards and government task forces focused on energy, education and industry reform. He sat on the University of Adelaide Council, chaired infrastructure studies and continued shaping policy long after he left formal politics.

In 1997, Roger was recognised as an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to politics, to the Parliament of South Australia and to the community. Twenty years later he was inducted into the Australian Institute of Energy's Hall of Fame. Yet, amid all the titles and honours, what stands out most was his enduring decency. While his public record speaks for itself, what those who knew Roger will remember most are his personal qualities. Roger Goldsworthy conducted himself with quiet authority, respect for others and a deep sense of duty: duty to the parliament, to the party and to the people of South Australia.

He was a builder of policy, of institutions and of opportunity, and his legacy is one that will echo across generations of South Australians who benefited from his foresight. It is one of public service, intellectual rigour and principled leadership. He was a parliamentarian who believed that politics was about service, about stewardship and about leaving one's community stronger than you found it.

His life's work shaped modern South Australia. His contributions to mining and energy policy, his leadership within this parliament, and his steadfast representation of the people of Kavel will not be forgotten. We honour Roger's immense contribution to public life and we thank him for it. On behalf of the opposition, I extend our deepest sympathies to Eric's family, his friends and to all of those who mourn his passing.

South Australia has lost a true statesman. This parliament has lost one of its finest sons and his family have lost a husband, a father, a grandfather and a great-grandfather who was deeply loved. May he rest in peace. Vale the Hon. Eric Roger Goldsworthy AO.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:45): I rise to join my colleagues in support of this condolence motion for the Hon. Eric Roger Goldsworthy AO, known as Roger of course, despite that not being his first name, who sadly passed away on 1 July this year at the remarkable age of 95. Roger was duly honoured with a state funeral on 11 July at St Matthew's Anglican Church in Marryatville, with the Australian government announcing that the Australian national flag would be flown at half mast on that day from all of its buildings and establishments as a mark of respect; this is an honour afforded to few.

Roger was born in Lameroo on 17 July 1929 to Ottho Goldsworthy and Lillie May Nicholls. Roger undertook a bachelor's degree in science at the University of Adelaide where he studied physics, chemistry, maths and geology. He went on to complete a diploma in teaching which led him to teach secondary school students as well as adults whilst also being a farmer.

He married Lynette Chapman on 12 April 1952, with whom he had three children. Many of us in this place, including myself, would know one of his children quite well—Mark Goldsworthy, of course, formerly the member for Kavel, or Goldie as we call him.

Roger entered this parliament in 1970 as the member for Kavel when the electorate was newly formed, long before his son Mark was elected to represent the seat some 32 years later. Roger served the people of Kavel for more than two decades, which is a testament to his commitment and his success as their local member. He remains the longest serving deputy leader of the Liberal Party in the nation and was Deputy Premier during the Tonkin Liberal government from 1979 to 1982. During this period, he was also the Minister of Mines and Energy, as has been outlined by my colleagues, and there is no doubt he left an enduring legacy because of the significant work he did in this portfolio.

When the Tonkin government came to office in 1979, the prospect of developing South Australia's extensive uranium supply was a key focus, particularly due to the recently discovered resources at Roxby Downs at the time. As the responsible minister, Roger was tasked with realising this aim and the Roxby Downs (Indenture Ratification) Bill was enacted in this place in June 1982, which has subsequently produced very real and, indeed, tangible benefits for South Australia since mining operations commenced in 1988.

Roger's leadership in negotiating the Roxby Downs project, now known as Olympic Dam, unlocked one of the most significant mineral deposits in the world, providing many nations access to our uranium reserves in order to power their nations' nuclear energy projects. Roger also played a central role in the development of the Cooper Basin Liquid Scheme, which transformed our state's energy security and economic future. This particular endeavour involved an expansion of facilities in the Cooper Basin, the construction of a 660-kilometre pipeline from Moomba to Port Bonython and the establishment of a treatment plant, also at Port Bonython.

The commodities produced at the plant included condensate and crude oil for domestic consumption as well as LPG for domestic use as well as export. The Stony Point (Liquids Project) Ratification Bill that facilitated this venture was enacted and passed this place in 1981, with the construction of facilities starting the very same year and shipments leaving Port Bonython just two years later.

Amongst Roger's other political achievements is the establishment of the SA Chamber of Mines and Commerce. He was chair of the Gawler Craton infrastructure study for the commonwealth government and he held membership of the resource task force, which was set up by the South Australian government to review the mining industry in our state. Beyond politics, he was a member of the University of Adelaide Council, a member of the Resources Industry Development Board and, of course, a member of SACOME.

In 1997, Roger's contributions to the parliament and public life were recognised, as has been outlined by my colleagues, when he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia 'for service to politics, to the Parliament of South Australia and to the community' on 26 January 1997 as part of the Australia Day Honours List of that year. He was also inducted into the Australian Institute of Energy Hall of Fame in 2017 in recognition of his work as the Minister of Mines and Energy from 1979 to 1982 and his 'significant contribution to the development of appropriate energy policies and the state's energy resources'.

Roger's accomplishments have made an enduring impact on South Australia, and we are grateful for the many benefits they have bestowed upon us throughout the years. On behalf of the Liberal opposition, I extend my deepest sympathy to the family, to Lyn, Mark and all those who knew and loved Roger. He will be sadly missed.

Motion carried by members standing in their places in silence.