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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2007-10-24 Daily Xml
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WATKINS, Mr J.

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:43): On 17 October, South Australia learned of the passing of one of its most influential adopted sons. Although I knew Jack Watkins, I did not know him as well as many so, on their behalf, it would be an honour to place on record a tribute to someone who all of us privileged to know him would wholeheartedly agree was a great man.

I say 'adopted son' because Jack Watkins was born in Manchester, England 10 years before World War II ended. During the family eulogy I learnt that Jack was a twin at birth, and that he remembered hiding in caves during the bombing, watching the glow of war in the sky. He and his family lived in a cave when their home was destroyed and eventually moved into a vacant house where, in years to come, he began his own family. Jack married his sweetheart, Cathy—or Cath, as most of us knew her—in 1955, and they had two sons, Bill and Paul. In 1966 Jack and Cath and their sons left their family and friends to emigrate to Australia on board a ship called the Fairsea. During the six week crossing the young family enjoyed shipboard life and the sights of new worlds.

They disembarked in Adelaide to start their new life and, after 18 months living in the Pennington hostel, they rented for a few years until they had enough to buy a block of land in the north-eastern suburbs where I first met them, because it was there where they built their home in Ridgehaven and where Jack eventually passed away. We all hope that Jack is now with his beloved Cath, who passed away in 1993. What helped him greatly in the years without Cath was his family, and particularly through Bill and his daughter-in-law, Carlye, his beloved grandchildren Christie, Brent and Ebony, whom he adored. Cath's death was a great blow for Jack and he struggled for years with her loss and in many ways never recovered. They were very close and loved each other dearly.

Through her working life I had met and known Cath a little through her participation and work in the ALP. Like Jack she was proud of the party and they both knew that the ALP, founded by workers in their struggle for fair wages and conditions, was the means to a better and more just society. I respected her as much as Jack, knowing that she too was always as good as her word, never wavering from her beliefs and undertakings, honest, true and caring.

During his life Jack cared not for himself but, rather, for his family and others. Proud of his working heritage, Jack worked in mines from the age of 13 surrounded by the poisons and harsh working conditions that he fought for the rest of his life. He learnt the lessons of exploitation, no doubt the hard way, and Alan Harris, obviously a close friend and collaborator, gave a personal and very moving account of life with Jack, which we all knew could sometimes be hair-raising. Alan recounted adventures with Jack. One I had had was a night out with Jack on a ladder, putting up election posters. After a few hours we realised that Jack's keys were missing and we spent the rest of the night scouring grass and gravel looking for the keys—which as far as I know are still missing.

Alan also had tales of being on picket lines with Jack and evening expeditions to uncover unsafe work practices and locations harbouring asbestos, that silent killer used by greedy companies to make a profit in such a deadly manner. It was Jack's work raising awareness about the dangers of asbestos and the struggle for compensation and justice for those afflicted by the sinister and terrible effects of exposure to it that is legendary, and earned him the soubriquet 'Asbestos Jack'. He was fearless in his pursuit of its detection and safe removal. He will always be remembered for his dedication and determined contribution to the eradication of this lethal substance.

In this pursuit, Alan recounted the uncanny way Jack had of getting information, invariably accurate and detailed information, that many concerned had hoped would never see the light of day. He also told the story of the day that Jack convinced the then doubting members of parliament of the dangers of asbestos. They soon believed, as a fine layer of dust floated down from the public gallery.

A proud unionist, Jack made sure that when he started in the Plumbers, and eventually through to the BLF, that he never forgot his working class heritage. He also made sure that every worker he ever encountered knew that labour was the valuable means by which all industry functioned and prospered. He always did his best to make sure that there was truly a fair go for all, and up to his death maintained the struggle for workers' rights.

He was particularly angry and upset about the current situation workers face, and was passionate that everyone in the Labor Movement double their efforts to take the message to today's workers about the situation they may face or may already be facing through the legislation known as WorkChoices, which Jack felt was no choice at all. Today we farewelled Jack at a service led by Mr Ian Wood and directed by Kaylene of White Lady Funerals, both of whom have assisted me with information for this contribution. Jack's legendary status within the ranks of the Labour Movement was reinforced by the number of trade unions represented at the service. To the strains of 'Hit the Road, Jack', and with apologies to those I did not see in the overflowing gathering at Centennial Park's Heysen Chapel, secretaries and members of many unions, the CFMEU, the AWU, the NUW, the AEU, the CEPU, the CPSU, the ASU, SA Unions and RUMA (the Retired Union Members Association) all paid their respects.

Also present were past and today's members of state and federal parliament and representatives from local government, in particular Johanna McLuskey from the City of Port Adelaide Enfield, who during her time as mayor of that city oversaw the development and opening of the Jack Watkins Park at Kilburn in honour of his work for that community. Many other of his community connections were also present, and I know Jim Doyle and a good number of other comrades were not able to be there. They were there, though, Jack, in spirit. Jack will be greatly missed. Vale comrade.

Time expired.

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