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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-02-28 Daily Xml
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LEGACY CLUB OF ADELAIDE

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (15:39): This morning, several hundred war widows enjoyed a concert at the Adelaide Town Hall as part of the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the Legacy Club of Adelaide. I am very proud to say that I am (and I believe it to be so) the only legatee in the parliament. Legacy is a uniquely Australian voluntary organisation dedicated to the care of the dependants of deceased veterans, including the dependants of today's Australian Defence Force.

With the appalling casualties of World War I and the subsequent deaths due to the effects of war service, there were many shattered families in Australia. The men who did return recognised the need to assist the widows and children of their deceased comrades, thus Legacy was founded in Melbourne in 1923 and soon spread to other capital cities.

On 14 February 1928, a group of 'returned' men met in Balfours Cafe in King William Street and resolved to form a legacy club. The first president was Brigadier General Raymond Leane, a distinguished soldier and, later, commissioner of police. He was followed by Arthur Blackburn, Victoria Cross winner of Adelaide's 10th Battalion.

The returned men who became members of Legacy were known as legatees—a conscious decision to ensure equal status no matter what social position or former military rank was held. They pledged, by personal effort in a spirit of service, to assist the widows and dependent children of deceased veterans. Sadly, the casualties of the Second World War provided Legacy with increased work. The number of children in Adelaide Legacy's care reached 2,700 in the late 1950s.

Mr Paul Clancy, the current President of Legacy, General Manager Mr Don Stewart and his staff, and the legatees in South Australia proudly continue that work. These days, throughout Australia Legacy supports some 122,000 widows, including a small number of widowers, together with some 1,800 children and disabled dependants. In South Australia there are just over 11,000 widows, 40 children and youth, and 120 disabled dependants.

The Legacy task will continue for many years to come. There is still a small number of widows of World War I men in South Australia, and the present scale of Defence Force operations will sadly add to the Legacy task in due course. Legacy funding is not government based and, apart from some grants for specific welfare purposes, Legacy in South Australia must raise $1 million each year to continue its work. The grant given each year by the state government to Legacy is $1,000. I intend to write to the Premier to ask him to consider raising that considerably, and I hope that I get support from across the house on that.

The South Australian community has been splendid in its support over the past 80 years. The ideals of Legacy have remained unchanged. Legacy continues. I am a proud member of the Legacy group on Kangaroo Island. All active members are either descendants of World War II servicemen or Vietnam veterans who continue that work. Legacy is always looking for additional legatees, but the reality is that you have to be invited to join; you cannot choose to join without being invited. It is a very worthy cause, and I am extremely proud to be a legatee.

It is a small contribution by a considerable number of people across the state and Australia in Legacy, and I ask the house to join me in congratulating Adelaide Legacy Club on its 80th birthday this month.

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