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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-11-11 Daily Xml
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Grievance Debate

KERIN, HON. R.G.

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (15:23): On this day, 11 November, the member for Frome, the Hon. Rob Kerin, our friend and colleague, announced his retirement from parliament. I rise to pay tribute to Rob on behalf of the Parliamentary Liberal Party and also on behalf of the people of Frome, whom he represents, and all South Australians.

Members may recall that Rob came into the house as member for Frome in 1993 and had a fairly meteoric rise. It is not a mean feat to be promoted into cabinet in your first term. He became minister for primary industries from 1995 to 1997; minister assisting for regional development and small business in 1996 to 1997; minister for primary industries, minerals and energy, regional development from 1997 to 1999; member of Executive Council; and deputy premier in 1998—within four years of arriving here. From 1999 to 2000 he was minister for primary Industries, mineral and energy and regional development, and went on from 2000 through to 2002 in that role, as well as being state development minister and minister for tourism for a good period.

Rob then became premier in October 2001 and served well and did an outstanding job in the 2002 election of actually winning that election, only to find that election victory taken away by circumstances that are well-known to us all. He then served during a very difficult period as leader of the opposition from 2002 to 2006—an experience I hope members opposite get to enjoy in the near future.

Were it not for Rob Kerin, South Australia would look very different today. The Food for the Future program that Rob championed in government saw an increase in the value of South Australia's exports from $6.5 billion in 1996-97 to $9.1 billion by 2001-02—an achievement to which they have only just returned in recent times, having fallen into a hole when government changed in 2002. Rob lobbied Canberra and achieved the rehabilitation of the Loxton irrigation area from channels to pipes. He negotiated and commenced the rehabilitation of the Lower Murray swamps, and he was there for a range of decisions on water from the River Murray through to wastewater, recycling through to a raft of other initiatives, including stormwater initiatives.

He also set up Bio Innovation SA and established the Thebarton Bioscience Precinct. It would not be there today were it not for Rob Kerin. Rob understood the importance of innovation, science and bioinnovation, in particular, to the future of the state. Were it not for Rob, the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics at the Waite campus of the University of Adelaide would not be there. We also would not have seen the introduction of the Regional Development Infrastructure Fund which was successful in starting many businesses in regional areas. It is unlikely that the expansion in the meat processing industry would have occurred. The Gepps Cross abattoir would not have been relocated to new livestock markets at Dublin.

Aquaculture would not be where it is today and the Beverley uranium mine may not have been initiated. Rob helped ensure that the Moomba Basin was opened up for competitive exploration. He convinced cabinet of the need to build the SEAGas pipeline. He restructured fisheries and increased exports. He was involved in aeromagnetic surveys to map mining prospectivity across the state which set the ground work for the mining exploration we see today.

There are so many things that Rob has achieved, not the least of which was the commissioning of the Mullighan inquiry for which many South Australians should be thankful. Rob has been a fantastic mate and colleague to all of us on this side of the house and many opposite. He is a champion of the Liberal Party, a former premier and a former leader of whom we are all very proud and towards whom all South Australians, from my experience—and I am sure it is shared by all in the house—feel affection. They are genuinely fond of Rob.

Rob is one of those MPs who stepped forward from the community to answer the challenge of representing people in this place. It is not an easy job. It takes its toll on members and their families and it is a very difficult undertaking. He has done it with aplomb. We thank you, Rob, and we are very proud to have served with you. We wish you well in the future.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

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