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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-05-14 Daily Xml
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GUNN, HON. G.M.

Adjourned debate on motion of Mr Bignell (resumed on motion).

(Continued from page 2791.)

Mr KENYON (Newland) (12:56): I rise to support this motion, and I am glad to do so. I had not even met the member for Stuart when I first heard about him through my former employer, then Senator John Quirk, who was a good friend of the member for Stuart, and he had told me numerous tales of him, often while we were shooting. I think I even used one of the member for Stuart's rifles before I met him.

I met him formally as an adviser, but only fleetingly. My first real memory of the member for Stuart is sitting in this very seat, quite nervously, waiting for the member for Stuart to finish before I made my maiden speech. I remember it because he spent a long time gloating about his return to the house and he spent a very long time talking about corellas. In fact, my father, who was in the gallery waiting for my speech, probably remembers more about the member for Stuart's speech than my maiden speech, because every time it gets mentioned he says, 'Is that the guy who talks about the corellas?'

I have interacted since then on a number of occasions with the member for Stuart. People have spoken about his ability to get things done and the way he gives advice to members. I have my own experience of that. I was trying to get driving lights for my vehicle and I was having this bureaucratic battle backwards and forwards with the people in Fleet SA. We were talking about actuarial advice and the danger to pedestrians of driving lights, and various things. This went on for probably a month and a half, at least. I was telling Gunny about it in the lift one day and he said to me, 'Look, ring them back, tell them Graham Gunn's got them and I want them.' I took his advice, I rang the guy back and said, 'Graham Gunn's got them, I want them,' and I had them within a week. He told me how he secured his driving lights; I will not repeat that to the house but it was a good story.

People have talked about him being a man of his word. I encountered that very early, soon after I became a member of parliament. The Ashes series came to Australia and after having been beaten in England the Australians were trying to regain the Ashes in Australia. There was a test match at Adelaide Oval. It was a crucial day. It looked like it was going to be a drawn match. Shane Warne was bowling to the English and he had got a couple of wickets. I was tied up here, desperately trying to get down to the cricket. I was talking to Gunny about it and he said, 'Just go and if there's any votes I won't go in.' So, I went down to the cricket and watched Shane Warne bowl England out and take Australia to victory, much to the consternation of the whip. I have learned my lesson, Madam Whip, and I apologise once again. But I know that Gunny did not turn up for any divisions, so he was, indeed, a man of his word.

All I can say more about him is that I think he has made a fantastic contribution to this state, and I think his family has made a contribution to the state. I remember when we were doing the debate on the more family-friendly hours for this house, the member for Stuart made a suggestion that his children had grown up while he was in here. I think it is a tribute to him and his family that that has not been a less satisfactory outcome than it might have been, because it is easy for people's families to suffer in this place but it looks like they are a strong family and they have held together over that time. I am proud to have served with him and I congratulate him and wish him all the best.

Debate adjourned.


[Sitting suspended from 13:00 to 14:00]


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