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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
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GUNN, HON. G.M.

Adjourned debate on motion of Mr Bignell:

That this house acknowledges and congratulates the member for Stuart, the Hon. Graham Gunn MP, for his service to the Parliament of South Australia.

(Continued from 14 May 2009. Page 2794.)

Mr KENYON (Newland) (12:13): This is the last day of parliament for this session. I saw the Hon. Mr Gunn in the corridor this morning, and it struck me that today is his last sitting day in the parliament. I had a real sense that it is not a changing of the guard, but probably the best way to describe it is that an era is passing, the Hon. Mr Gunn having decided to retire. There is a very large gap. I think it was 1985 for the Premier and it is over 10 years between people coming into the parliament. so, it is a significant achievement to have been here for such a long time.

Even in the last few days of his parliamentary career, he is still making a contribution. He is still whacking the government on behalf of his constituents and he is still talking about Sir Humphrey whom he so famously talks about. He is still here doing his job to the very end without letting up.

It says a lot about the character of a person when they come in here and work as hard on their last day as they did on their first day, work with a constancy of effort and with unwavering support from their constituents. He has never taken a backward step from his constituents. He never backs down and never backs away from defending people he believes are right.

I am pleased to have spent what I hope is my first term in the house with the member for Stuart. A lot of the traditions in this house are passed down from member to member, and without the long corporate memory of people such as the member for Stuart we would lose that quickly and the place would become unworkable and chaotic.

I am pleased to have been here while he has been here. I wish him and his wife the best in retirement. I hope it is a long one and I hope he has a great deal of time to enjoy it—and I bought a parliamentary tie this morning in honour of the member for Stuart. I wish him the very best and congratulate him on a fine career.

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (12:16): I first came to this building in 1977 and Graham was already an institution. I was elected in 1985, but I had heard all these stories about this wild man from the Outback, a wild man from the bush. I did not know what to expect. I knew that he gave public servants a hiding. I knew that he was never likely to be described as a greenie, although in some areas he is a conservationist.

It was only by coming into this place that I got to really know Graham. I was elected in 1985. Of course, he is the father of the house which means that when he goes I will be the father of the house. I want to say a few things about Graham. He always keeps his word. In the past 24 years, whether I was a minister or in opposition or Premier or a backbencher, if Graham has told me he will do something or that he will take a certain position he has absolutely stuck by it, even if he has been under pressure in some way to change his view.

You get to know people when you work with them on committees. I got to know people like Murray Hill and the late Ted Chapman very well through the Public Works Committee. That was my first committee—apart from the Printing Committee when we once had a meeting in the lift going between floors; it was declared open and closed. Someone told me that the Printing Committee was the springboard for progress.

I got to know Graham even better when we were both on an Aboriginal affairs committee. I had been on the committee and I then became minister for aboriginal affairs. We travelled around the state and we stayed in Outback communities. We did some really good bipartisan work, whether it was about the Ooldea lands, Maralinga or the Pitjantjatjara lands.

Graham believes that politics and ideology are common sense. He always said that he did not want any nonsense, and if there was no nonsense he would be incredibly cooperative. If the politics was taken out of the situation then he would work with us.

I particularly want to pay tribute to his really positive, constructive role on the Aboriginal affairs committee. I hope we will always keep politics out of that area. So often in Aboriginal affairs there is that sense over the years of getting three steps forward and two steps back, but I found Graham to be a most productive person, whether up in the APY lands talking to the elders or flying around the state. We got to know each other really well and I found him an extraordinarily honourable person in every sense of the word, even when we had disagreements.

I think he has been a bit hard on public servants but, even so, no-one has ever doubted that he was acting on behalf of his constituents rather than by way of malice. It has been the same in this place: it has never been about malice and it has never been personal but, rather, it has been about putting the views of his constituency—which at various times has been about the size of various nations in Europe. At one stage he had an electorate the size of Spain and in order to serve those electorates he would either fly his plane or travel thousands of kilometres every month, sometimes over a week.

I pay tribute to his wife Jan. They have been a fantastic team. I like the way in which Graham has dealt with people, whether Aboriginal people or people in Outback communities, in a straight and direct but frank, open and honest way. I have also enjoyed the fact that if you put a case to Graham that might be seen to be against his previous position he will give it consideration and get back to you.

Some 39 years is apparently not the record, but I think it will be the 21st century or late 20th century record. I thank him on behalf of this side of the house for his decency. He is one of the great characters of this parliament. I have to say that there were times during debate when he was angry and I did not quite understand what he was saying, but I thank him for educating me about the Outback and, most particularly, for putting decency and practical common sense into a bipartisan handling of Aboriginal affairs. I salute you, Graham, and wish you well for your retirement. I know we both have a common love of history, and I am sure you will be back at the mother of parliaments one day soon.

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (12:22): It is a particular pleasure for me to be the Leader of the Opposition on this auspicious day when we are farewelling one of the greats of this parliament in the Hon. Graham Gunn. I cannot imagine what it must be like to have come here for 39 years and 10 months. That is an extraordinary record, and very few will ever even contemplate making that level of sacrifice for the people of this state. So, I congratulate you, first of all, Mr Gunn, on that extraordinary length of service.

However, it is not just the length of service. The fact is that he is leaving here with a motion of this type on the books, that I am confident everyone in this place will support, and many speakers will wish to put on the record their thanks to the member for Stuart for the guidance he has given them, the integrity he adopts in everything he does and the corporate knowledge that he enables us all to have the benefit of. Sometimes we might not want that corporate knowledge and the benefit of it, but it is a wonderful thing that we have someone here like the member for Stuart. I was saying on the radio this morning when talking to Andrew Male, immediately following the Premier, that it is amazing to think that the member for Stuart has served with not only the people who are now present in the chamber but also with the parents of some of the people who now serve in this chamber. If longevity is a measure, certainly the member for Stuart measures up in that regard.

However, he measures up in many other regards as well. I related on the radio this morning the fact that on my very first day in here we were getting ready to make our maiden speeches and the member for Stuart sauntered over in his usual way and said, 'You can read your first speech, your maiden speech, but don't expect to read anything after that or I'll come and take it away from you.' So we all had to get used to the idea that we were under threat that if we dared to read a speech we might find that someone sauntered past and whipped it out of our hands and we were left standing; so we had better get used to being able to speak and think while we did so because Gunny was not going to let the traditions of the house fall so far that we were not able to get up and speak about things.

I also acknowledge the fact that the member for Stuart is someone who, if he does not agree with you, leaves you with no doubt about that, but he does not do it with malice. I have never seen him be malicious towards anyone in this chamber. He accords everyone respect and, in return, everyone accords him a great deal of respect. I notice that whenever Gunny gets up to ask a question the entire chamber falls into silence because we all wait with bated breath. It is rather like when the member for Enfield gets up to announce his latest natural resources management titles. We all wait with bated breath to see what it is that the member for Stuart is going to bring to our attention.

I challenge any member of this house to be more vigorous in their advocacy on behalf of their constituents than the member for Stuart has been, and I particularly suggest that he has a high regard for the integrity of the people in his electorate and will always win against any over-zealous public servant who might care to take him on. I must say, I pity the poor copper, or whoever it might be, who pulls up the member for Stuart, or tries to enter premises, or tries to stop the member for Stuart going anywhere in his electorate, because he will be unfailingly polite and firm and, indeed, immovable in his defence of the rights of the people in his constituency whom he has served so well and so long.

I can only imagine. I have a relatively small electorate of about 1,000 square metres. In the member for Stuart's current newsletter there is a map showing the area he represented when he first went into parliament way back in May 40 years ago. So, next May, it will be 39 years and 10 months he will have served when he finishes his time—and you do not get that long for murder, Gunny! The map shows his area, and then the other side of the state. The constituency, like others, has moved, but he has virtually represented two thirds of this state and, as the Premier pointed out, some of the electorates he has held have been larger than some of the countries in Europe. It is an extraordinary effort just to serve that constituency. I know that when I go to different places in my little constituency, each one has their own personality, families and history, and I try to keep up with all of those. But, to do it over those vast areas, and to have to fly yourself around the electorate, is an extraordinary tale. I look forward to one day reading a book by the Hon. Graham Gunn about many of his adventures.

He is a man who can be comfortable in the company of people from any walk of life, and one, I am confident, who would not change himself to fit anyone else's image of what they think should be seen. Gunny is Gunny wherever he is and whoever he is talking to, and he is absolutely reliable. As I said, if he says he does not agree with you, he will tell you why and he will tell you he is not going to back you, or whatever it might be, and he will explain his reasons and no-one is ever left in any doubt.

I cannot believe that the day has finally come when he has said, 'I do not have to be here,' and he is actually going back to the farm and is not going to come back. I think the ghost of Gunny will probably walk these corridors for many years to come, and long may it be so. Good luck in the future, Gunny, and my best to Jan and all the family. I hope you enjoy your retirement.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON (Elder—Minister for Transport, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Energy) (12:28): It is a pleasure to be here to do this, particularly as I have to fly to Hobart later this afternoon and will not be able to make the traditional valedictory comments when I would have normally said something about the father of the house leaving us.

In one sense we are glad that Graham has made this decision to go voluntarily because we tried many times to get him to go involuntarily but it never worked. Particularly at the last election when a tidal wave swept a few Liberals from this place, on the figures, he seemed to be one of the most precariously placed but we found he was just standing there not even getting his feet wet. He was not worried in the slightest. I have to say that we have a secret plan to win the seat of Stuart. We are going to get our candidate to change his name to Gunn and people will vote for him out of habit. I shouldn't have let that out.

When you have been in this business for a while you know that there are two things: a person's political positions, many of which I agree with Graham, but I think about 98 per cent I don't; but there is also personal integrity, and Gunny has bucket loads of personal integrity. I cannot remember any time when we have discussed things that he has ever let you down on exchanged confidences.

I can honestly say that no-one has ever lived for their electorate more, and it has changed a lot over the years, as we have heard. If he wanted to get something done for his electorate genuinely, he would come and see you first. He would not use the chamber to grandstand; he would come and see you first, and see if he could get it done that way, over and over, and he got a lot done for his electorate that way.

I am sure that there are many people in the Liberal Party room who would secretly be a little bit happy that he is not there, because he terrifies the living daylights out of everyone, is my understanding. I was not here but I do remember his role as speaker. Ralph Clarke still remembers you fondly. He said, I think, he was the only person to ever been named and removed from the chamber for what was a look; it was a look he said. 'Don't give me that dirty look. You're out of here son!' He knew how to keep order. He treats everyone genuinely, regardless of where they are from, and very fairly.

I should also place on record the great hospitality from Graham and his family, and his brother, the Mayor of Streaky Bay, whenever we're out that way. I understand that Graham has vowed that now that he is going he will not spend too much time telling the Mayor of Streaky Bay how to do his job. I find that maybe a little hard to believe, but I do look forward to being out there to see Graham.

Can I also say that, as a bit of a blokey bloke myself, who likes to fish and, God forbid, even a shoot now and then, I know that Graham has some sporting interests that are very similar to mine, I look forward to being out in that beautiful country spending some time with Graham and his brother slaughtering a few whiting and doing the things that we enjoy doing.

Graham, good luck in the future, mate. I was thinking we might need a new agent-general in London one day, or something like that, ideally suited to someone of your status, but, no, I had better leave that alone, because the Premier is starting to get upset. I do look forward to getting some time out there. I promise you, Graham, that I will not try to break your record.

I will not be here this afternoon, so for those others who are voluntarily retiring, like I said, all my best: Rory McEwen, of course, was a minister with us, and two women on our side, Trish White and Lea Stevens; and Liz Penfold. I wish good luck to everyone, better luck to our side. Can I honestly say that I sincerely hope that every one of our retirements this time are voluntary.

Graham, it is good that you are going, because, frankly, I think it is the only way that we would ever have got rid of you. Congratulations.

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop) (12:33): I am also delighted to join in supporting this motion. Can I say to the Minister for Transport that I think Graham and I were hoping that he would get an appointment as chairman of the Native Vegetation Council rather than as agent-general in London. He has my full support for that, although London is not a bad gig, Graham; we won't knock it if they offer it to you.

It was alluded to in an earlier debate that when I came him here I was an Independent. Graham Gunn has a very keen eye for politics. I remember the first day I met Graham. I walked in here off the street. It was the only the second time that I had been in the building, and I was wandering around. Next thing, this chap came along and said, 'You'd be young Williams, wouldn't you?' He grabbed me and said, 'Now, you're going to need some fine accommodation,' and he led me upstairs to a room on the first floor, and it was one of the better offices. He said, 'I think you will be comfortable here and we'll get one of those big settees.' He said, 'A man from a country seat like that, you might need to have a sleep in the afternoon from time to time.' He was the most accommodating person I met (probably in the last 12 years, actually). Graham couldn't do enough for me. That was my introduction to the parliament.

My relationship with Graham has only grown from that day. He is a man that I have had a great opportunity to spend a significant amount of time with Quite often we share a cup of coffee in the morning, and generally Graham will ask how things are in the South-East. We will talk about land prices and sheep prices, how the crop is going, where it is raining and where it is not, and discuss agricultural matters across the state.

As the Premier said, I have had the opportunity to go to the Far North of the state—Graham has taken many of his colleagues there. When members of the government struggle to work out why Graham continues to get so much support in that very marginal electorate, they only have to go into the electorate with him to see where the support comes from. You can go to any corner of his electorate, and he is instantly recognised and loved.

He will walk into the local school and he will know the young teacher, who has just been shifted into the middle of nowhere after spending her first 21 years in Adelaide in the bosom of her parents. Out in the middle of nowhere Graham will walk up to her and have a kind word, and ask how she is getting on. The old bushies who have been out there for 100 years, Graham knows them all, he knows their stories, he knows all about them. He says to them, genuinely, 'I'm here, I'm at work. Do you have any issues? Is there anything bothering you? Is there anything I can do to help?' I concur with those who have already said it: I reckon I do a reasonable job in my electorate but I have never seen a member of parliament more dedicated to their electorate than Graham Gunn.

I will reveal to members opposite that, since I have known him, Graham has had, both in the house and indeed in the party room, a set of fundamentals for which he has always argued the case. Shadow ministers bring into the party room, at their peril, recommendations that we support government legislation which gives new powers to authorised officers. Gunny has a list of what powers are reasonable and a book of those that are unreasonable, and, more often than not, he wins the debate in our party room. Sometimes we do not win the debate on the floor of the house, but he is absolutely consistent.

In Graham's opinion, at least, authorised officers should be somewhat curtailed; native vegetation has its place, and it should not be out of its place; and outback roads should have a speed limit which is in context with outback roads that have perhaps one or two cars going by every couple of hours. To Graham, some of these things are immutable.

Graham, I have no idea how much longer I will stay in this place but I would like to say that I agree with most of the things you have argued are immutable, and I hope that I and some of the colleagues you leave behind will carry on that tradition and protect those principles you have held so dear. You have taught all of us a considerable amount about how we hold legislation within the realms that our constituents would expect us to do. That has been one of the important lessons you have taught me.

It has already been said, and I can only repeat it, that Graham holds the highest ethical standards. Everyone knows that, if you give your word or make a statement, you live by that, and I believe that is why you are so respected by both sides of the house. I think we are all collectively saddened that you will not be here on a daily basis, and I hope that we see you from time to time. I am sure that you would be most welcomed by all your colleagues here who have served with you, and we look forward to seeing you in the future.

I hesitate to say that our loss will be Stuart's gain. I am not too sure that he will be as delighted about your retirement. However, from my knowledge of your wife Jan, I think she will be delighted—

The Hon. G.M. Gunn: She's up there.

Mr WILLIAMS: She is here now; she was not a moment ago. Jan, I think you will be delighted to have Graham at your beck and call every hour of the day. I am sure that he will be delighted to fall into that role—there will be no little job undone. Graham, can I say congratulations on the time that you have spent here, congratulations on what you have done for the people whom you have represented, and thank you very much for your friendship. I wish you and Jan and your family all the best for the future.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Federal/State Relations) (12:40): I will only speak briefly but I also wish to acknowledge Graham Gunn. Whilst I know that is unparliamentary, I would rather refer to him as Graham Gunn, if I can have the indulgence of the house and the chair.

I first met Graham Gunn when I was a ministerial adviser some 23 years ago and, particularly when Lynn was the minister for agriculture, Graham often had views and issues that he wanted to raise with government in those days. I can echo the words of my colleague that Graham always came very constructively to government and put very forceful views but always did so in a very professional manner and did not take opportunities, as many of us do, myself included, to use the theatre of politics to make a point.

Graham has been an incredibly successful politician. I think he does our profession proud for the fact that he has been able not only to represent a rural seat but also to understand the broad range of issues that this parliament has to deal with, not just purely from the electorate's point of view. Graham Gunn was a fine speaker, although, I must say that I was the victim of many an error in judgment by the then speaker—not that speakers normally make errors, sir, but in Graham's case, there were at least three, maybe four occasions when he kicked me out of the parliament. I was suspended, I think, three or four times.

It is true that Ralph Clarke was suspended for raising an eyebrow. God's honest truth: I was sitting there and Ralph raised an eyebrow in disgust at a decision by the speaker and he was booted out. Graham was a bit of a machine gun when he sat in that seat; he had a revolving door. I must admit, though, that nothing will ever eclipse the performance of the member for Kavel's father and former speaker Peterson. That was one that I will never forget. I never thought somebody could be named three times whilst leaving the place. Thank God for the Liberal Party that it was not a fourth time: that would have meant a suspension from the house for nine days and he would have lost his seat.

Graham has been an outstanding member. To his family, his wife, Jan, he has been able to straddle business, personal life and parliament very effectively over a long period of time. You are a tribute to the house, Graham.

Can I say just on the chance that there will be a speaking list later, if I can also have the indulgence of acknowledging the retirement of Lea Stevens, somebody I have known for many years, a very good minister in this government, an outstanding member of parliament and somebody who has served her electorate and her party very well. I wish Lea all the best in the future. Trish White, who came into the parliament (as did Lea actually) just after me, was also a very good minister. She has had a good career in parliament and been a great representative, and I wish Trish all the best for the future.

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite) (12:43): I would like to add my words to those of earlier speakers. The member will be missed. I am wondering whether he will be missed by his good wife, Jan, because I get the feeling that she will be seeing a lot more of him over the next few years. I have to say—and I do this in a muted way, because I know that the member has a house in my electorate—that I suspect that he is going to have a good deal of trouble getting his good wife, Jan, to remove herself permanently back to the farm. I get the distinct impression that, along with Harold Allison and one or two others, I am going to be seeing the good member over the coming years. I am sure that he will be forthcoming with advice on regular occasions in my electorate office where he will always be welcome. I can guarantee to Graham that I will be passing those words on in the party room in the years ahead as they are passed to me at my local office.

I was a teenager when the member for Stuart joined the parliament. Some of us here probably were not even born then because it goes back that far. It is really the changing of the guard. In a sense, Graham takes with him our memories of an earlier generation of MPs, because the parliament has changed a great deal over the time that Graham has been a member. In some respects, they were gentler times. I do recall the member regaling me and others about the quality of debates in the 1970s; some of the great debaters in the place during the 1970s and early 1980s; and some of the great characters that the member has seen in his time here. There have been some great characters and some great times, and it has been 39 very important years for South Australia. The member has been part of some of the key decisions this state has experienced in that period.

He takes with him quite a bit of corporate memory and that corporate memory will be missed. Along with others, I have enjoyed some trips to the Far North with the member. We have had good yarns from Arkaroola to Birdsville and from Heathgate to Innamincka, most recently. In fact, I thought we would still be there now when it rained before our aircraft took off the other day. It has been fantastic going up to his electorate. I can endorse the comments made by others that, when you visit the electorate with Graham, you really get a feel for what being a good member in a marginal seat is all about. Graham is a great character in Stuart, a great character in the Far North and a great character in the Australian parliament.

I am going to miss him. During debates in the party room, I am really going to miss him saying, 'I don't need to be here. If you disagree with me, I don't need to be here; I can leave now.' I can tell you that was pretty exciting when we were a marginal government and there was only one seat the difference and everyone was thinking, 'Well, gee, Gunny, if you don't need to be here and you take off, where will that leave us?' I can also say that I really miss the excitement of the Economic and Finance Committee when we were in government and Graham was the chair, and opposition members were the likes of the member for Port Adelaide, the member for Mitchell—

The Hon. R.J. McEwen interjecting:

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH: Yes, the member for Mount Gambier was there; the member for Fisher. There we were in Economic and Finance—there was Gunny and me and the rest at one stage. It was a pretty rocky time. I think it was our Star Chamber, Graham. Poor old Graham pulled out whatever hair he had remaining during that four years, let me tell you. It has been a fantastic experience knowing you, Graham. You take with you 39 years of experience in this place. All the characters, all the personalities who have worked with you go with you in a way, and we will certainly miss you, mate. All the best in your retirement. To Jan and the boys, I just say: you gave him to us 39 years ago, we are giving him back. I have a cafe right next door to my office in Mitcham, so, Jan, feel free to come down and have a yarn with me and Jane any time if it gets too much; all right. I am sure you will love it.

The Hon. R.J. McEWEN (Mount Gambier) (12:48): I am just going to tell one quick story because all of us are going to tell wonderful stories about Graham. You learn more by the mistakes you make than by anything else in this place, and I learnt one thing; that is, Graham Gunn feared one person—Dorothy Kotz. How did I learn that? Because part of this committee to which Martin just alluded one day voted down an NRM levy. Graham looked around and said, 'Someone needs to tell the minister, I'm busy. Rory, would you mind telling her?' I went to Dorothy Kotz's office. I said, 'Minister Kotz, I have been asked to tell you on behalf of the Economic and Finance Committee that we have voted down an NRM levy.' Well, I went looking for Graham and I could not find him, and when I eventually found him, I have never seen a smile like it. He thought that young fellow is wet behind the ears and have I taught him a lesson today!

He has taught many of us lessons in this place and they are wonderful lessons, and I think we will all leave this place saying we are much the richer, the state is much the richer and this parliament is much the richer for that remarkable man. Graham, you are an absolute honour and a treasure.

The Hon. K.A. MAYWALD (Chaffey—Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water Security) (12:49): My contribution will also be brief, but I could not let this moment pass without making a contribution to acknowledge the enormous amount of time, effort and good things that the member for Stuart has done for this state and for his community. I came into this place as a very young girl, very green in the way of politics, and I learnt some very early lessons from the member for Stuart. I have to say that we got off to a fairly rocky start, but, through the years, I have learnt to grow extremely fond of the member for Stuart, Graham Gunn. I have enjoyed very much our discussions over lunch, and I have certainly learnt a lot in the way of politics from Graham, particularly about how to get things done in your electorate.

There is no better master of how to service an electorate and look after the people you represent than Graham Gunn. Certainly, he has been a great example to me as a member of parliament in terms of how you go about—in an honourable way, with integrity and dignity and with an unfailing commitment—supporting the people who vote you into this place. He takes his position and his responsibilities extremely seriously. He is a tremendous person.

I join with the member for Mount Gambier in saying that it has been a great honour to serve in this place with him. I certainly wish him, Jan, and his family all the best for the future. I know that he never looks back, he always looks forward. I certainly wish him well with the career he will embark upon once he leaves this place, because I know that we will not have heard the last of the Hon. Graham Gunn.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (12:51): I will also not be long. I support everything other members have said. I had the pleasure of being the environment minister in the former government. People have spoken of Graham's passion for his view in representing his constituents. I think it is fair to say that Graham gave me an education in the Native Vegetation Act, because every time I tried to raise something Graham would clarify the matter for me in no uncertain terms.

We had long discussions about marine parks and, if I recall, he certainly loved the emergency services levy. All those issues meant that Graham and I had some long and interesting discussions, but I think that Mitch Williams, the member for MacKillop, makes the correct call on Graham. Graham came here, I think, with a passion for his community and his constituents. He is that style of MP. We all choose our own style as MPs, but Graham had a passion for his community, which he and Jan have represented for well over 40 years—and I acknowledge the tremendous effort of Jan in supporting Graham.

Graham represented his constituents brilliantly. He was not here to be a populist for the media; he was here to represent his constituents. I think the reason he had such a long and successful career was because of his passion and his capacity to do that. Graham always told you up front what his view was. He was not someone who went behind your back and changed his mind. If he had a view, you knew what his view was. Congratulations to both Jan and Graham on what has been an outstanding contribution to their community and to South Australia in general.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (12:52): I, too, wish to congratulate the Hon. Graham Gunn, the member for Stuart, for his service to the parliament. Before I entered this place many people would say to me, 'I know the member for Stuart, Graham Gunn' or 'My family knows Graham Gunn'—he is held in very high regard throughout the community.

As a member entering this place, it was great to receive very sage advice from Graham on a whole range of issues. Graham left absolutely no doubt about how a member of parliament should perform his or her role, either in this place or out in the community. I have received very good advice over the last 3¾ years. As everyone has indicated, Graham is very direct in what he has to say. He is very firm in his beliefs, and I believe this is why he has remained the member for Stuart for almost 40 years.

I certainly acknowledge the support of his wife, Jan, and his family. I just hope that the family are ready when Graham does leave this place because he has indicated on several occasions that he might return to the farm. Certainly, I have enjoyed the camaraderie with Graham. You can have a discussion with Graham and you can have a different point of view. I have certainly always respected his point of view and he respects the fact that you have a different point of view; but then, moving forward, he does not hold a grudge.

Graham, as I believe he has done in his whole political career, just gets on with the job, because he knows that tomorrow is another day. Graham has given me advice about the Speaker, and I note the comments made today. He said, 'Even when the Speaker is wrong, he is right.'

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: They were the days!

Mr PEDERICK: They were the days.

Mr Williams: Don't raise your eyebrow.

Mr PEDERICK: So I do not raise my eyebrow, absolutely, member for MacKillop. It has been pleasing to talk to Graham, a fellow farmer, and engage in conversation with him about the good yields from his property on the West Coast this year and hear how the harvest is going, and filling the box in eight minutes, and all that sort of thing. I have shared his excitement, because it is great when there are good yields. It is just sad when the money is not there, but every farmer enjoys it when it is pouring into the bin. I will certainly miss those discussions that we have had but, hopefully, I will run into Graham down the track and have many discussions with him either about being in this place or out in the farming communities.

I certainly wish Graham and his family all the best in the future. It has been a great career that has spanned almost 40 years. Thank you Graham Gunn.

Mr GOLDSWORTHY (Kavel) (12:55): As other members in the house have stated, Graham was elected to this place for the first time in May 1970. He entered the parliament with my father, amongst other newly elected members, at that election. As we know, he also served with the fathers of a number of current members: the member for Schubert, the member for Bragg, the member for Davenport and the Minister for Police, from memory. So, Graham has served with at least four or five second generation members of parliament.

As other members have said in their contribution to the house, there are no greys with the member for Stuart. There is black and white; there is no in between. He is a man who knows exactly what he wants and where he is going, and he communicates that very well.

I knew Graham, obviously, prior to 1970, when he and my father were running in that election. So, I have known him since I have been a young lad. He has been to our family home on a number of occasions and I know that members of our family, particularly my father, have visited the member for Stuart's electorate, which previously was called Eyre, I think, before the name was changed to Stuart. I also remember quite clearly a time when I was working at Ceduna. One afternoon we were in the hotel, and who should roll up but the member for Stuart. There was great fanfare in the bar when he came in, and we had a drink with him.

Graham, as we know, is strong of character and resolute in his approach. He has been an outstanding local member. I regard him as a good friend. He has given me sound advice over the last eight years that I have been a member of this place. Congratulations to Graham and all the best to his wife Jan and his family. I know he has been well supported by them and his staff. Best wishes for the future to the member for Stuart.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

Mr BIGNELL (Mawson) (12:58): It is a wonderful honour to stand here today and say thank you to all those who have made contributions to this motion. Some very funny anecdotes and some great stories have been told about the member for Stuart's 39 years and 10 months as a representative of the people of his area in the Parliament of South Australia.

I think the one thing that shines through is that everyone has said that Graham is a man of his word and a man of great integrity. No greater honour can be paid to a man. I congratulate him on everything that he has done for the people of his electorate and the people of South Australia.

From one of the newest members in the place to the man who is currently the longest serving member of any parliament in Australia, thank you on behalf of the people who have come into this place since 1970 for your guidance, your words of wisdom and the example that you have set on how to behave in this place, and also on how to behave in your electorate and how to go in to bat for the people you represent. Graham is a fine, upstanding member of this state and we thank him very much.

I would also like, through you Mr Speaker, to ask Hansard to provide the member for Stuart with four bound copies of all the tributes that have been paid to him: one for Graham and Jan—and, Jan, I wish you all the very best with Graham in your future together—one for each of Graham's sons and one for the Streaky Bay museum, where I know a lot of his memorabilia and political notes and everything else will be stored into the future. Congratulations Graham: we salute you. I commend this motion to the house.

The SPEAKER (13:00): The member for Stuart was elected to this place a couple of years before I was born, so as the baby of the parliament I should make some remarks to the father of the parliament. The member for Stuart does pride himself on being the most right wing member of this place and without him that mantel will have to pass to others. I am sure that others are ready to take his place.

When I took the office of speaker his advice to me very early on was not to rely too heavily on his rulings—as I was threatening to do. I have taken that advice. An example of the man is that when the position of speaker for a number of reasons was no longer available to him after the 1997 election, he took that loss without any rancour at all. He saw himself as a servant of his party and he would serve his party in the best way he could; and that is a great mark of the man. He was not bitter at what happened.

Likewise, he has contested marginal seats for his party and held seats that otherwise would not have been held. When other members of his seniority would have sought a safer seat to contest, the member for Stuart, knowing that the only way his party would hold the seat, continued to serve his party by contesting those marginal seats; and, again, that is a mark of the man.

Finally, his advocacy for the supremacy of the parliament is a recurring theme of the member for Stuart. Over his years he has shown tremendous courage. He has been willing to take on the executive, especially when his own party was in government. He showed tremendous courage in holding the executive to account and performing his duties as a member of this place and a parliamentarian.

With those remarks I thank the member for Stuart for his good advice and friendship since I have been a member of this place. I also thank Mrs Gunn and I wish them both well.

Motion carried.


[Sitting suspended from 13:03 to 14:00]


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