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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-07-16 Daily Xml
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TURNER, MR M.G.

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (15:19): I rise today to make a small tribute to the life of the late Milton Graham Turner who died last Wednesday, 8 July. Milton was a lifelong Kangaroo Island resident. He was a councillor. He would be unknown to most members in this place. However, he would be well known to some members of the Rann cabinet because, on their visits to Kangaroo Island, he would have mercilessly beaten them around the ears about things he wanted advanced for the cause of the island.

I served with Milton for 10 or 12 years. He was originally on the former Kingscote district council, and he was a passionate supporter of the amalgamated council when it came into being in 1996. Milton was an interesting fellow. He was a devoted family man. His wife Margaret and he shared some 55 years of married life and had a wonderful time. Their four sons—Trevor, Haydon, David and Mark—have followed in their father's footsteps. Milton was on a farm and the farm was sold in due course for various family reasons. He became a shearer, and he could turn his hand to anything. At one stage he ended up as a fencing contractor, but then he developed some flats on Telegraph Road, Kingscote. He then developed Turner's tyre business and, ultimately, that section of Telegraph Road was Turner tyre, Turner Ford, Turner fuel—and the list went on.

Milton was a character. He was the original pelican man at Kingscote. Indeed, he started the pelican feeding at the Bay of Shoals. He thought he had about 25,000 visitors there during his time as the pelican man, before he decided to give it away. He loved the sea and he was a great fisherman. He had an intricate knowledge of the waters around Nepean Bay and the Bay of Shoals, where he grew up. He knew where there were native oysters. He would not tell anyone, but he would get a feed to share around. He was well known for providing fish to many members of the community, his friends and family.

His passion as the Kingscote ward councillor was for the town of Kingscote and what he could do for the town. He was quite pig-headed about where he wanted to go and he had very fixed ideas. However, he was always fair and always prepared to listen to the other side of the argument. I spent many hours in a former life in the council chambers with him. There were times, as I wrote to his widow Margaret, when I cheerfully could have throttled him. However, he probably felt the same way about me.

Milton was involved heavily in community affairs over most of his life, none more so than the racing club on Kangaroo Island, which he served for 60 years in various forms as a jockey, president and groundsman—and the list continues. He was recognised earlier this year by Thoroughbred Racing SA with an outstanding achievement award, about which he was very proud and humble. He was a member and player for Wisanger cricket and football clubs. He was a member of many other associations. He was a foundation charter member of the Kangaroo Island Lions Club and a Freemason. He gave 100 per cent to every organisation of which he was a member.

I think it is appropriate that, even though not many in this place knew him, his contribution to South Australia, the Australian way of life and, more particularly, his contribution to Kangaroo Island should be recognised. We have many people like Milton around the state of South Australia. They are the heart and soul of local communities. They put everything they have into communities and, given the position I currently have, I am happy to say a few words about Milton in this chamber today.

I know that Margaret and the family will move on. He was intensely proud of his family. His eldest son, Trevor, has served overseas in the Army and his grandson, I understand, has just returned from Afghanistan after a period of service. Trevor gave the eulogy and said that he was the son that people did not know Milton and Margaret had because he left some 37 years ago. However, Milton and Margaret regularly travelled to the Eastern States to visit Trevor and his family. He will be well remembered. Vale Milton.

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