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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-11-24 Daily Xml
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MUSTARD, DR F.

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (15:30): I was very pleased today to listen to a question that was asked by the member for Florey of the Minister for Education and Child Development regarding the passing of Dr Fraser Mustard, who passed away last week in Canada. I heard a lot about Fraser Mustard from the previous member for Little Para, Lea Stevens, and finally got to meet him, with a number of other members, I think probably about two years ago. I also understand that we had great opportunities to hear from him as a thinker in residence in South Australia—a very influential one.

In speaking to the previous member for Little Para, she was very keen that I ensure that Fraser Mustard was commemorated in the way he should be. I asked her to send me some information that she might like me to raise in the house, but I think her letter to Cheryl Mooney, from the Founders organisation, probably summarises the comments that Lea would like me to raise. She says:

Hello Cheryl

I hope you will pass this on to Fraser's family and colleagues as I was unsure how else to make contact. Many many people here in Australia are mourning the passing of Fraser. He was a wonderful man in terms of his kindness, humour and insatiable energy and commitment to early childhood development.

I will never forget our first meeting in 2003 which lasted eight hours at his office in your building and then going on to the Pearl restaurant on the edge of the Lake all the while engaging in a discourse on the dimensions of early childhood development and what needed to be done everywhere. This was the beginning of his extensive involvement in South Australia culminating in a Thinker In Residence post.

During this time he influenced thousands of people and encouraged and inspired people at all levels to understand the importance of the development of the human brain and the connection of early positive parenting and supportive, accessible, community-based programs and activities.

In South Australia the Universal Nurse Home Visiting and Family Home Visiting programs and the establishment of a network of children's centres were an immediate result of his influence. Now there is an even more comprehensive response for, just as in many other countries, Fraser has left a lasting legacy in Australia where the critical importance of early childhood development is now prominently on the national agenda.

I know Fraser was a loving and loved family man and had many close friends. I know he will be sadly missed by us all but I also know his work will live on and his influence will continue to challenge us to make our shared vision of every chance for every child a reality.

With much love and respect for a great man

Lea & Mike Stevens

As people will remember in this chamber, Lea Stevens was the Minister for Health in South Australia from 2002 to 2005. Even when I was a fellow shadow minister with her, she campaigned in the area of early childhood, which she followed up in an academic way and then got to know Dr Fraser. I think that connection has served us well. I know that the former premier, Mike Rann, was also inspired by Dr Fraser Mustard and, hence, the thinker in residence invitation.

Some of the things that come out of that report, which I do not have time to talk about today in this grievance, have had a big impact on the way I view early childhood as well. There are some simple points that Fraser made in his report that I think are worth repeating.

One of them, which probably oversimplifies the whole program that our government is embarking on is 'Three important principles to improve early childhood development'. One is to intervene early, at least at the time of birth—which, as members know, is something that we are doing. Another is to intervene often and intervene effectively. Another is to focus on birth to six years of age to make sure it fits in with all the other infrastructure which is important in our community.

He really did emphasise investing in the early years, closing the gap between what we know and what we do, and linking scientific research about neuroscience and brain development with policy directions in early childhood. As he says, children do not choose their parents, so society has a responsibility to work with parents to ensure that all children have equitable development.

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