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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-11-27 Daily Xml
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VINING, PROF. ROSS

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:12): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: On Thursday 15 November 2012 Professor Ross Vining, Director of Forensic Science SA, died tragically in a small plane accident in Far North Queensland where he had flown to Cairns to watch the solar eclipse. I attended his funeral today. He was only 62 years old. This sad news came as a great shock and his passing is a tremendous loss to the justice system, the forensic science community and for South Australia.

Professor Vining was appointed as the Director of Forensic Science SA in 2008. He joined the South Australian government from the Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research in Sydney, just one of the many major medical research, public health, pathology and forensic science laboratories where he acted as director.

In his time at the Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research he received several premier's awards in that state for outstanding initiatives. He had an honours degree in Pure and Applied Chemistry, a nuclear chemistry PhD and a MBA. His passion for science and extensive experience and knowledge served as a platform to be the ideal leader for Forensic Science SA.

Professor Vining was personally driven by his philosophy of science 'safeguarding the community', as he would put it, that science is an essential part of a safe progressive society. It was his personal belief that science can improve the community and he chose to join the public sector because he believed the Public Service provided the best vehicle to make a contribution to the community and change things for the better. Over the course of his time at Forensic Science SA he did just that.

Professor Vining formed many strategic and collaborative relationships in particular with Adelaide's universities. These ongoing and enduring relationships have been equally important to the maintenance and improvement of South Australia's justice system, the development of our future scientists and researchers and creating breakthroughs in the field of research. Professor Vining understood the importance of research. Some of his research resulted in the adoption of new and better technologies within Forensic Science SA, providing a contemporary service to the South Australian justice system. Professor Vining strived towards making organisations work smarter, not harder.

Under Professor Vining's leadership, Forensic Science SA has improved productivity by 5 per cent each year since 2007. Professor Vining's legacy will live on through his outstanding contribution to the advancement of forensic science. It is because of his work that Forensic Science SA is a global leader in its field.

Professor Vining was very highly regarded by past and present staff at Forensic Science SA. Likewise, he cared about his staff and their welfare and made a conscious effort to recognise their outstanding work through the annual Forensic Science SA Awards, which I have had the privilege of attending. He was an exceptional leader for the department and respected and admired by everyone who worked with him. His infectious zeal for all things scientific is well documented by his peers and his colleagues.

In his spare time—although I find it difficult to believe that he had any—Professor Vining was fondly known as a great adventurer. Amongst other things, he was a rock climber, a canoeist, a hang-glider, a cross-country skier and a pilot. He organised two private expeditions to Antarctica and was training to sail to Sydney in the Sydney to Hobart this year.

Professor Vining will be remembered for his passion for forensic science and enthusiasm for life but, most importantly, he will be remembered as a man of great integrity. Professor Vining will be greatly missed by everyone at Forensic Science SA and the South Australian Attorney-General's Department. At this time, my thoughts are with Professor Vining's family, friends and colleagues. In particular, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Linda, and son, Ben.

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