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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
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BALUCH, JOY

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (11:03): On indulgence, by leave I move that:

The House of Assembly expresses its deep regret at the death of Mrs Nancy Joy Baluch AM, and places on record its appreciation of her long and meritorious service as mayor of the City of Port Augusta and, as a mark of respect to her memory, the sitting of the house be suspended until the ringing of the bells.

I am sure there are many who will join with me today in expressing, at Joy Baluch's passing, a great sense of loss and paying tribute to the exceptional life that she led; a life that included more than 40 years of dedicated service to council and to the community. Joy Baluch passed away on the evening of 14 May this year after a long battle with cancer. Her passing was noted around the nation and was the subject of many affectionate tributes. She was 80 years old and still holding tightly to her fighting spirit. As her daughter Michelle said, she reckoned there was more to do and she wanted to live to 100 to do it.

The community response to Joy's passing provided a clear indication of the great impact she has had over many years. Many gathered at Port Augusta for her funeral on 21 May or took part in celebrating her life and work through the memorial service held by the Local Government Association on 13 June. Before that, and only days after her death, there was another gathering for the naming of the mayor Joy Baluch AM Bridge on 17 May.

The decision to name the bridge in honour of Joy had been announced late last year to honour her 80th birthday last October. Although she passed away just before it occurred, it will remain an important tribute and reminder of her enduring service and commitment. The Port Augusta City manager, Greg Perkin, is aptly quoted as saying:

We believe the bridge should carry the name of the person who fulfilled a similar role to the bridge; a person who has carried the burden through good and bad times, has joined communities and has championed the building of a better nation and there is clearly only one person who everyone agrees fits this tall order, and that is our long serving Mayor Joy Baluch.

It is an indication of the strength of community feeling about her that two local artists worked through the night to paint a portrait of the late mayor on the national bridge before its official opening and that nobody has wanted to interfere with that spontaneous response. The picture remains.

Joy Baluch and Port Augusta were inseparable. When she was born in 1932 she was the third generation of the Copley family to be born at Port Augusta. The public service she provided to the community spanned a large part of her life. She was elected to the Port Augusta Council in 1970. She began, to use her words many years later, 'playing nice and trying to please everyone', but she did not persist on that course. By the time she was elected mayor in 1981, she was advocating for, among other things, an international airport for Adelaide to open up this state's north to tourism. On that subject she was reported by The Advertiser at the time as saying:

Those who say I'm pushing my barrow because I run a motel can go to see a taxidermist.

Joy Baluch remained Mayor of Port Augusta City Council for the rest of her life except for a brief period in the early 1980s and again in the early 1990s. She served on the State Executive Committee of the Local Government Association of 15 years (13 as vice president) and as LGA president between 2007 and 2009. She was also a member of the Outback Communities Development Trust for many years.

When elected, Joy Baluch was the second female councillor in the city's history. She went on to become Australia's longest serving female mayor. In that role she provided an enduring example for women aspiring to positions of leadership. Mayor Baluch has been a prominent figure not only in Port Augusta but throughout South Australia and beyond. She is noted for her outspoken advocacy for Port Augusta and regional South Australia and her strongly held views. She has been described as iron gloved when it comes to fighting for her ideals and her city.

Flicking back over the hundreds of media stories about Joy Baluch over the years, a pattern emerges. Some of the descriptive words that stand out are: outspoken, controversial, fighting, pioneering, independent, confident, determined. Joy served with intelligence, strength and a deep sense of commitment to Port Augusta, a place that she affectionately referred to as the 'centre of the universe'. As a councillor she pursued a number of social justice initiatives, including a homeless shelter, a childcare centre, and an emergency shelter for women and children.

Although these projects were met with strong opposition at the time, she fought tirelessly to make them a reality. She was also a long-term advocate for cleaner energy production in Port Augusta and made it a personal mission to voice concerns about air quality issues. However, it is her work in tackling violence and alcohol abuse in Port Augusta that is perhaps most widely known and possibly most controversial.

Her passion for her community and the economic and regional development of the Upper Spencer Gulf resulted in her being awarded the Order of Australia AM in 2007. One thing that is very clear about the late mayor, though, is that she was never afraid of controversy. She carried out her work with passion and with the utmost dedication, and being popular was never a motivating force. I can state from personal experience that Joy never left your office without you knowing exactly what she wanted—and what she wanted was always what was best for Port Augusta.

The last time I saw her she looked physically very frail, but her failing body did not for one moment dilute the power of her advocacy. Even in this reduced physical state, her demeanour made it very clear to me that I should choose my words carefully. I must say that I did find it incredibly powerful that somebody who was obviously suffering the burdens of a very serious illness could project so much power. It was extraordinary. You could see her body, but you could also see that her presence was in no way diluted by the physical adversity she was experiencing. It was incredibly powerful and demonstrated the strength of her spirit, even though it was locked in a frail body towards the end. That is a testament to the strength of character of Joy—or Nancy, as I found out, although she did not look like a Nancy. I think Joy was probably the right choice.

As time passed, I noticed the notes I received over the years—because I had a number of dealings with Joy in different roles—started to have a more religious flavour, and that is something that I hope was a source of comfort for her in her final days. In addition to her extensive service to the community, the late mayor was also wife to Teo Baluch, whom she met when she was 18 and married when she was 21. Teo passed away in 1996. Joy was also a mother to two now grown children, a daughter, Michelle, and a son, Emil, and a grandmother to Allan and Carlee. I extend heartfelt condolences to them, to her brother, Neil, to her extended family and to her many friends. I also place on record our appreciation of her long and meritorious public service, and I commend the motion to the house.

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (11:11): I rise also to speak on this important matter and, on behalf of the South Australian Liberal Party, to offer our most sincere condolences to the family of Joy Baluch AM, the Mayor of Port Augusta. Community leaders like Joy do not come along that often and in every way she was one of a kind. She was a tough talking, no-nonsense leader who always called it as she saw it.

As Mayor of Port Augusta for a remarkable 28 years, and a councillor for four decades, Joy never once deviated from her core mission, which was to advocate powerfully and passionately for the people of Port Augusta. It was a community she loved, a town where she raised her family, and a region where, along with her husband, she ran a successful small business. Indeed, from the moment Joy arrived in Port Augusta as a 21-year-old newlywed, hoping to find the right spot to get a job and set up home, Joy's passion for the town never waned.

It must be said here that of the many outstanding qualities Joy brought to her role in local government, from those early days through to more recent times, it was Joy's 'no holds barred' attitude that set her apart from the rest. It was an attitude that garnered hundreds of headlines over the decades, but it was this very fearlessness and indomitable spirit that made her a true pioneer of local government. Where women before her had struggled to negotiate the career obstacles in their path, Joy simply smashed through them. She was fearless and unafraid—two wonderful attributes in any leader, but in Joy they helped make her one of our state's best community campaigners.

This dogged determination to get the job done led to a list of achievements that span the entire spectrum of local government and are simply too numerous to mention here today, although it would be remiss not to mention her landmark work in the fields of mental health, alcohol abuse and community sporting programs to engage young people across the region. While her style might have been unorthodox, it was certainly effective. Her colourful, flamboyant manner was also unique and helped keep Port Augusta on the map. Her tendency sometimes to be politically incorrect might have been unconventional, but Joy wore it as a badge of honour.

Indeed, too often these days we hear the word 'iconic' thrown around and used to describe just about anything. It is a word, though, that should be reserved for people like Joy. Her incredible sense of duty, her dedication to her community, and her tremendous will and resolve are worthy of the highest praise. Her commitment to public service in the face of serious health challenges over the past decade was quite incredible, and the Liberal Party thanks her for what can only be described as an outstanding contribution to this state. On behalf of the Liberal Party in South Australia, I extend our sincere condolences to Joy Baluch's family.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (11:15): It was with a great sense of sadness that I learned of the passing of Mayor Baluch. She was a wonderful person. When I first met her I remember thinking that I was going to meet a very hard and aggressive person; I met a very sweet and caring person. The longstanding Mayor of Port Augusta passed away at the age of 80 after a brave battle with illness. The state has mourned her passing. We have lost one of our great advocates and passionate politicians, probably one of the most passionate this state has seen.

Port Augusta born and bred, Mayor Baluch was elected to the council in 1970, a year before I was born. She served as Mayor of Port Augusta from 1981, with the exception of two years and, in doing so, she earned the title as Australia's longest serving female mayor, becoming a pioneer for women aspiring to leadership positions across the nation.

She never minced her words, and you never left not knowing her view. She was a fierce advocate for her city, not because of its being a city but because of its people. She was passionate about fighting crime, about campaigning for the Adelaide to Darwin railway, and she was willing to do almost anything to get an outcome for her town.

I think Joy Baluch's passion for Port Augusta was highlighted best at the Premier's mining round table last year. Knowing how important the round table was, and how it would affect her community, there was no stopping Mayor Baluch from attending the forum, not even a round of chemotherapy which she had endured just hours earlier. Once there, she took over the meeting, as was her wont, and she made her voice heard, and the voice of her community was heard by everyone at that round table. I think that typifies the type of person she was. She was willing literally to put herself on the line every time for her city.

I was fortunate enough to have dealings with her in my time as minister in relation to the Port Augusta prison and Alinta Energy's solar thermal power station proposal. Each time I met with her, she was kind, she was generous and she was passionate—a passion that never waivered over 40 years of civil service. She was, as the Premier said, awarded Australia's highest honour, receiving an order within the Order of Australia. She received that in 2007, and she deserved that award greatly. I think she would have been very proud of our naming after her a bridge in Port Augusta as well.

I understand that her husband, Teo, before they met, had studied to become an Orthodox priest and that before coming to Australia he had been imprisoned in Dachau concentration camp as a political prisoner. I have just heard that he was arrested by the Nazis for being caught sabotaging a weapons plant and was imprisoned. I think that that kind of bravery probably made him a perfect match for Joy's bravery.

The one thing that inspired me a lot about Joy was her faith. After remarking on the icon I had in my office, she told me that she also carried around an icon. We talked a little bit about her faith and her connection to God through her religion, and it was something about her that I did not know. I subsequently got to know her a bit better as time went on, and she had a very deep faith, which I found very admirable and I respected her for it.

I want to pass on my personal condolences to the people who loved her the most—her family. I have met Michelle a number of times because she was always at her mother's side whenever she was at any government meetings, but I have not met her other family or her son, Emil, I pass on to them my deepest condolences from my family: you had a wonderful mother. Everyone knew her as a politician, but you knew her as a mother and a grandmother, so you knew her best. I thought she was a very compassionate and loving lady.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (11:19): Her Worship, Mayor Joy Baluch, Member of the Order of Australia, was both a larger than life character with a reputation and media presence which spanned our nation, and simultaneously, a warm, caring and spiritual woman from regional South Australia. Joy was brave and fierce; and Joy was also tender and insightful—but not always at the same time.

We have already heard today from the Premier, the Leader of the Opposition and the minister about some of Joy's remarkable achievements. It is also appropriate to focus on her other and even more important roles:

as a passionate and devoted wife to Teo (or Steve, as he was known) at a time when marrying a migrant was unfortunately still frowned upon by many;

as a mother to Emil and Michelle;

as a sister to Marlene and Neil;

as a sister-in-law, mother-in-law, grandmother, aunt, great aunt, and so on; and

as a close personal friend to many people in Port Augusta and beyond.

If you knew Joy well, then you know that her family and closest friends were even more important to her than her work—and that says a lot. Joy clearly came from strong stock which is evidenced by the annual five-kilometre open water swimming race at Port Augusta which is named after her father, George Copley.

Joy showed exceptional strength throughout her life, including her work on behalf of Port Augusta and regional South Australia, and more broadly in local government and other forums. As well as that, Joy ran her family business, the Pampas Motel, which she and her husband took up over 50 years ago and it is still running today thanks mainly to the efforts over the last several years of her sister Marlene, daughter Michelle, and granddaughter Carly.

In running her business, Joy knew that to recommend other motels when she could not fill a booking or meet a customer's need was the best way for her and her community to thrive. This is the same approach that she took to developing Port Augusta. Have no doubt, it was always Port Augusta, first and foremost, but Joy knew that for Port Augusta to reach its potential, all of the Upper Spencer Gulf and surrounding country and outback areas must also reach theirs.

Joy knew that Port Augusta was never going to succeed if it aimed to be the one shining light in the region. She knew that Port Augusta would do best if it were one of the successful centres in a region that shined.

Whilst best known as the Mayor of Port Augusta, Joy actively worked for the success of the Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group, the Provincial Cities Association, the Local Government Association, the Outback Areas Community Development Trust, and many other community and regional development organisations.

Joy put significant effort into every public engagement she participated in. Hours of research and writing went into the speeches that she gave—forthrightly, articulately, and effectively. It did not matter if it were to a dozen people at a small community gathering or to over 1,000 people in Gladstone Square on Australia Day or Anzac Day, Joy took her job seriously to deliver the messages she wanted people to receive and consider. More often than not, those messages included great love for her city and her nation, and the necessity for all people to take responsibility for themselves and give support to others who genuinely needed it.

Joy's strength was innate, but her manner was deliberate. After working for years in a male-dominated local government world and trying to do things the right way, her frustration grew to the point where she decided that, on behalf of her community, she had to do more to be listened to. So, she started cracking a few heads, kicking a few bums, and letting the odd four letter word slip out. Soon, they were not just slipping out—it became a deliberate part of the very effective toolbox she used to get noticed so she could get things done.

But Joy was always selective with her words. At times they would be direct and polite; at times they would be direct and coarse; and at times they would be somewhere in between like, 'That little darling should take a sex trip', which was one of her ways of saying, 'That little beep should beep off!'

Most importantly, Joy did get things done, and she was prepared to lead her council to make tough decisions—decisions which sometimes brought criticism upon herself, but were usually successful and popular in the end. Usually, but not always—and when Joy made a mistake, she copped it on the chin and moved on.

Not everyone in Port Augusta supported everything Joy said or did but everyone in Port Augusta appreciates that someone was doing everything she possibly could for the good of the community. It would be hard to find a town or city in Australia which would not have been glad to have had Joy Baluch as their mayor working for their community.

When I think of Joy I do not think first of her achievements or her hard-headedness or her swearing: I knew a warm, genuine, very intelligent, hard-working, originally quite shy, and deeply religious person. We usually agreed but there were days when we did not, but there was never a day when we could not discuss an issue. If you were open and direct with Joy, then that is exactly what you got back in return.

Even in her sickbed Joy was very open and direct about the goals she still wanted to achieve, one of which remains a solar thermal power station for our state at Port Augusta. Whether Joy died at 50 or lived to 100, she would not have achieved everything she aimed to achieve; she would never have stopped trying to achieve more, and she did not. Joy faced illness with the same determination and intelligence that she faced everything else, and she trusted in God.

Joy's legacy is enormous and it includes her leadership of the transformation of the city of Port Augusta into the regional centre that it is today and the groundwork which will lead to continued steps forward. It includes the bridge across the gulf which, at the request of the council and with the agreement of the government, is now named in her honour: the bridge that links the east and the west side of Port Augusta and also links Perth with Sydney and Adelaide with Darwin. Her legacy includes the feeling in Port Augusta that she is looking down on us and that at any moment she might give someone a warm touch on the shoulder or someone else a quick smack on the ear. Joy is and always will be in Port Augusta, at the centre of the universe.

Finally, I want to express my appreciation on behalf of the people of Stuart to Joy's family members and close friends. You supported her through her entire working life, as well as during her illness over the last several years. Thank you for supporting Joy and, in doing so, allowing her to do everything that she has done for us. She would not have achieved what she did without your help. Vale Joy Baluch.

The Hon. L.R. BREUER (Giles) (11:27): I rise with some humility today to talk about Joy Baluch. Certainly some very nice things have been said—and I presume more still will be said—which are much deserved. The fact that we have this motion before the parliament is indicative of the high esteem in which she is held in this state and across Australia, because we do not often do this for someone unless they are a former member of parliament.

However, I am from the bush and I want to say it how it is. No-one else would probably be game enough to say it: Joy was a pain in the arse. I know that is unparliamentary, but that is what she would have said, with a few expletives describing what sort of pain in the arse she was, and she was proud of it.

If you do not believe me, just ask any senior public servant, any MP, any minister, any premier, any prime minister. They panicked when they heard that she had spoken or wanted to see them, and that is why she was so effective and that is why she is being honoured here today. Everyone out there loved her for it. She stood up for her community and—the best thing, I think—she stood up for the outback. She got the message through every time.

This amazing woman made people in charge sit up and take notice. She was tough—because she had to be—in a world of men (as local government was and to some extent still is) and also in the world of politics and senior public servants. It was a world of men, men with blue ties, although nowadays I notice they wear yellow.

I had so many people make comments to me after her passing, and they were people from all over the country: they were people from Whyalla, people from the outback, people from Adelaide, people from interstate. Some of them contacted me about her because they mixed up Giles with Stuart and thought I was the local member; but that was alright, I let them think that.

I notice that the member for Stuart mentioned the centre of the universe, which she consistently called Port Augusta, but I always used to upset her by saying that Port Augusta was a suburb of Whyalla. She would get her nose up every time I said that.

I have known her for many years. I knew her in my youth, when she first became Mayor of Port Augusta, but I have known her personally from about 1991 when I spent many hours with her through the local government forums—being part of the Whyalla council, we went to many local government forums and meetings—and also then when I became an MP. We did not always get along—in fact, we had a distinct cooling in some years over refugees, etc.—but we always talked and we always managed to sort it out.

I always admired her guts, as a role model, certainly a role model for women in public service. I am not too sure about her earthy language, but she was a role model. She was certainly a role model for me when I first came into politics; to have the guts to stand up and say what you think, and stand up for your community.

She was also a woman of great style, and no-one else will probably mention this. I always thought she had an incredible dress sense. When Joy walked into a room people looked at her, because she always looked stunning, like a million dollars. When she walked into a room people always stopped talking; they watched, and they listened to what she had to say. I have only ever seen that with a few public figures; very few people have that effect. I wish I did, but I do not. I have only seen that occasionally, but Joy always managed to stop the conversation and people would look at her.

Even the last time I saw her, which was late last year, she walked into a meeting where there were some senior public servants, there were ministers, etc., and everyone was eating out of her hand. I saw her come across the room and I thought, 'Who is that?' She was very frail, but then I looked and I thought, 'Ah, it's Joy.' Again, she looked absolutely stunning; she was in red and looked wonderful. I know that she had then minister Simon Crean eating out of her hand; he rushed up and spent his time talking to her. It was amazing to see, and she did it every time.

I want to pay tribute to Joy; to her life; for her standing up for Port Augusta and, particularly, for the bush; for her attitude to, in her words 'The shiny-arsed bureaucrats in the city'—that always impressed me, and she always got the message through; for her struggles to achieve the best for her part of the state, which was my part of the state also. I do want to say a big thank you, and pay a tribute to her from the people of Whyalla and also the council of Whyalla. Even though Port Augusta is our worst enemy, we did work together; we were united against the world. Even though we had tos and fros between us, we are united against the rest of the world: Port Augusta, Port Pirie and Whyalla.

I want to thank Joy for the work she did for all of us out there. She will certainly be long remembered, and her family—I know that they are here today—can be very proud of her. And it is good when you can say, 'I was proud of my family member'; it is very good. She is a great inspiration for her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren, whoever comes along. Finally, as I said, Joy frightened people. I think that God, when he heard she was coming, probably quivered in his boots. I am sure he said to Saint Paul, 'Find out what she wants!' Vale to the wonderful Joy Baluch.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

Mr BROCK (Frome) (11:33): I would like the opportunity to briefly talk about my involvement with Joy Baluch, both prior to and after she became involved with local government. My first involvement with Joy was when I was an area manager for BP Australia, located at Port Augusta, during which time I covered 80 per cent of the state of South Australia. It was in 1974 when I had the opportunity of seeing Joy, who owned both the Motel Pampas and a cafe at the railway station.

I was with my late wife at a fundraiser at the Northern Gateway Inn, and my late wife Arlene got into discussion with Joy at that fundraiser. It was during that discussion that we understood that, even at that early stage, Joy was a very community-minded person, and very dedicated to what she was achieving, not only for her businesses, but also for her family. I would never have thought that she would have gone on to become a dedicated councillor in the City of Port Augusta, and then a very dedicated Mayor of the City of Port Augusta, and looking after other areas of regional South Australia.

After a few years in Port Augusta I returned to Port Pirie, and my next involvement was when I entered into the Local Government Association as a councillor for the Port Pirie Regional Council. I came across Joy again at various local government functions, and then my involvement, dedication and understanding of Joy become more evident.

It was very obvious, especially to a newly-elected councillor, that here was a woman who knew exactly what she wanted and was not afraid to speak her mind and push issues to the greatest point, no matter who Joy was speaking to. As the member for Giles as indicated, whether it was an MP, a Premier, a bureaucrat or the Prime Minister, Joy knew no different. She was very forthright and very passionate about not only Port Augusta but also the other regions around South Australia.

Joy was renowned for being opinionated, for not suffering fools, and for using strong language to make a point, but that is what the media and general public saw. As I came to know Joy more, the more I saw and understood that, beneath this public perception, there was a very warm-hearted and very religious person. Joy was also a loving grandmother who frequently shed a tear at the challenges of family life and the importance of the a family, and she made it quite clear that no matter who you are or what you do in life, family is the strongest bond of all.

During conversations with Joy, you began to see who this person was under the public image. It was during a conversation that she stated that early in life she had tried to please everybody, but gradually began to realise that, to get the attention of those in power, you needed to go a step further; this is what she did. Joy started to thump tables, speak her mind in a more forceful manner and use a few very colourful words, and she started to upset a few more people.

From there, the rest is history. No matter where Joy Baluch was or who she was talking to, people stopped, listened and took notice. As the member for Giles indicated, when she wanted into a room, people stopped; they knew who was coming, and they knew that this person was a force to be reckoned with. For all her toughness, Joy was also very vulnerable. She took great pride in her children and grandchildren. Joy was a very loving and religious person.

Joy was a champion not only for Port Augusta but also for the Upper Spencer Gulf region. She was involved with the Upper Spencer Gulf Common Purpose Group, as the member for Stuart has indicated, which was a group formed between the cities of Port—sorry; I need to say Port Augusta first, otherwise Joy will come down on me—Port Augusta, Port Pirie and Whyalla. This group also had the support of the state government of the day and has continued to have this support.

Prior to the formation of this great group, which I was part of while I was mayor of the Port Pirie Regional Council, each of the Upper Spencer Gulf cities would go individually to the state government, arguing their cases and getting nowhere. However, since the formation of this group, when approaching the state government and also the commonwealth government, they go as a united group. Joy made it quite clear that this way, when you argue a case about the benefits of these great cities of our state, you ensure that those in power, whether state or federal, are very aware of the importance of where the resources come from that supply great financial benefit to South Australia.

Joy was also involved in the Local Government Association of South Australia for many years, and was elected president, which required more and more of her time to fight not only for the Upper Spencer Gulf and Port Augusta, but for the whole of South Australia.

Joy was also chair of the Provincial Cities Association, which again was a total partnership of all regional cities across regional and rural South Australia. This association was also very united and had their voices heard as a united group, not as individuals. We all know that if you act and speak as a united group, then the government of the day, whether state or federal, will stop and listen intently to the concerns of the region. Sometimes, some of those concerns are put at the back of any agenda by those in power, which is in the metropolitan area here.

In the latter years, my partner Lyn also got to know Joy more, and to understand who this woman actually was—a person, as I have mentioned before, who was very family-orientated, very religious, and very passionate about all people, no matter who you were or where you came from.

Lyn made the comment, as the member for Giles has indicated, that she was a very classy dresser. No matter where Joy went, who she was talking to or how she felt, she was always dressed immaculately. My Lyn is a very good dresser and she was very impressed with Joy, and the discussion, quite a few times, was about dresses, and goodness knows what else, and we kept saying, 'Let's bring it back onto important issues,' and both Joy and Lyn made it quite clear they were very important issues.

During the time that Lyn and I knew Joy in latter years, Joy never dwelt on her illness. She never made an issue of her illness. It was something she knew she had but there was never a challenge. Joy was a legend in her own right and will be remembered for all the right reasons. There are numerous people I come across, in local government in particular, who say they want to be another Joy Baluch. I say to these people that there will never be another Joy Baluch—never in our lifetime.

To Joy's family (Emil, Michelle and the grandchildren) I say thank you very much—from me personally, the city of Port Pirie and my electorate—for allowing us to enjoy the opportunity of not only knowing Joy but also to learn from her dedication. Allowing us this great privilege would also have meant that Joy's family would have had less time with her, especially in the last few years, and that is a great difficulty that I understand the family may have suffered. Again, as the member for Stuart and other members have indicated, I thank you for the great privilege of allowing our lives to be more rewarding and knowledgeable for knowing this great person, and this mother and grandmother. Again, I thank you sincerely.

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna) (11:41): I would like to join the debate and support the motion moved by the Premier and seconded by the Leader of the Opposition and express to the family of Joy my personal regard for her and pass on my condolences to them at this time of their loss. I first met Joy in the mid 1980s when, as an adviser to the then minister for education and aboriginal affairs, I had cause to call upon her in the mayoral chambers in Port Augusta.

I cannot remember what the issue was but I can remember the occasion being a fairly grand one in her chamber. We were well received and well looked after. I have to say that, in all the dealings I have had with Joy over many years, the personal behaviour and the personal circumstances in which we met were always very pleasant. I do not think I had any significant arguments or disagreements with Joy over the years, other than one, which I will talk about in a minute.

I want to briefly talk about Joy's role as a politician because, over the years, she tried a number of times to be elected to parliaments at both a state and federal level. I think at one time she stood as a Labor candidate and another time as a Liberal candidate and the third time as an Independent. I suppose all that indicates is that she really was an Independent: she was not on one side or the other. She was not successful in any of those attempts.

Her real success and real strength was in that very strong parochial advocacy for her community, as the member for Giles and others have said. Her absolute passion for the community of Port Augusta is where her real strength was as a politician. It is a style of politics that, the further away you get from the community, you seem to lose. Joy's great strength was in that community and in the power that her representation gave her and gave that community, and I commend her for the way she fulfilled that role.

The only time we had a serious disagreement was following the 2006 election. At that election, the Labor Party had promised to have funding available for Port Augusta to run a regional centre of culture. The idea was that we would put significant funds into that community—some money for infrastructure and some money to run a cultural program over the course of the year. Joy, I think it is fair to say, considered this with deep suspicion and was completely offside with this proposition that we should run an arts program in her community over the course of the year.

The money that we wanted to spend to fix up some infrastructure in the town—the old courts building, the stables and to refurbish and establish a theatre—she thought was a low priority. She wanted us to spend money on another project which she fancied which involved a more commercial operation. Nonetheless, we stuck to our guns and proceeded with the regional centre of culture, which was an outstanding success, and I am sure the current member for Stuart would have participated in some way during that year.

Thousands of people visited Port Augusta who had not been there before. I know, having spoken to many of them, that they were surprised at what a beautiful community Port Augusta was, how physically beautiful it was and how fantastic the people of that community were. Over the course of the year, more and more events occurred, and more and more people became enthusiastic about it.

It was clear by the end of the year that Joy was one of its greatest supporters. She was a strong advocate for what we were doing there, and she believed that it was a very beneficial project we had embarked on because it was really about trying to give value to Port Augusta, to help it project itself onto the bigger stage of South Australia and nationally. I think it helped do that.

It had two legacies: we now have some fantastic infrastructure in that community which can be enjoyed by the broader community, around the stables, the court room and the theatre, which is used for wedding receptions, parties and engagements, as well as arts events, and the second legacy is that every year the Adelaide Fringe puts on a Desert Fringe in that community, and that has continued over that time. That would not have happened without that Regional Centre of Culture project, and I think Joy recognised, by the end of that year, that it was indeed a very good project. I am pleased that we were able to reach agreement about the benefits of that program.

I will not speak any longer, other than to say that I do mourn Joy's passing, and I pass on my sincere condolences to her family.

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (11:46): As a very young 20-year-old teacher, in 1972 I was sent to Port Augusta and, with some of my teaching colleagues, we rented a house on Stirling Road just down from the Pampas Motel. Even then, we were quickly made aware that you did not upset the people who owned the Pampas Motel, so our parties were perhaps a bit more subdued than they might have been otherwise. Even then, Joy was on the council. I stabled my horses with Reg Smith, a former mayor of Port Augusta, and the role of local politics came up even then. Joy's name was mentioned—I have vague memories of it—and I know that even way back then she was a very powerful advocate for her city and for the people of Port Augusta.

Since that time, coming into this place, particularly as a member of the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee, I have had a number of dealings with Joy. We met with the Mayor of Port Augusta in her chambers, and I remember at one meeting her mobile phone rang, and she picked it up and said, 'Pampas Motel.' I think she took a booking and then we went on with the meeting, and we accepted that as being part of Joy.

Can I just reiterate the words that have been said in this place: Joy Baluch was a very powerful lady in her advocacy for Port Augusta—and never call it part of the Iron Triangle; as I found out very quickly a few years ago, it is the Upper Spencer Gulf. Joy was always making sure that we were well aware of the exact position of Port Augusta in the role of the world—and it was the centre of the universe, according to her. We understand that a person like Joy Baluch is a very rare diamond, and I would just like to pass on my sympathies to her family on behalf of my family.

Mr PEGLER (Mount Gambier) (11:48): As the Mayor of the Grant District Council, I worked with Mayor Joy Baluch AM for some 13 years, and we also served some time on the state executive of the Local Government Association. I always found Joy to be extremely succinct and straightforward in her deliberations. Fortunately, Joy and I usually agreed on most things. It certainly was not much fun if you were in disagreement with her. She was a great champion not only for Port Augusta but for regional South Australia and local government in general, and she certainly left this state a much better place for all of us.

I also spent some time with Joy socially, and she was a great person to be with. She always spoke with a lot of pride about her family and her community, and she certainly put her family at number one. My prayers, thoughts and condolences go out to Joy's family and friends. She was a great lady who was respected by all.

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (11:49): I would also like to support the motion. I have very fond memories of Joy Baluch—very fond memories—from my time in local government. Joy was a person who did not suffer fools. It is probably fair to say that she thought most members of parliament—whether prime ministers, premiers, ministers or whoever—left a fair bit to be desired on fairly regular occasions. She feared no-one and she took you on if she thought her point needed to be made strongly.

She was a woman of particularly deep faith. Personally, I will miss her Christmas card every year. From the time I was in local government with her, she always sent me a Christmas card and continued to do so, and I have never forgotten that; it is something that stays with you. You sometimes get Christmas cards from people you have never even heard of, but with Joy it was always deep and meaningful.

Along with the members for Mount Gambier and Frome, I was a mayor with Joy. I spent time with her on the local government executive, and she was forthright and unassailable in local government state executive meetings. The only thing that really disappointed me for Joy was the fact that she got dudded from being the president of the Local Government Association. I think that was disgraceful. I still think it was disgraceful.

She should have been the LGA state president. She would have been terrific. She was passionate about regional and country South Australia. She was very clear where she went, what she had in the back of her mind, and there was no deviation at all. She knew what she wanted and she achieved it. To my mind, it was a great failing of the local government system that she never got up as the president on that occasion, and there are those around the place who remember these things.

I was also chairman of the CFS board for a number of years, from the mid-1990s onwards, and I recall that we paid a regional visit and had dinner and met with local identities. Of course, Joy was to the fore at Port Augusta at the Standpipe motel. During the evening, I was sitting by Joy, and the CEO at the time, Stuart Ellis, was on the other side. Joy got up to talk about Port Augusta and how passionate she was about it. She talked about her late husband, and she was very teary, as she was regularly on that matter, something that was unavoidable.

Joy was very polite all night—she was always polite—and she was dressed to the nines and had everything on, as she always did, as was mentioned before. When she went to go at the end of the night, I said, 'I will walk out to the car park with you, Joy,' and I walked out to the car park. I actually cannot repeat the language, but she turned around to me—because at that time there was a fair bit of politics with the CFS, the government and whatnot—and let me know in no uncertain terms how to deal with the minister of the day (who is now in another place) and a few others around the place she did not have much time for. She had scant regard for them, and her language was extremely colourful, whereupon I took a step backwards, wished her goodbye and went inside.

Joy was a great South Australian. As I said, she feared no-one. To her family, I pass on my condolences. The world, and South Australia in particular, has been a much better place because of Joy. I concur with the thought that there will not be another Joy. I have to say that Joy was a great partner in devious means with the Hon. Graham Gunn. What they did not do together was not worth thinking about: they plotted and schemed to get things to happen for Port Augusta, or for Joy or for Gunny—it did not matter, but they were part and parcel of that operation. They feared no-one and, whatever had to be done, Joy and Graham Gunn achieved it, and it is a great credit to them. I know that there are people in this place who know some of the stories, and I think some of those are probably better left unsaid as well. With great pleasure, I support the motion. Vale, Joy.

Mr VENNING (Schubert) (11:54): I knew Nancy Joyce Baluch for over 40 years, three years after she was elected as a Port Augusta councillor in 1970. I got to know her better when she briefly lost the mayoralty, and we encouraged her to recontest, which she did at the next election. It was a great and most interesting experience to be part of the 'Re-elect Joy for mayor' campaign team. She won well and she was never challenged again.

Port Augusta loved Joy Baluch. She was a woman who portrayed a rough and tough exterior, and that is how she got her message across, as has been seen here today, but inside she was a very kind, thoughtful and caring person, with strong religious beliefs. Mayor Baluch never let an opportunity go by to promote her beloved city of Port Augusta. She was also a strong advocate for regional South Australia. She often appeared on national television. One notable occasion was a program called The Tall Poppies. That was something that Joy joked about because it was quite opposite to her many beliefs. I would like to see that program played again. No doubt the family would have a copy of that.

Yes; I agree, Joy was always beautifully presented, with a wonderful dress sense. I will never forget the Wilmington show. I was there as a guest that day and Joy was opening the show. We were looking at the exhibits and she was typical Joy, but when she put the mayoral robes on and the chain around her neck there was a total transformation. She was an absolutely gracious lady, who walked out and carried off the role to perfection.

I have so many memories of this remarkable lady. One was a very rare train trip from Whyalla to Adelaide on the inaugural Iron Triangle Limited, a term I know Joy hated but that is what it was called, the Iron Triangle Limited. It was a refurbished Budd car. The service did not go for very long. As a very young and conscientious councillor, I got on that railcar at Crystal Brook only to be confronted by Her Worship the Mayor of Port Augusta. I cannot repeat what was said, but you can imagine. We had a great day. When I got home I noticed that somebody had opened my attaché case and had strewn things about. I noticed that my cheque book was open and left on top. I was aghast, but only for a few seconds until I saw that a cheque was drawn up for the 'Re-elect Bob Hawke campaign'. That was Joy Baluch. That is an absolutely true story, so help me God.

She often had a go at us 'shiny tails', particularly after I was elected. I got a lot of advice from her. We were always welcome at the Pampas to talk about issues like this. I believe she was always a Labor person but then she decided to come over and stood for the Liberal Party, and that was raised by the member for Kaurna. If you hear some of those radio interviews that were put to air, it was quite amazing. In the finish she was an Independent.

There is also the story of Graham Gunn and their remarkable partnership. Both of them were very single-minded about how things were done, but it was a very effective advocacy. I am sure that if Mr Gunn was in this house today he would have a fair bit to say about the relationship he had with this remarkable woman.

Teo and Joy were very close and his death really affected her. I am sure that much of her determination was for him. Of course, she has been recognised elsewhere, with her Order of Australia in 2007. Also, I think the member for Finniss got it wrong, she did achieve the highest office in local government, she was the president and she carried out that role with great aplomb. As has been said, she never forgot where she came from. She never forgot the bush and the people of the outback, and she was always greeted with open arms.

Joy was 80 when she slipped away. She fought it all the way. She died in the saddle, on the job, with her hands on the controls. Port Augusta had the very best advocate in Joy Baluch. Yes, Port Augusta really is the centre of the universe—we heard it that often we now believe it to be true. To her beloved children who are here with us today, Michelle and Emil, and to her grandchildren, Allan and Carlee, and to her many friends and family friends, we extend our sincere condolences and thank you for being there for Joy. To be present at her huge funeral in May was truly a memorable occasion and you, her family, indeed all of Port Augusta, would have been so proud. Yes, she certainly is with God and with Teo. Mayor Joy Baluch AM, thank you so much, to know you was indeed an honour.

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (11:59): All communities face challenges and they also have tremendous opportunities, but they rely upon outstanding individuals to stand up and work with those issues and to bring a community along with them. In Mayor Joy Baluch, the people of Port Augusta and the Upper Spencer Gulf truly found that champion who was prepared to do anything that it took to drive a community to a better place.

As a person who worked in local government for 26 years prior to coming in here and who was a CEO for 13 years, I have seen the amount of effort that a mayor is required to put into place to ensure that their community is driven in a way that they would like to see it happen. It takes an enormous amount of energy. You are expected to know information and have an answer for any proposition put to you. You are expected to know who to contact to fix a problem. You are expected to be the fixer. Simply put, they can take anything to you and you can take care of it. For many people it drags them down; they do not have the energy, the vitality and the personality for it, but Mayor Joy Baluch did in every possible way.

In my local government time, I was lucky enough to be at forums in which she would hold court, and that is the term that I use because she definitely took charge of the room. All present would listen to every word she said. She would direct the conversation. She would be polite with people, but she would be very forceful in what needed to be relayed so that those who were there truly understood the needs of her community in the Upper Spencer Gulf, regional South Australia, and all of South Australia.

To me, she was two people: there was the outwardly strong personality who would do everything that had to occur; but then, as the member for Finniss referred to, I am also one of the beneficiaries of a Christmas card from her, which I think was probably handmade, definitely handwritten, and expressed a belief in others to do the right job and, exceptionally, her strong belief in her God which drove her. That was not obvious to me on many of the other occasions I met Mayor Joy Baluch, but the Christmas cards exemplified it to me. I have certainly kept the cards that I received from her too, because they have left a longstanding impression on me.

I lived about an hour and a quarter away from Port Augusta for five years in the mid-1990s and I would be in Port Augusta on some occasions on Sundays, and I have a vivid recollection of Mayor Joy Baluch being in Woolworths wearing her leather pants. I saw her from an extreme distance and I thought 'Wow, that is an exceptionally beautiful lady.' She was in her late 60s at that stage. Obviously, as other members have referred to, she would have put a lot of effort into a community function earlier that day and spoken well no doubt, but, no matter where I saw her, she was exceptionally turned out. She took absolute pride in her appearance and she took pride in what she did for her community.

Along with many others, I was quite privileged to be at the Local Government Association function in commemoration of Mayor Joy on 13 June. Having worked in the area for some time, it was obvious to me that there were people there from across the decades of local government—not just the most recent generation who might have worked with her, but in some cases from over 30 years ago—who had heard about her sad passing in May, were unable to be in Port Augusta for the funeral service but wanted to come together—and I think the term used by the LGA, was 'south of Gepps Cross'. For a person who has lived in regional areas for a long time and who understands the significance of Gepps Cross and the frustration of bureaucracy respecting 'beyond Gepps Cross', I think that was an apt title to use.

Both the Hon. John Rau and the member for Bragg spoke. I was very impressed with her speech because it relayed a conversation between two mothers; that is, Vickie Chapman as a mother and Mayor Joy as a mother had talked about their children, and that was a special connection between the two of them. I think President David O'Loughlin of the LGA did Mayor Joy very proud that day. I know mayors and elected members from across the last 30 years were there. It was important that the Local Government Association did that because it paid respect to one of its own who had done exceptional service for such a long period of time and somebody of whom they were very proud.

I say to the extended family of Mayor Joy Baluch that you should be proud. I do not where she found the energy to be a mayor for that length of time, where she found the energy to be a mother of a family for that length of time, where she found the energy to be a business operator for 50 years, and to do everything exceptionally well. She is an absolute icon to me and someone who others who aspire to great roles should look to in determining what it takes to be a good person and to achieve good things for the people they serve, because Mayor Joy Baluch did it exceptionally well.

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop) (12:05): It is with both pleasure and sadness that I join this debate in honour of Mayor Joy Baluch. Coming from the opposite corner of the state, down in the deep South-East, it was when I first went into local government in the early 1980s that I recall our then district clerk came back from a Local Government Association meeting and told us of this remarkable person who was the Mayor of Port Augusta. He did comment on her language as well. It was several years later, and through the Local Government Association, that I first met Joy.

I will not go over everything that has been said, other than to say that there is nothing that has been said here this morning about Joy with which I do not thoroughly agree. She was a remarkable women; she was indeed a remarkable person; and a remarkable South Australian. She showed incredible dedication and tenacity. The longevity of her campaign for her community was something that just stands out. She has given, I think, everybody who has known her or even heard of her (and I am sure there are very few South Australians who have not at least heard of Joy Baluch and her work) a great insight into what it is to be a community leader, and she was a community leader extraordinaire.

One of the great privileges I had—and I mainly knew Joy through meetings and her advocacy for her community and her region of the state—was to sit next to her at a local government dinner some years ago, along with my wife Leonie, and it was a fantastic evening and a great privilege to have sat with her and chatted about things that were not necessarily something she was advocating for and, as other members have said, her warmth of character came through in that circumstance.

It was and has been a great privilege of mine to have known Joy. The last lengthy conversation I had with her was one where we did not agree: it was about the solar thermal proposal for Port Augusta, and I was explaining to her that it was a very costly proposal and we did not actually see eye to eye, but as others have said that did not get in the way of the relationship we had. It was a great privilege to have known Joy, to have worked with her and to have spent time with her. I, too, was a recipient of her annual Christmas card, something that I held very dearly; the fact that Joy would think to send me a Christmas card, and I felt great privilege in being on her Christmas card list.

It was with great sadness that I learnt originally of her illness, and I thought at that stage that Joy would slow down. Nothing could have been further from the truth, because her tenacity, her physical strength and strength of character showed through even more so under those circumstances. I concur with what a number of people have said here today: her family should be very proud of her, she was a remarkable person. She will remain in our memory for a long time. Please accept my condolences and the condolences of the people of my electorate of MacKillop.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (12:08): I, too, rise to add my condolences on the sad passing of Mayor Joy Baluch. It was exactly 12 years ago that I first met Joy, and it came about because at the time my wife, Sally, was mixed up as a representative for the Murray Mallee, with former premier Rob Kerin's regional development meetings and forums around the state. Our eldest son, Mackenzie, was only a few months old and Sally indicated that she was going up to Port Augusta for a meeting. She said, 'Oh, well you can stay home and you'll be right with Mack.' I said, 'No, no, no; I'm going to Port Augusta because I've heard so much about their mayor that I want to meet Joy Baluch.'

It is a true story. I said that I wanted to meet this lady who I have heard so much of—and this was several years before I got elected—a woman who, as we have heard, already had the attention of everyone, from prime ministers down, in this country. I will never forget the meeting. I told Joy of my ambition. All I wanted to do was to say g'day and she was very gracious that that was the reason I wanted to be up there, to make sure I met her. I was very proud that I met her that day.

Over the years, and since being elected, I have met up with Joy and other people in the party and on other occasions, having various meetings in Port Augusta, and she has always been the strongest advocate I have ever seen for their community. Joy will never be replaced; that has been said here today. It will not just be in our lifetime, it will be in anyone's lifetime. No-one drew the attention in a room, or does draw the attention in a room, like Mayor Joy Baluch. She would hate the word, but she is Port Augusta royalty.

She certainly did her utmost for the community. She put her views in a strident manner. She made people at times quake in their boots wondering what Joy would come out with next, but you were never left in any doubt when she was calling a spade a shovel as to what was going through Joy's mind. She was an absolute gem for her community. It is very sad that she left this world. No lifetime for Joy would have been long enough. I send my condolences to the family, and it will certainly be a loss not just for Port Augusta but for South Australia.

The SPEAKER (12:12): Joy Baluch prevailed with me to build the new Port Augusta courts at Flinders Parade instead of the old site in the town square and, together, we reintroduced resident magistrates. The first resident magistrate, when the system was reintroduced, was at Port Augusta. The house will indicate its assent in the customary way.

Motion carried by members standing in their places in silence:


[Sitting suspended from 12:12 to 12:23]


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