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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-06-03 Daily Xml
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Condolence

Kirner, Hon. J.E.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (12:02): I move:

That this house expresses its deep regret at the death of the Hon. Joan Elizabeth Kirner AC, former Victorian Premier, and places on record its appreciation of her long and meritorious service, and that as a mark of respect to her memory the sitting of the house be suspended until the ringing of the bells.

It is not usual practice, in this place at least, for us to acknowledge the passing of members of other parliaments, except perhaps occasionally prime ministers of the nation, but today we do believe that it is appropriate to make special mention of the passing of such a significant Australian, as well as, of course, being a Victorian and a Premier of that state.

Joan Kirner, as many people in this house would know, came to her pathway to politics in a different fashion from that of many members of the Labor Party in Victoria: rather than coming from a trade union background, she came to her function in relation to the Labor Party as a community activist—first as a mother of young children, I think, turning up to a kindergarten in the early seventies and recognising that there was a hopeless lack of resources for the many dozens of children who were meant to be cared for at this kindergarten.

She immediately complained to the authorities and engaged in a public campaign against the paucity of resources that were provided to support that kindergarten. She soon became recognised as a community activist and leader and, I think, rose to the position of the head of a parent association within Victoria, where she provided a very substantial leadership to the cause of providing more resources to the education of children within the state of Victoria. That process demonstrated that, in representing the interests of parents, she had leadership skills.

She played a central role in an organisation that became known as the Australian Schools Commission, a body central to the Whitlam government's bold reform agenda in education in the early to mid-1970s. In 1980, she became a Member of the Order of Australia for her contribution to community services. Soon after that, she was elected to parliament in 1982. Her ability and her work ethic marked her out for promotion after holding the conservation portfolio, and she took over education where she, of course, made a very substantial name for herself as minister for education.

Although maligned by some people, she always carried herself with calmness and dignity: qualities that were necessary when she became Victoria's first and still only female Premier in the difficult circumstances that confronted the Labor Party in 1990. However, in her personal style, she continued to prefer the consultative to the combative approach to politics. She remained guided by her basic belief in fairness and opportunity for all.

In 2015, Joan Kirner's legacy can be found in many and varied fields of public policy and politics but, for politically active women everywhere, her efforts after leaving office to boost the number of ALP women elected to party and parliamentary positions is considered the most heroic and widely and profoundly appreciated. She was a founder and huge contributor to EMILY's List, the group that continues to promote the election of progressive women. I understand that another female pioneer of Australian politics with a love of education, Julia Gillard, has described her as 'the truest of friends' and one of the 'dominant influences' in her life.

On behalf of the state government and the Australian Labor Party, I wish to formally place on record the appreciation of the South Australian Labor Party and our government for her role in not only being a political pioneer and capable Premier of Victoria but for being a compassionate and thoughtful human being. For me, she will be synonymous with the word 'dignity': the dignity with which she conducted her career, the dignity that she sought to protect and uphold for people everywhere and the dignity with which she coped with the illness which eventually took her life too early, especially for those family and close friends who deeply mourn her passing.

I pass on my condolences to her family and her friends, in particular Dave Kirner, who is a longstanding friend and resident of South Australia. He is a representative of the trade union movement in South Australia and carries on many of his mother's qualities in fighting for those who are dispossessed and campaigning on behalf of his community for a better South Australia. I know he will miss his mother deeply, and I pass on my deepest respects to him and the rest of his family.

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (12:09): I rise to second the motion moved by the Premier. On behalf of the South Australian Liberal Party, I offer our condolences on the passing of the Hon. Joan Elizabeth Kirner AC, the first female Premier of Victoria and only the second in this nation's political history.

Having graduated in 1958 from the University of Melbourne, Joan Kirner immediately began teaching at the Ballarat Girls' Technical College. Her marriage two years later to husband, Ron, meant that she was ineligible to qualify for a permanent teaching contract. It has already been said that this act of discrimination against women in the workforce had set in motion a personal determination to deliver more equality for women and improve standards in education.

In 1982, Joan Kirner was elected the member for Melbourne West, and she made a very significant impact early in her political career. She was promptly promoted to minister for conservation, forests and lands and worked with the Liberals in a bipartisan way on conservation measures to establish national parks and to ban mining within them. During this time, she also established Landcare in Victoria. This project was not just a policy innovation for Victoria but, indeed, was emulated right across the nation.

As Premier, she had a tougher time. At the time of her promotion, Victoria had been described as 'on the verge of becoming ungovernable'. High unemployment, rising debt, job losses in the motor industry and trade unions within her own party going on strike must have appeared to be insurmountable hurdles. In the face of so many obstacles, Joan Kirner was able to forge her own path committed to education, social justice and equality for women.

Reflecting on her time as Premier, she provided insight into her own unique leadership style stating, 'I'm not tolerant of injustice…if you want to progress, you need to take different people with you and listen to different points of view.' Her passion for social justice issues has remained her legacy and is perpetuated through the Joan Kirner Social Justice Award, announced annually.

After two years as Premier, Joan Kirner had established the Victorian Certificate of Education, another reform that was later rolled out nationally. Joan Kirner's experience working in the education sector and her passion for community politics really fashioned her approach to policy and leadership. She was driven by her ability to help people make the connections they needed to make 'to move from power to empower', as she often said, to be a pioneer by encouraging more women into politics with a social agenda.

I read with interest comments made in recent days by the former premier of Victoria, Jeff Kennett, who stated:

A very sad moment in time. The passing of Joan Kirner. She was always consistent and committed to Ron and family, education and the advancement of women. She was a genuine person who was a wonderful example of the best in public service.

I would also like to pass on my sincere condolences to Joan's family: her husband, Ron, and her three children, Michael, David and Kate, and her grandchildren.

Like the Premier, I know Dave Kirner quite well; in fact, he was the CFMEU organiser at Marshall Furniture years ago. I must say that he was an outstanding advocate for people who worked there, and we actually crafted one of Australia's first enterprise bargaining agreements on that site which was one of the great Brereton reforms of that Labor government. Unfortunately, of course, the great advancement made by Brereton and Keating in that Hawke administration was wound back by a subsequent Labor administration. Nevertheless, I will always remember those wonderful negotiations—passionate negotiations—with Dave Kirner all those years ago, and I certainly extend my very sincere condolences to him.

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (12:14): Joan Kirner—what a woman! Being one of the early members of EMILY's List, I was honoured to have Joan Kirner as my mentor for the 1997 election. She gave me a lot of advice and support, and I am very proud to call her a friend. South Australia was EMILY's List first election ground, and we had a record number of women candidates and also a record number of women who entered this place as members of parliament and I know they will be speaking shortly about their knowledge and support from Joan Kirner.

I find it very sad to talk to this condolence motion, and I am also concerned that a number of Joan's friends are not in this house anymore and will not have an opportunity to speak, but I would like to record Anne Levy, Carolyn Pickles, Lea Stevens, Robyn Geraghty, Gay Thompson, Lyn Breuer and Mike Rann, just to name a few who would have been able to contribute to this condolence debate had they been here.

On a completely different area from education, I know that my husband, Kevin, was always talking to Joan and reminded me this morning about Joan's track record as a minister for conservation and environment. Many people, particularly in Victoria, will be very aware of the initiatives which Joan was part of and which continue today.

Yesterday an Ashford constituent sent me a video clip of the 2009 Community and Neighbourhood Houses Association Conference in South Australia, where Joan was the keynote speaker. I went to that conference and, as always, Joan was her usual inspirational self, but she shocked the crowd with her new found information about the feminist views of Lady Gaga and the women's band The Pussycat Dolls. People were very surprised that Joan had this information. Apparently she had sat next to Lady Gaga on the plane to Adelaide, and she and Lady Gaga compared notes on being feminists in a man's world. If people have the opportunity, I am hoping to have this video clip on my Facebook page at some stage, so please have a look; it is absolutely priceless.

Last night I was looking at my bookshelf in my study, feeling very miserable, I might say, and was reminded, upon looking at the publication of Party Girls, edited by Rebecca Huntley, of some of the humour of Joan Kirner. I would refer members to that book and also to the Women's Power Pocket Book, which was written by Joan Kirner and her good friend Moira Rayner. This little book in many ways states the obvious, but I know that a lot of us are reminded from time to time, as women in politics, of some of the things we need to do.

There are titles in the little book like 'Everything is political', 'Integrity', 'Give well, as you demand respect', 'Do it without becoming a bloke', 'Your well-being' and 'Never wear floral on telly'. There is a lot of other good advice in there. I am sure the member for Wright will be able to talk about the polka dot sensation. I noticed in the obituary by Carmel Egan today in The Australian that she says in the opening:

When Joan Kirner was appointed the first female premier of Victoria in 1990, she phoned her husband Ron to confirm he would stick by her through what they both knew would be tough and testing times.

Ron apparently responded (and Joan has said this to us), 'Why not, it will only be for two years.' Ron was always there supporting her, but he was also a realist about what Joan could do and would do. I know that, having had a lot of opportunities to talk to Joan about tactics and what we need to do and how to keep true to yourself, she will be greatly missed.

One of the things that Joan was very keen on us continuing—and we have done this in this place—was women politicians having a women's caucus. When I got into parliament in 1997, this was something that Diana Laidlaw, Carolyn Pickles, Sandra Kanck and Anne Levy had started. Joan, in coming over to South Australia, said to me, 'Well, it is really important that you keep that caucus because there are issues that you as women politicians will hold together and it is important to talk about that and make sure that you clarify those issues.'

We have continued to do that and I have been really impressed with the fact that most of the women in this place have understood the reason for us to get together from time to time and have a discussion about issues that concern us all. Last time I spoke to Joan she actually asked me if we were still having those meetings and I said, 'Well, we have a lunch planned fairly shortly that Vickie Chapman and I, in particular, have organised.' That is just one of the things that still is important to continue.

Kevin and I would like to extend our condolences to her family, particularly her husband, Ron, and children Michael, David and Kate—as the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition said, David is probably the one who I know best as well, not only through the trade union movement but also in the community sector—and, of course, their collective grandchildren. Vale Joan Kirner.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright) (12:21): I have no doubt that many tears have been shed around our nation over the past couple of days at the news of Joan Kirner's passing. There are so many tributes being paid to this wonderful woman who many of us in this chamber and many who have left considered their friend.

Joan Kirner was a powerful and strong woman and she was a woman of great courage. Joan's power was in her generosity. Her strength was in her commitment and her courage was steeped in her beliefs. One of the great things about a life in politics is that it provides you with the opportunity to meet so many amazing and inspirational people you would not otherwise have the opportunity to meet. On every occasion when I have been asked who they might be, who has had an impact, who has influenced me, who do I admire and look up to, Joan Kirner has always been one of the first two names I immediately nominate.

The very first time I met Joan I loved her. I was accompanying my former husband to a police bowls tournament in Melbourne. I had been quietly chastised by another police wife about the standard of dress required whilst away. Apparently it was not appropriate in the middle of a Melbourne winter to have warm track clothes to watch the tournaments or to go on the scheduled outings. Skirts were apparently the only acceptable attire. At 7am on the morning of the opening we were bussed 20 minutes to the bowls venue to stand in the freezing cold until 9am for the official opening. Joan Kirner opened the tournament. She was representing the police minister or acting police minister at the time, I am not quite sure, but there she was in all her glory in a wonderfully warm pink tracksuit, kitted out for a trek in one of their national parks, and I loved her instantly.

Joan, of course, was completely unaware of all of this and I told this story in front of her when she launched my election campaign in 1997. Fittingly, on that occasion also, Joan was in a tracksuit. This time it was a case of being on the return journey from her annual outback adventure with her wonderful Ron. Off they would go each year on some exciting excursion. Her deal with Ron, she said. Little was I to know at the time of the bowls tournament how influential, how important and how great a friend Joan would become, and that is how I believe she will be remembered by many people.

Under Joan's guidance a handful of senior Labor women from around Australia, including our Carolyn Pickles and Anne Levy, Cheryl Davenport from Western Australia, Molly Robson from Queensland, Kay Setches from Victoria established EMILY's List. Joan knew the struggles, the challenges and the obstacles confronting women in their full participation in the political processes and was determined to bring about change. A group of us were interviewed and six of our women candidates were endorsed by EMILY's List. We were the first, the class of '97—all six elected. That was 18 years ago and the beginning of enormous success around Australia of EMILY's List supporting progressive Labor women.

I have no words that adequately describe what it felt like to have Joan Kirner launch my campaign, on election night to have Joan Kirner ringing me to check on how we were tracking, and she did not just do that for me, of course. She did the same for the other five candidates in South Australia and then replicated this support around the nation at every election. Under her guidance they organised financial support, they organised mentors, they helped, guided and encouraged our women to be proud and confident.

Many people, when they leave the political arena, fade into the background. They can retreat from public life. Some suffer relevance deprivation and some just become insufferable. Not Joan Kirner. She decided she would work, support and encourage women to be the very best they could be. She would work and challenge the Labor Party in the most constructive of ways. I will be forever grateful for her support and care.

One of the important measures of a successful life, I think, is the impact you have on people, how you make them feel as individuals. Joan was always genuinely interested in whomever she was speaking with and made them feel at that moment they were the most important person in the room. I have no doubt that tributes will continue to flow and personal stories told. She was monumentally influential, her legacy is one to be proud of, her loss is enormous. My heartfelt condolences to her beloved Ron, and children Dave, Michael and Kate and their families.

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (12:27): Much has deservedly been said about Joan Kirner this week, and I wholeheartedly concur with all the positive comments. I would like to put on record some of my recollections of a truly remarkable woman who mentored so many and will always be remembered for her many fine qualities, abilities and achievements. What an example and role model for any activist, and particularly for a kindy mum just like me!

Joan was a driving force in the affirmative action movement in the ALP, and I can vividly remember celebrating that momentous moment with other women delegates on the floor of the conference at Hobart's Wrest Point Casino in 1994 when a 35 per cent quota was introduced. It actually meant that women had the opportunity to contest seats where they might have had a chance of winning. It was Joan's foresight and commitment to promoting women that prompted her efforts to help establish EMILY's List here in Australia and it has gone on to encourage, support and mentor women to run for parliament ever since with outstanding results.

In my own case, after winning a surprisingly hotly contested preselection for an unwinnable seat, I found myself granted the opportunity to address an EMILY's List committee and convince them I should receive financial support for the 1997 campaign to win the seat of Florey. That day, without Joan's support, I would not have had any success at all. While the amount was not significant or even the point, as the member for Wright said, it was the moral and tacit approval given to any candidate by the recognition of someone of Joan's calibre that was the most uplifting factor. As history will show, in my particular case, I was the first candidate supported in an unwinnable seat—a trend that has continued thankfully, for who can really say what is a winnable seat these days?

More recently, Joan was a tremendous support and encouragement in the establishment and work of the Muriel Matters Society. She actually got Muriel's story and the importance of the message. She was a member of the society and a constant source of inspiration to me and the member for Ashford in our adventures in so many ways. I will always be grateful for her kindnesses and recognition of this project.

There are many Joan stories. Joan always said, 'Wear lipstick, particularly if the media are around, and even if they aren't.' We all know women's appearance and attire has always been a topic for comment—thankfully, less so these days. Joan also said that true equality would only be reached when parliament was full of mediocre women—I will give you all a second to think about that! I guess that could have been said with Joan's tongue firmly in her cheek. Here is to that day, Joan, and to you, a true champion and pioneer of women, a woman of conviction and substance, an exceptional local MP and the modern mother of women in parliament.

On behalf of my family and Joan's friends in the Florey area, I extend deepest sympathy to Ron and her son Dave, and his siblings Michael and Kate, and their immediate families, and to Joan's extended family and enormous circle of friends. It is a very great loss and a very sad day.

The SPEAKER: Would members rise so that the motion may be carried in the usual manner.

Motion carried by members standing in their places in silence.

Sitting suspended from 12:33 to 12:43.

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