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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-09-09 Daily Xml
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Gallacher, Senator A.M.

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (16:00): Today, I rise to honour the contribution to public life of the late Alex Gallacher, Senator for South Australia. Alex Gallacher never lost sight of where he came from or those he represented. Born in Scotland in 1954, his mother died when he was a young child. Along with his father and siblings, he migrated to Australia at the age of 12. It was not an easy path.

Alex began his working life as a labourer, got employment as a transport worker, as a truck driver, and then with Trans Australian Airlines, or TAA, as it was better known in the day. He went to work for more than 22 years at the Transport Workers' Union and he continued to carry the union flag for the TWU when he took up his position as a senator for South Australia in the Australian parliament in 2011, with road safety and safe rates and working conditions high on his political agenda.

As a person, Alex told it as he saw it, and in conversations his bluntness would at times give rise to a belly laugh all around. A proud working-class man, improving the lot of workers and South Australia were his focus. Not long after being elected to the Senate, Alex gave a speech in which he said:

For me, South Australia is first, second, third, fourth and fifth. I do not care who I have to advocate for or argue against. Whether it is in my own party, in the opposition or in the government ranks...I will be putting South Australian jobs first, South Australian economic opportunities first, and South Australian small businesses first.

A fierce advocate for all that he believed in, I know Alex will be greatly missed by his wife, Paola; children, Caroline and Ian; stepchildren, Frank and Kerry; his grandchildren and extended family and friends; his electorate office staff, who I know thought highly of him; TWU officials and members; as well as many parliamentary colleagues and union officials past and present. Alex fought the good fight for workers. His dedication to the TWU and the plight of transport workers, their safety and conditions, was outstanding. May he rest in peace.

On another matter, one that I know Alex would have supported as well, today is RU OK? Day, a day that encourages people to stay connected and have conversations that can help others through difficult times in their lives. In these challenging times, with COVID-19 restrictions, for many leading to isolation because they already live on their own, it is even more important to stay connected. A phone call to check in on a friend, neighbour or family member, to see how they are going could make the world of difference to them. Sometimes, something as simple as starting a conversation can save a life.

Tomorrow also marks World Suicide Prevention Day. It is important to reach out to those in our family, workplace, friendship circles and people within our community, to start a conversation and keep that conversation going. This week, Australia's first ever suicide prevention bill was introduced into the South Australian parliament by the member for Kaurna who, as we know, is also the dedicated shadow minister for health and wellbeing.

This bill would force governments to establish a suicide prevention plan and, importantly, would establish a suicide register in South Australia. We are the only state not to have one. The statistics are alarming. Eight people take their lives every day in Australia. For every death by suicide, it is estimated 30 people will attempt to take their own life; 89 per cent of people report knowing someone who has made a suicide attempt.

I want to finish today by giving a shout-out to the North East Community House in my electorate of Torrens, which this morning hosted an R U OK? catch-up morning tea for members of the community to drop in and have a chat over a cupcake and a cup of tea or coffee. I know that North East Community House's doors are always open to those who may be feeling down or going through a difficult time in their life.

I am always quick to encourage members of our local community who have time on their hands—recently retired, wanting to volunteer, widowed or in need of a friend—to get in touch with Farrah at North East Community House to find out about the programs and activities available there. I know many people who have found lifelong friends by taking that one step to try something new.

In closing, I want to take this opportunity to thank all our frontline healthcare workers for the amazing work they do in our mental health sector. This work is incredibly important to the many families impacted by family members or friends requiring their support.

Time expired.

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