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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-09-10 Daily Xml
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Doyle, Mr J.

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (16:27): Among all staff at the Florey EO, few people have held the affection and esteem of our mentor, comrade, true friend and supporter, Mr James (Jim) Doyle, who passed away on 15 August 2020 at the age of 102, having received in his remarkable lifetime his quota of celebratory telegrams and messages from the dignitaries who recognise achieving great age. These acknowledgments were at the end of a long and distinguished life with many inspirational achievements, paying testimony to his dedication and commitment to all working people, so much so that in 2011, a new union office complex in Port Pirie was named Jim Doyle House.

Jim was born in Rockhampton and grew up in Longreach, the eldest of seven children. His father was a teamster who drove a wagon of 12 to 16 horses and carted wool from Longreach pastoral stations. Jim left school in 1932 at the age of 14 and got work pulling thistle weeds along the course of a river. He started shearing in 1939 and worked in shearing sheds all over Queensland and later in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.

He tried to join the Army at the beginning of the war but shearing was a reserved occupation. Jim was a shearer at the time when Australia's fortunes rode on the sheep's back. After Pearl Harbour, he was allowed to join the Army. Jim volunteered to drive trucks and was accepted, even though he did not hold a driver's licence.

Even so, he was eventually posted to Geraldton where soldiers were spread along the WA coast as they were expecting a Japanese attack. As there was a shortage of shearers, reminiscent of things today when their importance and skill as a trade is really noted, he was pulled out of New Guinea by the Army to return to shearing, as they needed the wool from the sheep for the war effort. He was eventually discharged in 1944.

Jim always believed the best place to educate workers was amongst them. In 1946, he was shearing at Carandotta Station near Mount Isa and was heavily involved in the industrial action to win the 40-hour week in the industry in Queensland so that shearers would no longer have to work on Saturday mornings. He was also instrumental in getting the 40-hour week in the pastoral industry for New South Wales.

By the time I met Jim in the late 1980s, he was living a much quieter life than in his younger days, chiefly supported by his close friend and driver, Don Jarret, who is here today, and friends Les and Chris Birch. Among other dear friends also here today are Claire and Jim Hughes, Bob and Kath Mack and David Wilson. Other friends Ron Garvey and Ron Buckingham were shearers with Jim, and they have unfortunately passed away recently.

Jim's close friend Don Jarret spent a lot of time with Jim over the past 23 years and we have shared many happy Florey events with these two great men. Don remembers Jim as a private man and as someone who knew exactly what he wanted. Jim never wavered—he was straight down the line and what he said, he meant—his astute summations always ending up to be an accurate assessment of the true position of things.

Jim was a genuine friend to Don and had a lot of respect for Don's sister Audrey over a period of around 20 years until her death in 1998. Jim was very impressed with Audrey's attitude, which obviously was closely aligned to his. Don confirmed with me Jim was a great supporter of both Steph Key and, luckily, me as well, because he considered us to be important activists. I know we were both very proud to know him and to be his friend. Les Birch described him as:

…a man dedicated to the pride of the Trade Union movement who fought all his life for fairness, equality and the rights of working people. Jim was the longest continuous member of a trade union in Australia—serving 87 years as a member—then Life Member—of the AWU. His passing is a loss to the trade union movement, but his legacy and influence will live on through those he encouraged and mentored over his lifetime.

Peter Duncan, a former member of this place and of the House of Representatives, posted a message on 20 August:

Jim Doyle died a few days ago in his 103rd year. I last saw Jim in January 2019. It is hard to over-estimate Jim's contribution to the Union movement, the broader labour movement and the working class.

A shearer by trade and lifelong member of the AWU, Jim devoted his life to assisting others and fighting the battles of the working class. He was an official for decades and in retirement published a newsletter called The Plod, which more often that not criticised the cant and hypocrisy so often found in society and the mainstream labour movement.

He was never much interested in accumulating worldly goods or property and, sadly, spent much of his later years in less than material comfort following a defamation action, which unfortunately he lost. I know Peter would not mind me adding here that Jim would often say after the deaths of those who cost him so much, 'At least I outlived the bastards.' Peter concluded, 'The real battlers of this world have lost a genuine champion. Vale Jim Doyle.'

The SA branch of the Labour History Society, where he also held life membership, remember Jim as a man who:

…dedicated his life to the Trade Union movement and the betterment of the working class. A mentor to many, a tough and strategic trade unionist and a dear friend. His counsel will be greatly missed.

I am indebted to Allison Murchie's contribution to the much longer version of Jim's biographical notes made available from the Labour History Society for some of my remarks here today.

For myself, I would like to add how good it always was to discuss policy and history with Jim. He had a wide understanding of issues and, more importantly, their history, and demonstrated the patience of a saint whenever I decried the glacial pace of reform. Jim is survived by his son, Young Jim, to whom we all extend our heartfelt condolences. Jim Doyle was a legend and will be greatly missed and always remembered.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the member for Waite, I just note that in the course of the member for Florey's grieve, which I was particularly loath to interrupt in the context of the subject matter, there was apparent to me very audible conversation going on between members in the chamber. I just note that if members are to engage in conversation, then they do so quietly and conscious of the right of the member on their feet to be heard in silence. Member for Waite.

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