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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-05-19 Daily Xml
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Members

Valedictory

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg) (15:44): Over the past two sitting weeks many new members of parliament have been sworn in, and it is always interesting to hear their history and aspirations. Your roles as representatives, advocates and lawmakers are ahead of you, and I wish all of you well in those endeavours. Allow me to especially recognise the Liberal members for Schubert, Frome and Flinders, representing a strong and refreshed voice for the regional communities: for the food, of course, wine and energy producers in those regions which are so vital for the future of our state.

For each of us, our early years are formative. Mine was filled with school, stock, sport and fishing on Kangaroo Island. Growing up with the children of early pioneers and soldier settlers who battled bushfires, drought and trace element deficiencies in the soil while carrying the legacy of war, left a very deep impression. My father's decision to move into state politics opened another world. It developed my interest in public affairs and cemented my commitment to public service. It reinforced that the decisions made in Adelaide affected our lives and were not always for the better, hence my interest in politics and public policy has endured for 50 years.

A legal career was an option born from not being the eldest boy child. A visiting lawyer from Adelaide (we called them Rundle Street farmers) looked over a mob of sheep one day and said, 'We'll get a fine lot of lambs this year.' I thought that if lawyers think that they can get lambs out of a mob of wethers, then any fool could be a lawyer. I am indebted to him and the many influential women in our community who convinced my father to support higher education. Locals would laugh: how do you get a lawyer out of a farmer and ballet dancer cross? Answer: poor breeding or just plain bad luck.

The establishment of my legal practice, Chapman and Associates, gave me professional opportunities early on and, indeed, the opportunity to travel and visit other jurisdictions. Twenty years in courtrooms representing clients from all walks of life exposed inequities in the law, particularly for women, and risk to the vulnerable, particularly for children. This provided me with a long list of reforms we needed to address if the law was to both protect us and allow us to prosper independently as a state.

Political parties are important. The Liberal Party of Australia has allowed me to be involved in policy development. As the state president and chair of the campaign committee, I was part of the most successful state election in our history, namely, the 1993 election, with 37 seats. Additionally, I sat on the federal executive and on the campaign strategy committee for John Howard for the 1996 election that made him Prime Minister.

Inspirational and brave women in politics Joyce Steele (who still looks over us here in the Versace blue), Jessie Cooper, Jennifer Cashmore, Molly Byrne and Susan Ryan crystalise for me the importance of female representation regardless of political persuasion. My own time in politics confirmed the benefit of ensuring that women were in leadership positions. Supporting Amanda Vanstone, Trish Worth, Annie Ruston, to name a few, rewarded all of us with powerful representation, complementing the services of Dean Brown, Robert Hill, Rob Lawson, Graeme Gunn, Simon Birmingham and even Christopher Pyne, who brought diversity and intellect from across the state.

I am truly grateful for their encouragement and support when I was tempted into the political arena. My father, on the other hand, very publicly confirmed his disapproval—repeatedly. At the age of 44, I found myself recently widowed, with two adult sons and nothing to lose, and running for political office. This decision changed my life, and I hope has contributed to changing the lives of others.

I would like to acknowledge at this point the people of Bragg, including the residents of the Adelaide Hills for eight years. Their support during successive elections and warm welcome to their homes, workplaces, farms, clubs and communities has been extremely generous. It has been a privilege to represent them all.

For the next representative in Bragg, please note there are three priorities for the people of Bragg. One is a new primary school. It is wonderful that our local schools are in high demand, but it is urgent that a new build be continued for the increasing number of families who choose to make Bragg their home. I thank former Minister Gardner for his preliminary work in this regard.

Two, our Burnside CFS needs a new shed. With the extra responsibilities for fire and chemical spills on the freeway, modern equipment has been provided, the local council can provide the land (I have that in writing) and I have, of course, sent my proposal to the new minister.

Three, our Cleland National Park is a home for wildlife and needs further infrastructure. The park has been expanded as a koala centre and provides amenities for local and international visitors. I have advocated for a zip-line facility to be installed across the gullies to add to the adventure experience. I will leave a list on my desk.

The electorate of Bragg was first established in 1970 and has been represented by Premier David Tonkin and two Deputy Premiers. Understandably, the people of Bragg expect someone who is hardworking and high performing. I look forward to seeing who our local Liberal members select as the candidate needs their support, as I did. Annabel Wilkins, our Bragg SEC president, and her predecessors, are simply treasures—not just for Bragg but in campaigns for Unley, Morialta, Hartley, Dunstan and Colton. Liberal Party members have provided unstinting service to our cause and much advice, even when I did not ask for it.

Jodeen Carney and Ingo Block were Chiefs of Staff without peer. In government, I was ably advised by Maddy, Annabel, Esther, Sara, Alisha, Louise, Eleisa, Oliver and Lucy, and Cara and Jordan from the department were, indeed, invaluable in that service. I would also like to recognise Natalia Reveruzzi and James Francis, who have provided loyal service to me in the electorate and for the people of Bragg following the tradition of hard work of their predecessors, including Dawn, Loretta, Paul, Courtney, John and Leonie.

Many who offer themselves as candidates are not successful. There are casualties in all political parties, and at the last election I saw Rachel Sanderson, Paula Luethen and Richard Harvey, to name a few on our side, continue to work extremely hard but, in their case, in the full knowledge that their victory was on a knife edge. I pay tribute to all candidates who step up to this challenge, as they underpin our democracy in strong local, state and federal parliaments.

I am very proud of what Premier Steven Marshall and our government achieved during our term, marked most notably by our management of COVID-19 from March 2020. It was certainly a time of great uncertainty and widespread fear, but we and our fellow South Australians rose to the challenge and navigated our way through one of the most difficult periods in our history.

Premier Marshall will be remembered for the enormous economic difference made to South Australia, but for me one of the most significant contributions was when he signed up to the National Redress Scheme so that our victims of child sexual abuse could have proper financial and emotional relief, all while out there fighting to secure the Australian Space Agency for us.

I do reflect on my time as the state's first female Deputy Premier and Attorney-General and lament that it took 162 years for there to be a female Attorney-General in the same state that endorsed the right for women to vote and stand for parliament in 1894.

Having been in here for 16 years in opposition, I was certainly determined not to waste time. I did not want to be an anodyne Attorney-General: I wanted to introduce overdue reforms and get things done and try to make a difference. Known as being untroubled by indecision, my determination did, it is fair to say, ruffle some feathers, about which I am equally untroubled.

The establishment of the Court of Appeal in January 2021 had its challenges. However, the purpose of establishing it was to ensure a more effective and efficient means of disposing of the appellate work of the Supreme Court. Its creation recognised that the appellate work involves functions and skills different, of course, from those who are performing trial work and is therefore better performed in a separate court of permanent members than in a court of changing membership.

In just the first year of operation, which was less than 12 months, it delivered over 150 judgements. The number and quality of its judgements are a testament to its success. Although the Chief Justice was not supportive of this initiative, I do thank him for his assistance in its operation. During my tenure as Attorney-General, I nominated a number of judicial and other appointments, which included two presidents of the Court of Appeal: the inaugural president, Trish Kelly, and president, Mark Livesey, who leads an exceptional team of jurists.

A South Australian has never been appointed to the High Court, but I am confident that it will and it should change and I look forward to that day.

The appointments included judges of superior courts, magistrates, as well as a new Director of Public Prosecutions, a Solicitor-General, and a new Independent Commissioner Against Corruption. It was critical that the right individuals were in these roles. I was honoured to have made these recommendations for appointment and I am confident that the best legal luminaries now serve in these important roles.

As members know, I have been committed for a long time to the advancing interests of women. In this regard, I am pleased that on occasion working with women on both sides of parliament achievements have included:

the creation of the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme for those who wish to check if their partner has a history of violence;

a standalone non-fatal strangulation criminal offence;

bodycam footage admissible in court as the evidence of DV victims;

removing the application fee for intervention orders;

drafting a bill and consultation paper on the implementation of a coercive control offence, which I hope to see progress soon;

championing the decriminalisation of sex work for sex workers, which I know is set to return to this parliament;

reforming surrogacy laws to make it easier for couples and, indeed, singles to have children of their own; and

modernising abortion laws.

I am only disappointed that regulations have not yet been proclaimed, as they were finalised and ready to go late last year. Perhaps it just coincides with my leaving the cabinet. Other reforms included:

abolishing gay panic as a defence to murder and ensuring that crimes motivated by hate are taken into account during sentencing;

passing a legislative ban on spit hoods in prisons;

mandatory treatment orders available for youths affected by drug addiction;

formally establishing a custody notification scheme and funding of the Aboriginal Justice Advocacy Service;

legalising protections for journalists refusing to disclose a source; and

initiating reviews into harassment in the legal profession and the parliamentary workplace, resulting in changes to the Equal Opportunity Act.

It has been a privilege to work with the many extremely talented lawyers while I was the Attorney. The Crown Solicitor's Office provided me with significant assistance and, as members know, provides legal advice to government and its agencies. Over the years, funding to the CSO has been reduced. I make the point that, if government wants to ensure it receives expert advice from its legal advisers, resources do need to be injected, not depleted.

I know I have a reputation for being relentless, demanding and—I am sure it will come as no surprise to many—on a bad day even difficult. However, I thank all the lawyers and staff in the department of the Attorney-General for their dedication and assistance and for their frank and courteous advice and the timely provision of it.

I particularly thank Caroline Mealor, a consummate public servant, and her team: Adam Kilvert, Jo Martin, Andrew Swanson, Steph Halliday and, before her, Lucinda Byers, Kellie Tilbrook, Dini Soulio, Nerissa Kilvert, Sally Smith and Alex Hart, and of course Zero, our inaugural canine court companion. South Australia will continue to be well served. Our Solicitor General, Mike Waite; Crown Solicitor, Ingrid Norman; and Director of Public Prosecutions, Martin Hinton, are also great assets for our state.

Policy challenges will continue, and this parliament has a critical role in ensuring South Australia continues to protect our best interests. When I came to this house, obesity and mental health were looming as the greatest of our health challenges in the 21st century. I am pleased to see that so much attention and support have been given to the resolution of these matters from all sides of politics. That surely must continue.

Our success as a nation is built on the back of migration, and I look forward to the full reopening of the borders and South Australia continuing to grow from this and the reversal of the brain drain continuing. We are an attractive state that has demonstrated we can look after our own and welcome new people to the Australian family.

The success and competitive advantage of our state, however, hinges on fair and sustainable taxation arrangements. The distribution of the goods and services tax will always provoke arguments amongst the states, but we are not lesser than New South Wales or Victoria or Western Australia. We are an equal partner in the commonwealth but one which offers lifestyle advantages the larger states cannot.

I will continue to advocate for South Australia outside the parliament. I maintain that population growth is essential to restore pre-eminence in the federation. We must address that allowing population growth to stagnate will only further reduce our representation in the federal parliament. I have witnessed, in my time in politics, a reduction from 13 to 10 seats of South Australians in the federal parliament and an increase in other jurisdictions.

It has long been my view, often to the chagrin of my colleagues, that we should explore the reunification of the Northern Territory with South Australia. We gave it away in 1907. The commonwealth accepted it in 1910. As an aside, I have copies of these acts here, in case anyone is following this speech and, if anyone wants a lesson in parliamentary drafting, just look at the relevant acts and note that there is no time limit on the obligation of the commonwealth in exchange for the Northern Territory with their undertaking to build the railway from Darwin down to Port Augusta. I complained about this to successive prime ministers, and they pointed out this defect, naturally to their advantage. I am proud to say that Prime Minister Howard at least made it happen 85 years after it was promised.

The Northern Territory has resources and is strategically placed to the north of Australia with security infrastructure. It has water, liquid gas, gold and a youthful population. South Australia can provide opportunities for their statehood, employment, higher education and a commercial base that will assist Territorians, not to mention our nation-leading growth in the cyber defence and space sectors.

Australia also has four iconic tourism attractions, colloquially called the Bridge, the Rock, the Reef and the Island. We have two of them in our regions: Uluru and Kangaroo Island. Joined up, we can offer an experience to international tourists from the tropics, across the desert and to the rich environment in the south. Personally, I would like to see the artificial line dividing the central desert people forever removed. Reunification was achieved in Germany after the Berlin wall came down, so surely we can do it before Queensland jumps in.

I remain an advocate of the value of employment. Access to the financial security and reward for those with family responsibilities, children and the elderly, and sometimes those with a disability, remains an impediment. I will continue to advocate for child and parental care, in that the cost of child care and parental care be tax deductible. We have had two High Court challenges that have clearly confirmed that we must have legislative reform. This must change if we are to ensure and encourage a healthy birthrate and give employment and career opportunities to our children.

Robert Menzies was the founder of our political party, the Liberal Party of Australia, and his words should always form the basis of our philosophical direction: 'We must govern for all and march down the middle of the road.' We are not a party based on sectional interests and I am proud of that. We represent everyone from all walks of life and support them to make the choices they think are best for them and their families. I am proud that every Liberal Party member has a vote on who will represent them in this parliament and that no-one can tell them how to vote when they get here on pain of political exile.

It is undeniably true that we need representatives from more diverse backgrounds so that we can continue to govern for all. Unsurprisingly, gender diversity has been the focus in recent decades, but we will be truly representative when we have more cultural, religious, sexual and age diversity in this house. She may not be a Liberals but the absence of Kelly Vincent's perspective, I think, has been a loss to this parliament. Political parties have a responsibility to insist on this diversity or they will face extinction themselves. We must be relevant and relatable to maintain the confidence of our electors.

Despite our recent loss and the fact that there was much more to be done to broaden our base, my view is that the Liberal Party does have a bright future with new stars taking their place in the firmament. I am confident that Michelle Lensink will provide leadership, as she will soon be the longest serving female representative in this place.

Service in our parliament should be a privilege and an honour for each of us. We have responsibility to serve our state and commit to promote policies for its betterment. Of course, its debates are lively, robust and passionate, as they should be. However, over the past 20 years I have witnessed some extraordinarily disrespectful behaviour in this very chamber that has been nothing short of appalling. Standards and civility are paramount if we are to earn and command the respect of those we represent.

Public service, of course, is not without sacrifice to our families. They often carry the burden of what we sign up to. During the past 20 years, I have written a lot of eulogies: I lost my husband, my father, my mother, my grandmother and, more recently, our brother, who took his own life. These are difficult times and I thank colleagues and the many parliamentary staff who have generously accommodated the time to allow our family to get through such painful events.

Fortunately, the reward for having children is that I now have the joy of five grandchildren: Adelaide Grace Iris, Georgina Chloe Lily, Elizabeth Stella Rose, Sophie Patricia and Billy McKenzie. For some years I was both a grandmother and a granddaughter at the same time, part of the double sandwich generation. Let me tell you that is a true reality check.

To William and Edwina, and to Alex and Laura, my love for you and appreciation for your sacrifices for my sake is deep and enduring. I am, of course, immensely proud of your achievements. I accept that you have not always shared my passions. Young William once responded to my informing him, 'I won't be at footy practice tonight as I have to pick up Malcolm Fraser from the airport,' with 'Who is Malcolm Fraser?' This was only matched by my receptionist at the time informing me on return from court, 'A gentleman called in to see you, but I said he couldn't because he didn't have an appointment.' I asked who it was—again, Malcolm Fraser.

Young Alex, the aspiring political journalist, said he could not do his job while I was in parliament. He suggested, 'So you need to resign, mum.' I sent him to Canberra.

To my sisters, Della and Trish, and their families, I also owe a great debt. They are living examples of our mother, always finding advantage in adversity, and certainly with a smile and most often with a glass of wine. To the matriarch of our family, our aunt Alison Uren, and her family, you have been there for us when we lost our brother and have given us courage, kindness and wise counsel.

We meet many people in public life and acquaintances abound, but friends are the family we choose to celebrate the good times and cushion us in the bad. I thank you all. Recently I enjoyed a surprise dinner with some of my closest supporters and many of my current and former staff. I have had the pleasure of seeing many of them go on to careers in politics, business and community service, and it is so rewarding to see them shine.

I have had 20 years in the law. I have had 20 years in this parliament. As to the next 20 years, watch this space—'space' being the operative word. My grandmother ran her business until she was 90, so I am just warming up.

I have left the blueprints of a new state court facility on the Attorney-General's desk. Much work and preparation for its development has been undertaken. It includes provision for arbitration and mediation facilities, both public and private. I urge the new government to work on the incorporation of a defence and space precinct for dispute resolution in these important areas of industry.

Our University of Adelaide, some may know, has joined with universities in the United States and in Europe to write the new rules of engagement in space for military engagement, the Woomera project. Look out for it. It will be published, and you should all take pride in our state being such a pioneer in this new frontier.

I will probably always go down with a fight and I have certainly ensured in my office that they read the sign: never, never, never give up. I never do and, much to the frustration and consternation of many, I have certainly tried to breed that same mentality into my staff, some of whom have entered this house and others who will follow in the future. I think I am pretty clear-eyed about my political legacy and I am proud of it. My epitaph will not read 'meek'. In the words of the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 'Better bitch than mouse.'

In conclusion, I ask all members to remember why they are here—that is, for the advancement of others, not themselves.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

Mr SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (16:14): The member for Bragg has achieved a very significant first in this state—the first female Deputy Premier and the first female Attorney-General. Those achievements alone stand in their own stead, but, as she alluded to in her valedictory speech a moment ago, it is what you do with those positions. It is what you do with those titles that really matters. There can be absolutely no doubt that the member for Bragg hit the ground running in March 2018 when she entered those offices and she ran and ran and ran, and reformed this state in a way that I do not believe any Attorney-General had achieved for probably a couple of generations.

The member for Bragg's list of achievements is phenomenal. She listed some of those a moment ago, but I think it is worthy just to spend a moment reflecting on some of those particular achievements. The National Redress Scheme: a personal mission of the former Attorney-General to establish a specific fund of more than $146 million to meet the estimated cost of South Australia's contribution to the national redress program to help heal the pain caused by the sexual abuse of children in government institutions. The power, symbolic as well as practical, of that scheme cannot be underestimated.

There is the member for Bragg's participation in policy and programmatic reform in the area of domestic violence, significant in a way that saw this state leap forward at least a generation in terms of our penalties put in place, law reform and programs to deal with not just the effects of domestic violence but finding ways to prevent it from happening in the first place.

The most significant reform to our judiciary in many decades was the establishment of the new South Australian Court of Appeal, with five judges as a division of the Supreme Court to provide specific judicial expertise in appeals, leading to increased efficiencies and consistent high-quality judgements—a huge leap forward in the modernity of South Australia's legal system.

Towards the second half of the member for Bragg's period in the cabinet she also took on the planning and local government portfolios and was able to implement the final stage of what is probably best described as fraught planning reform that had taken place over the previous decade. It took a long time to land, but the member for Bragg landed this reform. That saw the new Planning and Design Code going live in early 2021, consolidating the state's 72 development plans into one clear planning system, one clear rule book. I am not sure we would ever have got there without the member for Bragg's contribution.

As cabinet secretary for four years, I provided this role as essentially a gatekeeper to what could come into cabinet, and day after day I signed through submission after submission to be approved by the Attorney-General at the time. There is no doubt she was the single greatest legislator of our four years in government and our biggest reformer.

She also cares immensely for this state. Her electorate of Bragg means an immense amount to her. From time to time, it included those rural areas of the Hills, for which she had a particular fondness. I know she and I regularly were up and down to Cleland Wildlife Park and Cleland Conservation Park, now actually Cleland National Park, to see the many things happening there.

One of the quirkier things I did as the state's Minister for Environment and Water was name a koala Vickie after the member for Bragg. Vickie was rescued from Kangaroo Island (not the member for Bragg but the koala) after the bushfires and forms part of what is known as the 'golden children', a group of disease-free koalas held at Cleland. If you ever want to go to see them, I am sure that in her retirement the member for Bragg will take you there. I am told—and I have checked—Vickie is still in very good health and a very healthy weight, which is very important for koalas. So keep an eye out for Vickie the koala.

The member for Bragg is a trailblazer, a relentless reformer, a committed public servant and a leader in a thousand ways. Her commitment to this parliament as an institution, this parliament as a collective of people, is incredibly immense. Her commitment to the community that she represented, her commitment to regional South Australia, particularly Kangaroo Island, and her commitment to this state should be celebrated and acknowledged because it is second to none. She has been a leader for women, a leader for the legal sector in this state, a leader in this parliament, and I am absolutely certain that she has much more leading to do well into the future.

So, to the Member for Bragg, thank you for what you have done for this state. On behalf of the Liberal Party, on behalf of this parliament, we are grateful, and I wish you all the best for the coming years.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

Mr GARDNER (Morialta) (16:21): I thank the Speaker for the opportunity, the indulgence, and I thank the house for giving the member for Bragg its support to do this valedictory speech. I think that everybody who has watched it and everybody who will read those words in the future will find it not just a touching, moving and informative speech but one that shows the member for Bragg never wastes an opportunity to contribute to the advancement of our state and continues to argue with purpose for that.

I did not make notes before coming along this afternoon. I scribbled some down as the member for Bragg was speaking because I think in my heart—and I apologise for the emotion—I hoped, of course, that we would not be doing this today. I wanted the member for Bragg to continue to provide a lodestone, a guiding light for us all, for many years to come. But, of course, she has served, as she said, 20 years in the law and 20 years in the parliament. She has earned the respect of this house, of the state, and she has certainly earned the right to do it on her terms.

I heard during her speech some words that she used that have been used—allegedly: relentless, demanding and difficult. They are not words that I would have used. I might have potentially said 'purposeful'. When I think of the member for Bragg, while I understand 'purposeful' being a descriptor, I think of friendship, mentorship, guidance and kindness. I do not propose to do the laundry list of achievements because if we want the house to get up tonight we do not have time. I would say that there are some reflections I want to offer from my experience of the member for Bragg that demonstrate some of that guidance, mentorship, kindness and friendship.

I met the member for Bragg when I was in the Young Liberals. I was president of the Young Liberals for a period. I am fairly certain that we made sure the member for Bragg became a life member of the Young Liberals during that period. Although she did not come up as a student politician, sometimes people talk about the Chapman family as if Vickie Chapman is not the overwhelming weight of achievement of the Chapman family in terms of her own ability.

Her contribution to the Young Liberals was substantial not because she had been a young student politician or anything like it but because she saw young people interested in politics and community service as the future of our party. She talked about her support for diversity and representation, and I know how important that is to her. The number of young people in politics who would share my recollections of friendship, mentorship, guidance and kindness I know is very substantial.

In 2002, the member for Bragg was elected. She was elected on my birthday, and it was a highlight of an otherwise very disappointing election day, but the member for Bragg taking her seat was indeed something to celebrate. She won with a very, very strong margin and has maintained the support of her electorate, which has always been a key part of what she has wanted to do.

She was elected in February, and in June I had the honour and privilege of being invited to join her office. These were the days when a member of parliament's office had one political staffer—one person to support—and the introduction of the trainee came not long after. There was an introduction by the then Rann government of somebody working two days a week to support—a sound enhancement. Ultimately, two staffers was approved, which I think is suitable assistance to assist a member of parliament in serving their community. I came along as the one.

At the time, the Bragg electorate office after 32 years was seen as needing some enhancement, and the Treasurer supported that. The member for Bragg, rather than seeking that new rented accommodation be provided, provided the opportunity for her own chambers (which she owned) to be used to service her electorate office while that work was being done to save the taxpayers money.

My day started in Sir Mellis Napier Chambers in Victoria Square. I can only imagine the disappointment the member for Bragg must have felt on occasion when I came along as a 23 year old with much to learn, and indeed she taught me much. I hope that I have made the member for Bragg pleased with my work and potentially proud more than I have made her disappointed over the last 20 years of our professional relationship.

I know that the one thing I am able to share with her today, which I hope she has not heard about until today, was the day when I was trying to catch up on some work on a Saturday morning. I opened Sir Mellis Napier Chambers in Victoria Square. I went out to get some lunch after a couple of hours work. I forgot the alarm code, setting off an alarm across the entirety of Victoria Square, with people coming from all around looking at what was going on while this gangly sort of 23-year-old staffer—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Gangly?

Mr GARDNER: —I was more gangly then—was fumbling around with the alarm code trying desperately to remember the right number and on the third attempt succeeding. It was not the only embarrassing thing from my period working with the member for Bragg.

The member for Bragg, obviously, and her family maintained a property on Kangaroo Island. I think that Ted was still alive at the time when I was first brought over to Kangaroo Island on the weekend to encourage me in my own personal development. She thought it would be useful for me to help round up some cattle. Indeed, on the first day I was there I encountered a cow—it must have been a cow! It was about to give birth and the member for Bragg said to me, 'Now, hold the leg here, reach in here,' and despite my mother's experience as a midwife that was my first experience participating in a birth and one that I remember vividly.

The member for Bragg was a passionate advocate for her community, and I encourage the casual reader of Hansard to look up her grievance about Mr Lagiseti and the helicopter. The constituents would come to the member for Bragg with an issue and she would be relentless in pursuing ministers. If she felt that the minister's response was not suitably on point about the issue that had been raised or taken seriously enough, she would write back and raise questions in the house, call those ministers, pursue those issues, and they would often not be things she was doing for a media opportunity or for which there would ever be a media opportunity. She saw always in the service of this house the duty to those constituents in helping them sort out their issues.

I think that in the period from 2010 to 2018 there were many opportunities when the member for Bragg gave me good advice not only in my development as a parliamentarian but also in supporting me as a friend, and I am grateful for that and I want to place that on the record to her.

The member for Bragg raised the issue of the South Australian-Northern Territory border. I was very pleased, when visiting the war museum in Darwin, to send a photograph to the member for Bragg of the commonwealth act removing the Northern Territory from South Australia. She responded within five minutes identifying three legal defects on the front page of that legislation.

It is very important to maintain cabinet confidence when one has been a member of cabinet, but I do not think that the member for Bragg or the member for Dunstan would mind my saying that, when the member for Dunstan was away and the member for Bragg was Acting Premier, the member for Dunstan was always very pleased, upon coming back to South Australia, to discover that we had not invaded. Indeed, that will, I fear, potentially be the one public policy matter on which the member for Bragg and I will never come to agreement about, but I do not think I am alone in that. The potential sale of the pandas was raised on occasion and was something we did not proceed with, and I am pleased about that too.

The member for Bragg ultimately, as the state's first law officer, did an incredible job and led incredible reforms. At the beginning of her speech, she talked about how people in her community in Parndana reflected on the daughter of a farmer and a ballet dancer turning out as a lawyer and the suggestion that that might have been a disappointment. I think that sometimes it is the easiest thing in any community to disparage lawyers. The member for Bragg is a shining example of how, as a community, you do so at your peril.

But she does more than that: she provides examples. She was a passionate advocate for social justice and use of the law to deliver social justice, because justice for an individual who has been wronged and who needs the correction of the legal system is as important as any other social justice issue. It is only through adequately resourcing our legal system and ensuring that trials can be held swiftly and fairly and with high-quality instruction, with high-quality legal counsel available to both sides and a high-quality judiciary that you are able to achieve that for each individual. Of course, in addition to the justice and social benefit of the legal profession she so espouses, it is also a great economic opportunity for our state, and the space and defence industries that she talked about in her valedictory are going to be important areas for South Australia going forward.

I am going to miss the member for Bragg from our joint party, from our House of Assembly party room, where she was an enormous repository of knowledge, not only from her own time in parliament but of course from the stories she had and was able to share and understand from previous parliaments through her long involvement. Not only was the member for Bragg the state's first female Deputy Premier and female Attorney-General but my understanding is that she was also the first president of a major political party—possibly the first female president of any political party in Australia—in 1993 when she became President of the South Australian Liberal Party.

In that long involvement was a wealth of knowledge and history, which continues to be important to this day. I am going to miss her from those meetings. I know I am not going to miss her from this house, as I am sure she will visit from time to time and, most importantly, I know she is not going to be a stranger in my life. To our deaths, I know that we will be friends, and I thank the member for Bragg so much for everything she has done.

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan) (16:33): Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, and I thank you for allowing us to speak to this important departure from our parliament that is now imminent. It is a great privilege and a pleasure to rise today to speak of the wonderful pathfinder that is the member for Bragg, who has had made such an enormous contribution to our party, to our parliament and, of course, to our state.

My partnership with the member for Bragg began back in 2008 when she drew the short straw and was the House of Assembly pair for me as the candidate for the then seat of Norwood. She worked tirelessly to do everything that she could and that the members of her SEC could to raise money and to support me to come into this place. I feel very privileged that that was our beginning. Of course, that partnership strengthened in January-February 2013, when we formed a leadership partnership that the Liberal Party has never seen before, serving for nearly nine years as the leader and the deputy leader. I have quipped in this place before that the relationship I have had with the member for Bragg is about twice the length of my marriage, which was also a wonderful partnership.

We all come into this place as a product of our experiences, and the member for Bragg was a country girl. She grew up on the island, she went to Parndana school, she was then sent away to Pembroke and then went on to the University of Adelaide, where she graduated with distinction and then set off on her very important career in the law. As has been already mentioned, her father—a formidable member for his electorate who served as a minister in the Tonkin government—was a great role model for her. She followed his lead, first of all as the president of our party here in South Australia back in the early to mid-1990s and then, of course, as a member here in this parliament.

Unfortunately for the member for Bragg, she had to serve an extraordinarily long period of time in opposition—in fact, 16 soul-destroying years in opposition—but she did not waste that time. She really did determine exactly and precisely what she would do the minute she became a minister, and that is precisely what happened. For many people in their careers, becoming a member of cabinet is the culmination, that is, they have arrived and it is the highlight of their career. But for the member for Bragg it was the start of an extraordinarily hardworking and dedicated four years in cabinet, where she made an enormous contribution.

Other members have already told us about the trailblazing, pathfinding work that she has done in terms of her portfolio, her legal reforms, which will always be there as a legacy of her time as the first female Attorney-General. From my perspective, though, the greatest role she played was as my deputy and the first female Deputy Premier of South Australia. I cannot tell you the number of occasions when she saved my bacon, sitting in the chair now occupied by the Premier. We sat together for a very long period of time, and I am very pleased that whoever did the new seating arrangements has seen fit to have us sitting back here in the dress circle of the House of Assembly.

The member for Bragg was an effective member, she was a formidable member of this parliament, she was a powerful member of this parliament and she has served with absolute distinction. I know that many people in this place have been on the wrong side of the member for Bragg. I particularly remember the former Attorney-General, the then member for Enfield, who found the member for Bragg quite infuriating on many occasions. They would both spar across the chamber— sometimes for hours, sometimes for days—on a single bill, but I think in the best interests of South Australia. Even during that period, when the member for Bragg was the shadow attorney-general, we saw some good legislation come into this parliament.

As has been mentioned, the Court of Appeal is a wonderful legacy, but another wonderful legacy is the way that the member for Bragg advocated for women in senior roles right throughout South Australia. We often quipped in cabinet—and again I do not think I am breaking cabinet confidentiality—that when the member for Bragg put forward a male for a job, we thought, 'What has gone wrong here? Surely this can't be right.' The member for Bragg was a wonderful advocate for women in this state, and I feel very proud that during her time in the cabinet she was able to put forward some extraordinarily capable women, advocate for them and make sure they that they could hold high office here in this state.

She leaves politics and she leaves this place with an enduring legacy, but she still has more to contribute. I know that she will enjoy spending more time with her sons, Will and Alex, and her daughters-in-law and of course her five wonderful grandchildren. The founder of our political party, Sir Robert Menzies, said there were two types of people on this earth: lifters and leaners. Vickie Chapman is a wonderful, wonderful lifter.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (16:40): I rise to affectionately praise the member for Bragg, the Queen of Bragg, as I have always called her. Vickie Chapman has been just a wonderful addition to my life and, as we are public figures, as the member for Bragg has said, we are publicly exposed to meet good people and not so good people, and in this place Vickie Chapman probably epitomises one of the better people I have met in my short time on this earth.

Coming into this place in 2010 with a number of people, either in the gallery or still in the chamber, she straightaway put me to work and that was that: 'Come on, we're going off and we're meeting people, we're doing this,' and I very quickly learnt that you are either by her side or you get run over very quickly. As a friend, as a mentor and as a sounding board, I was very quickly put into the role of a parliamentary secretary with environment, with water, with emergency services, with police and many other responsibilities. I soon learnt very quickly that if you do not get your piece in quickly with Vickie, you have missed out and she has walked out of the room.

As a friend and as a work colleague, I have learnt much, and her work ethic has been admired by people on both sides of this chamber: she is relentless. She continues to epitomise the passion not only for South Australia but for her job, for fairness and for making South Australia a better place. Anyone who has worked with Vickie normally has experienced Kangaroo Island, and those have been some of my fondest memories.

Going over to Kangaroo Island and slipping into Gum Valley, what we found was that there was always a pair of work boots there waiting for you, as well as a pair of shorts, a jumper and a jacket and, 'Okay, we're off to pick up sticks today, and when you've finished that we've got stones to pick up. When you've finished that, we might be able to put in a few marron pots.' It was always such a great experience.

Vickie epitomised the condition that Gum Valley was in and, I guess, the reputation that she gave Kangaroo Island. She was always a very strong advocate and always a very strong ethical person, particularly when it came to family. I met the wider family over a number of years, and I thank Vickie for giving me permission to date her sister, Della, who is up in the gallery. I must say it has been a great experience.

Her extended family, her sons, her daughters-in-law, affectionately know her as Gravy. Her granddaughters love her to bits, and she is just such a beautiful grandmother to them. I must say that some of my most memorable times over on the island have been, 'Let's go marroning and let's go fishing,' and in between marroning it is picking up rocks and, 'Let's go fishing,' and in between that it is shearing sheep or yard work. In between that, there is some fencing to do.

In between that we had a lot of fun, we drank a lot of wine and we shared a lot of memories, and some of those memories will stick in my mind forever. At the end of the day, Vickie is just a genuinely very good person, affectionately known as the Perfumed Steamroller, they tell me. Vickie, this place will have a loss with you not in it. This place will not be the same and we will not see people putting the passion, the effort and the hard work that you have in here. Vickie, you will be missed.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Minister for Defence and Space Industries, Minister for Climate, Environment and Water) (16:44): I rise to say farewell to the member for Bragg with some sorrow. I was sorry when I heard that the member for Bragg had decided that it was her time to go. From my perspective, there are three outstanding features of the member for Bragg: first of all, her leadership as a woman; secondly, her progressive politics; and, thirdly, her strength of character, shall we say.

As a female leader, having been in this house for 20 years, I imagine the member for Bragg has seen much and has done much to make behaviour here better and to improve the experience of women in this chamber. I am sure it is a matter of some sorrow for the member for Bragg that when she leaves—and I hope indeed that she will be replaced by a woman—there will be only two women on her side of parliament. I hope that that is a low point from which there will only be more building on her side of the chamber.

When the member for Ramsay and I came in on two by-elections, we joined parliament on the same day in 2012, and because we were in by-elections we were sworn in and able to make our first speeches on that same day. After the speeches, the member for Bragg came over and was at pains to say that she welcomed us as women in this chamber and that if we had any issues we were to go to her and that she was there for us as much as for any other female member. The member for Ramsay and I have never forgotten that. We talk about it from time to time as a mark of the cross-chamber solidarity that can exist.

We now recognise that we are the most senior women in this chamber—the longest serving women in this chamber—and we take that mantle up with some trepidation: it is an important role to play. Having been a member of parliament for 20 years and the deputy leader of the Liberal Party for 12 is an extraordinary record to hold, culminating of course in being the first female Deputy Premier and first female Attorney-General. It is a pathfinding and a barrier-breaking role to have played. I am sure the member for Bragg is rightly proud of that, and I think all women in South Australia should be very proud of her career.

The member for Bragg is also what I would call a progressive woman. I think the language is used slightly differently on each side of the chamber, but I have enjoyed being on the same side in many votes on conscience issues and I pay tribute to her leadership on those. The sex work reform that was mentioned in the speech, of course, we are yet to achieve, and I am sure the member for Bragg will be very proud on the day when we finally do extend rights to workers in the sex industry.

I was fortunate enough to lead the last of the iterations of the voluntary assisted dying legislation, the one that was successful in this chamber, courtesy of the Hon. Kyam Maher in the other place. The member for Bragg was one of the leaders, if not the leader, on the other side of the chamber for those who would vote in favour, and I was grateful for her support during that time. I know that many advocates in the community speak very highly of the member for Bragg for her compassion and her leadership in that process.

There was also, of course, the termination of pregnancy legislation, where we finally saw reform in that important area that was introduced by the member for Bragg and led over two very long nights. I admired the restraint with which she addressed the chamber and answered question after question. Her stamina was not the least remarkable feature of her contribution to that debate. At times, it was a very difficult debate to experience, I imagine on both sides, but certainly on the side in favour, and I was grateful for her leadership. I did my best to be supportive from the other side through that process. It was an important reform and not the least of the reforms that she can be proud of.

But, yes, the member for Bragg is also a very strong-minded individual and I was noting with some envy her willingness to say that she does not mind that she ruffles feathers, that doubt rarely troubles her and ruffled feathers never do and that her greatest epitaph is that she is not meek. There are many women on this side of the chamber who say that we sometimes could do with a little dose of Vickie. So, while sometimes the dose has been strong, it serves as an inspiration across the chamber that sometimes it is important to simply stand for what you believe in and to be unafraid and unashamed.

I wish the member for Bragg very well. It is a career that has not been without controversy but has been served with distinction and has left a tremendous legacy of which we can all be proud, and I thank you.

Mr TARZIA (Hartley) (16:49): A giant of the law, a juggernaut of the Liberal Party, an inspiration to professional women, it is with some sadness that I also rise today to pay tribute to the member for Bragg.

Like many of us in this chamber, we are elected here by the collective efforts of many, not only the people who vote us into these seats respectively but also the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes. Like the member for Dunstan, I have also been paired with the member for Bragg in the past. It is fair to say that without the efforts of the member for Bragg and her SEC, many of whom are here, I simply would not be in this place.

I will certainly miss those movie fundraisers at the Regal Theatre with the volunteers, the ladies of the Bragg SEC and their cut-up sandwiches, freshly baked scones and all the rest of it that she and her SEC have done for literally decades to make sure that we raise the volunteers and the funds so that we can continue to allow people to be elected to this place.

The member for Bragg has always been a reservoir full of advice. I will never forget her quirky Christmas cards. She has given plenty of advice to me over the years, such as, 'About time you got married,' and, 'Why don't you sell your puppy so that you can have a child with your wife?' Whether it be personal advice or professional advice, Vickie has also been a ferocious advocate for what is right. I have been proud to be in the trenches with her for several years.

When you are elected to a seat like Bragg, expectations are high because you are expected to be here for a long time and you are expected to go far: Vickie has exceeded all those expectations. She has served in the highest of offices and it is certainly the case that we will never see another Vickie Chapman in this place.

Congratulations, Vickie, on all your achievements. Good luck in the next part of your journey. Thank you very much for your frank, your fearless and your honest advice and counsel.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (16:52): When I think of the member for Bragg, I think of a formidable opponent, I think of someone who is strong and determined, I think of someone who has probably been the most determined opponent we have ever faced in the 20 years we have been here.

When she entered parliament in 2002, I remember the conversations in the tactics team: 'How could you possibly handle Vickie Chapman?' It was a good problem. It was a problem that was proven to be true. She is someone who probably should have led her party but never did. I often wonder what would have happened if she had led her party, whether things might have been different over those 16 years. I do not know. But she is someone who, I think, has immense talents.

I do not agree with a lot of the social reforms that Ms Chapman introduced into the parliament; indeed, I think I voted against all of them. However, I respected her and I respected her tenacity, and I respected her ability to use the power she had to attempt to make the changes she wanted. She understood power, she understood the parliament and she understood how to use it, and she learnt how to use it very quickly.

I think it is a shame to see strong women leave the parliament. We need strong women. I think Vickie Chapman is a very, very strong woman. She could speak at length about many topics, often in the parliament late at night. She did her research. She argued her cause. Sometimes she won, sometimes she lost, but she has left her mark. For that, I thank the member for Bragg. I know that she and I do not perhaps get on as well as other members, and that is okay—that is the political system—but I do respect her and I wish her well.

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (16:54): I will yield to the member for Schubert with great interest in a moment, Mr Speaker. Thank you for the call.

I rise—and I spoke of the humbling experience it is to be re-elected to represent one's electors in this place yesterday—and today I feel particularly humbled to stand as someone who, through circumstances that I think this institution ought regret, found himself walking in her shoes in recent months.

We also share the fact that, somewhat unusually these days, we both came to this place after many years in the law, a career in the law that provided a foundation for our participation in this place. I think it is a tremendous thing. That foundation brings an adherence to the appreciation of what a rules-based system brings, what evidence-based argument brings, what objectivity can bring to the force of one's argument.

I think it also brings an appreciation that in order to be an effective advocate you have to be fully grounded, and there is no-one more grounded, no-one more down to earth than the member for Bragg. At all times she has used that capacity as a key tool in bringing her effective advocacy to this place. But from that career in the law, fast-forward to my time recently walking in her shoes.

I remember a few weeks after I had come in to occupy her office—and I thought it might be temporarily—and I had had a chance to get to know the place a little bit, she returned for a Christmas gathering. I had been working with her fantastic, able staff and team I had inherited. She breezed in and said 'What do you think about all these strong women around here? What do you think about all these strong, bright, capable women around you who are helping to make what you do workable?' I do not know if I said it or if I reflected on it quietly, but it actually had not occurred to me that I was surrounded by all these bright, strong women. I sort of took it for granted.

I think that is a legacy that from one generation to the next hopefully we have come close to now that those with capacity have every opportunity. But, Vickie, you lived through the blazing of that trail. You brought us to a point where that can be taken for granted and not noticed, so I felt very fortunate to have walked in your shoes for some short months.

I reflect, as I listen to the contributions here in this place this evening, that it can be easy at times in an institution like this building—this new parliament dating back to the 1890s and built off the back of an institution that commenced here in South Australia in the 1850s—to take for granted that we will have an institution that is thriving and vibrant and healthy as it just continues on. At times I think it can be easy to think this will inevitably be the case, this will be a place in which the battle of ideas is fought, it will be the pre-eminent venue in which important arguments of the day can be had.

Vickie, you have exemplified the living of that every day over 20 years, to come into the place and say this is not a place to be on the stage where platitudes are exchanged and where there is a beauty contest of sorts. This is a place where you get into it and you have the courage of your convictions and you make your argument. That might mean that it is messy and controversial every day, even to the last, and you stand up for what you believe in. So the words 'reformer' and 'legislator' are proud epithets that you of course deserve. It is with great respect that I make those observations.

I say more about the institution on this day. I think it is an occasion to link the institution with the person, that against whatever background you bring to this place—and Vickie's is a South Australian story if ever there was one—you do not come here and do anything effective unless you come here full of love and full of hope for your fellow Australian, for your fellow South Australian. That leads to a wrestle, a difference of view. It leads to things being at times so fraught you think, 'Hang on, how do you bring all this back together?' But we believe in the force that this institution can have to take South Australia forward to a better place, and you do that through love and hope every day.

Vickie, over the course of your time, and particularly, I might say, during those short months in recent times when I was not just sharing the time as a fellow member of this place but walking in your shoes in your ministerial role, those things are very apparent to me. I pay tribute to you. I salute you. I thank you for your service, and I wish you, of course, all the very best in the future.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Treasurer) (17:01): I will not speak for long, but I do just want to make a couple of reflections from my relatively brief perspective of serving in this parliament, secondly as a member of parliament but initially as a very young, wide-eyed and nervous staffer to what was then a very young Rann government.

I can remember first coming into this building in June 2002 in that capacity and, as the member for West Torrens said, there was always the expectation that the member for Bragg was going to assume, if not the leadership position of the Liberal Party, then a senior leadership position of the Liberal Party. There was always an expectation, as ministers were preparing for question time, that they were at high risk of being skewered by the member for Bragg, such was the reputation she brought into this place as a successful lawyer.

I can remember when I first started as a very young staffer. At that time, I was still living at home with my parents, which I did until a fairly ripe age, I have to say, which is increasingly becoming the trend. I was told by my father that the member for Bragg was one to watch in the South Australian parliament. He was able to say that, of course, because he had spent quite a long time working with the member for Bragg, particularly in family law, as they were both practising. He held the highest regard for her both as a lawyer and, in the early years of the member for Bragg's career, in this place.

I do not know if this story is true, but this is the story as my family understands it and as my father understood it. When the former Premier, Jay Weatherill, asked my father to be the commissioner for the Children in State Care Commission of Inquiry, he consulted with the Leader of the Opposition and it was taken back to the Liberal party room. It was our understanding that there was one voice that spoke out vehemently against that appointment, but it was the member for Bragg who provided the counsel to the Liberal party room which enabled that appointment to go through with bipartisan support. I do not know if that is true. I like to believe that it is, and certainly my late father liked to believe that that was true as well.

Fast-forward a few years to the time I was elected and unexpectedly, fortuitously managed to be on this side of the chamber. Very nervously, like those ministers in the early days of the Rann government coming into question time expecting to be skewered if not by the member for Bragg then by anybody else in the opposition, I was asked my first Dorothy Dixer on a matter of great importance, that being the free public transport services offered for ANZAC Day in that particular year.

After nervously shaking my way through the answer, I was asked a supplementary question by the member for Bragg: how many people took up the benefit of those services? Of course, I had no idea, and I had to take it on notice. I remember going back to my office thinking, 'I knew I would get skewered, and of course it would be by the member for Bragg.' But, on reflection, it occurred to me that it probably was not an attempt to skewer me; it was probably just as much an attempt to help me find my feet in the house. It made me realise just what sort of person the member for Bragg is.

As hard as she would play in the chamber—and there were few, if any, tougher at times—she was unfailingly pleasant and nice interpersonally to anyone outside the chamber. That is no mean feat in this day and age, I think, amongst parliamentary colleagues, particularly given the era in which the member for Bragg came into this place, in 2002. It was still a very male-dominated parliament on both sides, with standards of behaviour—not that the standards of behaviour are exemplary today—vastly worse than they are today.

While the member for Bragg might say it was her job to ruffle feathers from time to time, I am not sure I ever witnessed hers being ruffled. She was absolutely unflappable in the chamber. I also remember in my first term of parliament there being a sudden change of direction in the course of the day's proceedings. Instead of one bill, which we were all prepared for, to be debated, another bill had to be brought on at short notice without any warning whatsoever. A note was passed to the member for Bragg, as she was the most senior member of the opposition in the chamber at the time, and she seamlessly picked up that topic and spoke authoritatively on it for 20 minutes. I remember sitting back and thinking, 'Well, that is how you do it.'

There is no coincidence when you see lawyers walking into court with annotated ring binders, footnoted and post-it note all the way through, that someone who has done that for 20 years as a career is so well prepared for this role that she can seamlessly switch from one topic to another. The member for Bragg was capable of speaking very authoritatively on anything that came before this place, and that is a remarkable achievement.

I always think there is nothing more humbling as a member of parliament than to spend a brief period of time in the members' lounge. For those who are not familiar with the members' lounge, there is a small portrait of every member of parliament who has ever been elected to the South Australian House of Assembly. You go in there, and there are about five or six panels. There are three or four panels of old boys with facial hair, and then there are a couple of panels of the modern era, where it becomes slightly more evenly balanced between the genders.

Most people, if you take them into the members' lounge, will often walk up to these panels with some curiosity and say, 'Who on earth is that?' It makes me realise that, as much as we would like to think the opposite, the vast majority of us travel through this place, in the cricket parlance, without troubling the scorers. Mr Speaker, I am sure you would agree that somebody who has troubled the scorer extensively in this place is the member for Bragg.

It has already been well litigated here—pardon the awful pun—how much the member for Bragg has achieved, not just in four years of being Attorney-General but in the standard she set for people seeking office, particularly women seeking election to parliament, the standard she set in the parliament for all of us, the contributions to debate and the achievements for her community. That is more than most of us could ever hope for. I am sure she is right that, while she has had 20 years in the law and 20 years in here, there are at least 20 years further coming. I for one am very much looking forward to seeing the successes she achieves outside this place.

Mrs HURN (Schubert) (17:09): Lots has been said about the member for Bragg across both sides of the chamber not just today but over the last 20 years. First and foremost, though, Vickie Chapman, the member for Bragg, has been an absolute trailblazer for women in South Australia and a trailblazer for women in the Liberal Party.

I think it is safe to say that the member for Bragg has operated with elegance, composure and poise not only in the face of her challenges and her adversity but also in the face of all her opportunities. I feel so privileged to have spent just a short time with you in this chamber, and we are very privileged to be able to walk the path you have paved for us, and I thank you for your service.

Mr BROWN (Florey) (17:10): I was not sure whether I was going to say something today, but I thought that it would be remiss of me not to say something about the member for Bragg.

The member for Bragg's arrival in this place in 2002 also coincided with my becoming a slightly older but a still young and bushy-tailed adviser to the previous Rann government. Over my years, I worked for a number of ministers, who I will not rank by name, but let us just say that they vary from excellent quality to very passable.

Over those years working for those ministers, I came across the member for Bragg quite a number of times. I attended meetings with ministers when she would also be there. I had helped draft responses to questions on notice that she would ask. I have seen her in the committee stage of bills, and I have also dealt with amendments that she has drafted to government legislation. What I can say to anyone out there who is seeking to become an effective parliamentarian in this place is that if you want a masterclass about how you manage to achieve those things you should study the career of the member for Bragg.

Over the years, particularly in meetings, I must say that I have seen her do exceptional work. You always had to be on your toes when she was around, let me tell you, especially here in the chamber but also in meetings. I remember one particular example, but I will not say which minister I was I was working for. There was a question on notice that she had asked; I drafted a response and discussed it with the minister and other staff members.

The minister said to me, 'What do you think she's up to? What's this really about?' I said, 'Oh, well,' and that I thought this and I think that. One of the other staff said, 'Look, she's just asking a question. I'm sure there's nothing else in it,' and the minister said, 'If you actually believe that response, you don't know Vickie Chapman.' I can tell you that whenever she was involved in anything like that, as government, we knew we had to be on our toes.

Obviously, I have only been in this place a very small period of time, but being able to witness her up close doing what she does I have just been struck—whilst, of course, I have not agreed with her quite possibly any of the time—by the fact that she always gives 100 per cent. There is no doubt about it. One thing you cannot say about her is that she has never been disinterested in anything in this chamber. Whether we are here late at night debating any particular piece of legislation, no matter how long the committee stage goes, no matter how many amendments we are dealing with, she always gives 100 per cent.

I think that she has been not only someone we can learn from but I know that she has been an inspiration to a number of MPs in this place. I think that the Liberal Party is really going to miss her. I have to say that in some ways we are going to miss her, too, on this side. I wish her and her family very well for what, with any luck, will now be the post-political phase of her life.

Mr PISONI (Unley) (17:13): A lot has been said about the member for Bragg, Vickie Chapman. I think that the words that come to my mind to describe Vickie would be 'supportive' and 'honest'. She is a very honest person and, believe me, I have been at the end of very honest commentary from Vickie Chapman when I have asked her for advice. There is no telling you what you want to hear with Vickie. You get exactly what she thinks, and it is very valuable, particularly for a young person entering this place or a young person being a member of the parliament. Of course, there is also her capacity. Other members have spoken about Vickie's capacity, and there is no doubt she has enormous capacity to understand an issue, articulate that issue and also deliver the argument for that issue.

I am also very proud of the work she did in social progressive policies in this place. My daughter is a very big fan of Vickie Chapman. When we have school tours in here, currently Joyce Steele is the woman I talk about as being a trailblazer in the South Australian parliament, being the first woman elected to this place 59 years after women were given permission—by the men who used to run the parliament—to actually run for parliament. Now I am able to expand on that and say, 'And it took 124 years before a woman ended up as the Deputy Premier and the first female Attorney-General in this place.' To the member for Bragg, from my daughter, thank you so much for your leadership for women and what you have done for the people of Bragg and, more importantly, for the people of South Australia.

The Hon. K.A. HILDYARD (Reynell—Minister for Child Protection, Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (17:15): I felt that it was really important to say a few words about the member for Bragg. In thinking about what I was going to say as I ran up the stairs—hence why I am a little bit puffed out—I started to think about the first time that I saw the member for Bragg. You probably do not know this, Vickie, but I saw you literally running down North Terrace in I think Christian Louboutin heels (because I saw the red on the bottom), and I thought it was absolutely fabulous that you were doing that. I thought: what a formidable woman. That view has not changed.

I have observed the way that you conduct yourself and the heart and the mind that you bring to all of your endeavours. I think that your—I think you described it as relentless work—determination, sometimes difficultness, I think you said, make you formidable. I utterly admire the self-confidence that you have. I wish that more girls and women felt that sort of confidence to assert their views and their values in everything that they do.

I think that you will inspire more girls and women to be confident about setting their minds and their hearts to whatever particular dream they wish to pursue. I really wanted to recognise that in you, and to thank you for that. I think it is a really important thing for this place and I also think it is an incredibly important thing for girls and women in communities right across our state and indeed everywhere, so thank you.

Thank you also for the work and the passion that you have put into your endeavours to progress the status of girls and women in our state through your work around abortion laws, through your work around the decriminalisation of sex work laws, through your work on domestic violence, and in many other ways. You have been persistent, you have been strong, you have not wavered in your convictions, and that is an extraordinary thing.

When I am asked about what it is like to be in here and what is like to be amongst people with differing views, one of the things that I always say is that it is always inspiring when you come across someone and you meet someone, whichever side of the chamber they are on, who absolutely stands up for their values and stands up for their views. Even if you do not agree with them, the fact that you always relentlessly in such a steadfast way stand up for them is incredibly important and something I greatly admire.

The last thing I want to say, member for Bragg, is that I think you and I connected around mental health issues. We both shared some of our experiences about our families and we both did some work in support of GROW, a mental health organisation, and I really appreciated that connection. I appreciated the understanding that we shared, and I am sure that you will continue to also work to make sure that there is the best possible support available to anybody who is experiencing mental ill health.

On that, and on every other one of your endeavours, I am sure that you will continue to make change, you will continue to inspire those who follow. I think you are an incredible force, member for Bragg. I hope that here—not here in parliament but in some way—our paths cross again. I look forward to seeing where you apply your endeavour and I wish you all the very best.

The SPEAKER (17:20): I said at the outset of these remarks on indulgence that this is a significant occasion, and it is right that it be memorialised in this way. With you, member for Bragg, goes real wisdom, intelligence, toughness, passion, determination and humour. You have been a great leader for those who have agreed with you. You have lived your whole life in service of the state and, for those who have disagreed with you, nonetheless they have admired you. I admire you. That concludes the debate.

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