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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-06-15 Daily Xml
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Adjournment Debate

Lawrie, Ms J.L.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:45): I take the opportunity to offer a contribution to the adjournment debate today in loving and respectful memory of Jean Lawrie. Jean Lawrie was a servant of our nation, of our state, of the Liberal Party, but I suspect in Jean's and her family's mind first and foremost she was a servant of her beloved Port. The Port Adelaide community knew Jean and her entire family not just for a short period of time but for decades, for more than half a century.

She grew up in Hindmarsh Valley on the Fleurieu Peninsula. She attended school in a very small schoolhouse, which I remember attending and being told of Jean's stories of being educated in that very small schoolhouse. I do not know if she suspected at the time when we were discussing it that I might one day be an education minister but in Jean's memory, when I was education minister I had a look at that schoolhouse again. It did not bear a financial representation worth reopening it, but for Jean it was worth a look.

Jean served the Liberal Party over many decades, which is how I got to know her first and foremost. She joined the party because she felt there was an opportunity to serve her community through supporting the Liberal Party in the area, which she did by doorknocking the entire state seat she was running for, encouraging people to join the Liberal Party, and in that seat—I think it was Price at the time—the membership has never again been so high.

She ran for parliament seven times, which for a woman in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s I suspect was a record, certainly for somebody who was unsuccessful but kept putting herself forward as an authentic representative candidate for her community, someone for whom Liberal voters could vote with confidence, knowing that, if she had been elected, she would have served with absolute confidence, composure, compassion and ability.

For federal Port Adelaide, for state seats in the north-western suburbs, in Jean Lawrie the party had an excellent candidate. Jean passed away after living with Parkinson's disease for more than two decades; she ended up ultimately succumbing to COVID in recent weeks. She lived to the age of 95 and lived a very full life, a life of which her family, her community and certainly our Liberal Party can be very proud, but of course every death we mourn and are sad for, particularly her family.

Her children Rae, Sue, Jock and the late Jo mourn her passing, along with grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The eulogies given by Rae and Sue, along with other members of the community, including Simon Birmingham and Rosalie Haese, representing her Liberal Party involvement, were incredibly heartwarming, and some of the stories of Jean's contribution to the community were amusing, heartfelt and evidence of the substance she offered.

I think a couple of the contributions she made to the broader community are worth bearing in mind. Jean was a founding member of the Bangka Strait SA Women's Memorial Playing Fields Trust. In memory of those women who were massacred in 1942, I think it was, Jean committed herself and every year would attend the annual ceremony in their memory. She was acknowledged by the trust for that, and that was on display at her funeral. Also on display at her funeral was the life membership that she was granted by the Electric Light Cricket Association. The reflections of one of her former adversaries on the pitch were most amusing, and I think the contribution she made to women's sport in South Australia is significant.

To the Liberal Party, there is the memory of her being granted a Meritorious Service Award. It is granted to people in our Liberal community who have served the party with honour and dedication and go above and beyond. It was matched only by the fact that she was awarded a Distinguished Service Award as well. Very few Distinguished Service Awards are granted by our Liberal family. In South Australia, there are usually between one and three every year—I think there are some years where none are awarded—mostly to people who have postnominals and titles. Jean did not have those postnominals, but in the heart and eyes of the Liberal family she certainly deserved and merited those awards.

Jean's family will miss her greatly. Rae gave a beautiful speech at the funeral outlining what Jean had done across her life, the way she had contributed to local businesses in the Port, the way she stood up for her community and the contribution she made to community life. Her daughter Sue, the member of the family I know best, along with Sue's son Robert, similarly has served the Liberal Party. She has run for parliament on, I think, seven occasions.

Indeed, I reflect that Sue's eulogy was one of absolute passion and was heartfelt. It was a story of making friends again with her mother in her 30s. The life they had together and the travels she had with so many I do not think will be forgotten by anybody who was at the funeral.

A measure of the high esteem in which Jean was held by the Liberal Party can be reflected by the fact that Senator the Hon. Simon Birmingham; Senator the Hon. Andrew McLachlan; the member for Frome, Penny Pratt; the member for Bragg, Jack Batty; and myself were in attendance along with former members Christopher Pyne and Wayne Matthew. In this chamber, I would like to also place on the record for the parliamentary Hansard the wonderful life of service of Jean Lawrie.

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