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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-11-16 Daily Xml
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Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (15:14): I take this opportunity in parliament to speak about the Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club and the important role that it plays in keeping the beaches safe in Glenelg. I also thank the many volunteers who patrol and pay tribute to a club legend, Pete Tidswell. This summer's surf lifesaving season commenced in October and, overall, the Glenelg Life Saving Club has 11 volunteer patrol teams who patrol on weekends and public holidays.

While not being able to acknowledge all of the approximately 150 volunteer surf lifesavers, on behalf of their teams I would like to acknowledge the patrol captains this year, including Dave O'Shaughnessy, Dan Everett, Ursula Simpson, Shane Limmer, Angus Stevens, Tash Tunney, Damien Fox, Lincoln Jeffrey, Shane Harris, Georgia Sumner and Benn Findlay. On behalf of our community, thank you for your service in keeping our beaches safe.

Additionally, lifesavers also show their skills at competitions, none bigger than the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships. The Aussies were held in Perth this year and the girls under-23 surf boat team, the Glenelg Grenades, won the gold medal, which is an amazing feat. Congratulations to Madi, Ella, Siobhan, Tilly; and sweep and surf boat legend, Pete Tidswell.

The Grenades were also recognised at Surf Life Saving SA's annual Awards of Excellence in June, with the Surf Sports Team of the Year. Other winners on the night from Glenelg were Amanda De Ieso, Assessor of the Year, and also Pete Tidswell, Coach of the Year. In November, Surf Life Saving Australia held their national awards of excellence and, in big news, Pete Tidswell was awarded the National Surf Sport Coach of the Year. It is a nationally significant achievement that puts Pete, the Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club and also Surf Life Saving South Australia on the national stage.

All members of Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club are so proud of Pete and thank him for his coaching, and also for teaching the next generation of lifesavers. Of course, it would not have been possible for Pete to win without the support of his family—wife, Sarah, and his kids, Abella, Jacob and Holly. I had the chance to congratulate Pete personally last week and, in typically modest fashion, Pete says he would have much preferred the girls under-23 surf boat team to have won rather than himself. So that says a lot about him.

I also take the opportunity in parliament to recognise the passing of obstetrician and former Mayor Dr Ken Rolland on 24 October. Ken's funeral was held last week at Our Lady of Victories Church in Glenelg, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues and the many people that Ken touched. Ken was raised in the country and finished his schooling as a boarder at PAC before studying to become an obstetrician in Adelaide. Ken met his wife, Anne, while studying and got married to Anne also at Our Lady of Victories Church. Over the next few years, they welcomed their children, Fiona and Bill.

Professionally, Ken delivered over 10,000 babies, many of them at the Glenelg Community Hospital—so close to where his family lived. He was so dedicated that he would rarely take holidays so he would not let expecting mothers down and could be on hand to deliver the baby.

Despite working already long hours, Ken was elected to the Holdfast Bay Council and was Mayor from 2002 to 2014. He would often take up community causes and work closely with the local service clubs, especially the Rotary clubs, in the area of Glenelg, Holdfast Bay and Somerton Park. Many times when making a decision at council, he would quote Rotary's four-way test; and many of the attendees at the funeral were from these Rotary clubs. Ken encouraged me to run for council in 2010, and I learnt a lot from him when he was Mayor and remember him fondly.

After finishing at council, Ken would often be seen having coffee at his favourite spot, the Broadway Kiosk, that overlooks the ocean. In fact, I saw Ken walking down there only two weeks before his death.

In 2018 Ken commissioned a beautiful statue to be placed at the end of Broadway of a mother dolphin and her child. It is a worthy gift from a person who gave so much service to Glenelg and the wider community. Holdfast Bay Council should also consider making a permanent tribute to recognise his service, and this is something that I would support.

My heartfelt sympathies go to his wife, Anne, his children, Fiona and Bill, and his grandchildren, Madeline and Amelia. Vale Dr Ken Rolland.

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