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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-06-27 Daily Xml
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Nankivell, Mr W.F.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (15:46): By leave, I move:

That the House of Assembly expresses its deep regret at the death of Mr William Field Nankivell, former member of the House of Assembly, and places on record its appreciation of his long and meritorious service, and that as a mark of respect to his memory the sitting of the house be suspended until the ringing of the bells.

I rise to pay tribute to Bill Nankivell, who passed away on 11 June having reached the incredible age of 100 years. His was a storied life: he was the son of a Church of Christ minister in Mount Gambier, descended from farmers and miners who had come to make their fortunes in the newly established colony of South Australia.

He was a strong student, graduating from Kings College in Adelaide (now Pembroke School), but his early studies to become a vet were derailed by the Second World War, in which he enlisted as a leading aircraftsman. Upon discharge, he chose instead to undertake agricultural studies at Roseworthy College. After completing his degree, he returned to the land, running sheep and cattle on his property in Willalooka on the Limestone Coast. However, he was increasingly drawn to state politics and ran as the Liberal and Country League's candidate for the seat of Albert for the 1959 state election, joining the government of Tom Playford.

For 20 years, Bill served the people of regional Australia in the House of Assembly, first as the member for Albert and then, after the seat was abolished, as the member for Mallee, serving on multiple parliamentary committees, until his retirement from politics in 1979.

Bill was also a company director for Southern Farmers and served on the board of the State Bank of South Australia until 1991. I offer my condolences to Diane, his wife of 69 years, their sons Andrew and Tim, and to their families and loved ones. I move that this motion be commended to the house. May Mr Bill Nankivell rest in peace.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (15:49): On behalf of the opposition, I also rise to make a contribution to the condolence motion as moved by the Premier. I was saddened to hear of the passing of William Field Nankivell, better known to his family and friends as Bill. At 100 years of age when he passed in June, Bill Nankivell was the oldest living former Liberal member of parliament, having initially been elected to this place in 1959. I note that he retired several years prior to either the Premier or myself being born.

Bill was born in Mount Gambier in 1923 and served in the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II. He graduated from Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1944 and went on to study agricultural science at the University of Adelaide, graduating in 1952. He was a farmer at Willalooka, south of Keith in the Limestone Coast region, and a businessman before entering politics. He married Diane in 1947 and they went on to have two sons. He was first elected as the Liberal and Country League member for Albert in 1959. He represented regional communities including a portion of the course of the River Murray and the towns of Renmark, Berri, Loxton, Pinnaroo, Karoonda and Waikerie.

While for most of his time as a member of parliament Bill was in opposition, he did serve as a member on the government benches under Premier Steele Hall between 1968 and 1970. I think it is worth reflecting on the sad loss of these two significant figures from the Liberal Party of the 1960s and 1970s within quick succession, as well as Jennifer Cashmore, whose condolence motion we just recognised and who was Bill's neighbour in the same retirement facility in Glenunga.

In 1970 the seat that Bill represented, Albert, was abolished, although he then went on to become the member for Mallee until his retirement in 1979. He was renowned for his hard work on behalf of his constituents and his no-nonsense approach to politics, which earned him many friends and wide respect. He continued to enjoy Friday lunches, after a church service at the local Uniting Church, with former Deputy Premier Roger Goldsworthy until just a few weeks ago.

Over the years, Bill was shadow minister for primary industries and education, as well as an inaugural member of the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee when it was formed in 1972. Although he represented his community for close to two decades, his career was not without political challenge. At the 1977 preselection process within the party, he was challenged by the former Liberal member for Millicent, Mr Murray Vandepeer, after the electorate of Millicent was absorbed into surrounding seats. Bill won the preselection and went on to win the seat of Mallee. When Bill told his local branch in 1978 that he was retiring, he apparently explained to them that he had not entered parliament with the intention of becoming a career politician, despite at that point having been there for close to 20 years and being the longest-serving Liberal member in the House of Assembly.

I had the privilege of personally visiting Bill for his 100th birthday last year, where I sat down with him for about half an hour and talked about his time in parliament. I was impressed by his sharpness of mind and the stories he had to tell, and was pleasantly—perhaps—surprised to find out that he was still driving despite his age. I want to thank Bill for his significant service to South Australia and his commitment to the South Australian Liberal Party over many decades. On behalf of the state Liberal parliamentary team, I want to offer my condolences to Bill's family and friends. Vale Bill Nankivell.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (15:53): I rise to pay my respects to Bill Nankivell who was the member, essentially, for the seat that I now hold, the seat of Hammond. As has been stated, Bill was born in Mount Gambier in 1923 and held land at Willalooka, but he also had land at Geranium up in the Mallee, which is quite fitting for the name of his seat later on.

Bill was elected in 1959 to the seat of Albert, and then he was re-elected another seven times in 20 years. You would think they must have had a passion for elections back then. He had eight elections he faced off in that time, going from Albert to the seat of Mallee, and then obviously retiring in 1979. The seat then became Ridley and then the seat of Hammond. It is interesting to note there has only been one member between Bill and I, and that was Peter Lewis.

I was privileged to meet Bill, and I wish I had met with Bill more, especially when I met him at his 100th birthday last year. I met him twice that I can recall; there may have been other times. I remember meeting him here as a primary school student over 50 years ago when he gave me and my class from Coomandook a tour of the parliament, and I certainly did not have the passion at all at that early age to be a politician.

As the leader has said, it was so great to see Bill on the occasion of his centenary and to see his sharpness of mind. I thought he was going to be with us for a much longer time because he was still driving, as the leader said. He was very articulate and I thought, 'Wow, Bill, you're a true legend,' as he was when he served his country as a leading aircraftsman during World War II. Along with his friend Roger Goldsworthy, they classed themselves as parliamentarians not politicians.

To his family, his friends and the people who served with him I pay my condolences. He will be sadly missed. He made a great contribution over 100 years not just to this state but to agriculture and to his family. Vale Bill Nankivell.

Motion carried by members standing in their places in silence.

The SPEAKER: The house will stand suspended until the ringing of the bells.

Sitting suspended from 15:58 to 16:07.

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