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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-11-03 Daily Xml
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Grievance Debate

Wall, Dr I.B.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan) (15:03): I rise to speak on the very sad passing of Ian Baker Wall AM—an extraordinary South Australian, a wonderfully talented engineer, businessman, generous philanthropist, husband to Pammie and father to Annabel and the late Lucinda and, of course, friend to so many in South Australia.

Ian Wall was born into a modest family. His mother and father worked extraordinarily hard to provide every single opportunity to their son. Ian attended Pulteney Grammar School, the School of Mines and Energy and St Peter's College. On completing his secondary education, he attended the University of Adelaide, residing at his much-loved St Mark's College.

Ian was a conscientious and well-liked student, referred to affectionately by his fellow students at St Mark's as Prof Wall. He participated in all of the broad extracurricular opportunities that St Mark's offered whilst he was attending, and it was at St Mark's that he met Alastair Wood and Jim Bettison, whom he would later go on to form the Codan company with. This was described by Ian as his work on the side while he was working as a television engineer at Philips.

Codan is an extraordinary South Australian company. In its time, it has employed thousands of South Australians, it has created enormous shareholder wealth and, of course, it has exported billions of dollars' worth of South Australian product overseas. In 2008, Ian Wall was honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to business, particularly through the design and manufacture of electronic communication equipment, and to the community through philanthropic activities.

In 2019, he was further honoured for significant service to the community through philanthropic initiatives, becoming a Member of the Order of Australia. Ian was, of course, a generous philanthropist, and he was joined in this pursuit by his beloved wife, Pammie. All South Australians should know of their generosity. All South Australians, current and future, are the beneficiaries of their extraordinary generosity over decades and decades. Their interests included health, heritage, veterans, educational institutions, politics, the visual arts and, of course, the performing arts.

Ian and Pammie were regular attendees at just about every single fundraiser in South Australia. They were extraordinary with the schedule that they kept up. They were seen as the glamorous couple that were the ornament to any fundraiser in South Australia. They would often attend multiple fundraising events in a single day and, in fact, sometimes two in a single night.

Recently, probably only going back two months, I was at a dinner with Ian and Pammie and Ian had to basically break up the dinner that night at about 10.30 and announce to the table that he was off to another function. This was typical: they wanted to squeeze every single bit out of the wonderful life they lived together. Ian lived his life to the full, a thoughtful, modest, committed South Australian who loved his family and who loved his state.

I had the enormous privilege to spend much time with Ian Wall. He was always happy to share his time and his wisdom. His personal story is one of great inspiration. I can think of very few South Australians who have achieved so much and who have given so much. I spent much time with Ian during his final weeks. He was extraordinarily well cared for at Calvary Wakefield, Regis Mitchell Park and, finally, at the Flinders Medical Centre. By his side every day was his widow, Pammie.

In his final days, both Ian and Pammie were conferred with honorary doctorates from the University of Adelaide—both very worthy recipients. Ian's final farewell will be held at St Peter's Cathedral next Friday 11 November at 2pm and then at St Mark's College afterwards. Ian Baker Wall passed away peacefully on the morning of 26 October. He was 91½ years old. He leaves an incredible legacy. He will be remembered always as a great South Australian. I extend my sincere condolences to his widow, Pammie, and his daughter, Annabel. Vale, Dr Ian Baker Wall AM.

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