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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-10-16 Daily Xml
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Byner, Mr L.

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (15:33): I rise today to pay tribute to a local member of the Torrens community, a distinguished South Australian voice who is unwell and I understand is listening from his hospital bed today. It is fitting to take a moment to acknowledge the contributions he has made to the media and to the lives of many South Australians over a remarkable career spanning more than six decades. There are DJs, shock jocks and talkback hosts, and then there is Leon Byner, the consummate broadcaster, one of the few presenters to host programs on stations in every Australian capital city.

Leon's journey in broadcasting began at just 14 years of age when he was an announcer at the Alfred hospital fete in St Kilda, Melbourne. It was there that John Bell, who later went on to found the Bell Shakespeare company, remarked that Leon had a voice for radio. That early spark ignited a lifelong vocation. Leon honed his craft in the demanding world of country radio starting at age 17 in Shepparton, Victoria. The do-everything ethos of the 1960s regional broadcasting taught him the skills that would define his career. He really did the hard yards.

By the late 1960s, Leon had arrived in Adelaide, working the midnight to dawn shift, known as the graveyard shift, at 5AD before being snapped up by 5KA. His talent soon took him to Sydney in the early 1970s, where he stepped in to fill in for John Laws on 2UW's number one show, an early sign of his national standing.

Leon returned to Adelaide in 1975, where he became a mainstay of local radio. There are some in this chamber who grew up listening to him spin the discs, introducing us to the best pop and rock music of the day. Later, for over two decades, he hosted the top-rating morning talkback program on FIVEaa and its regional affiliates across South Australia, becoming a trusted companion in homes, cars and workplaces across the state. Leon Byner loaned his deep, smooth voice to many causes, and he often directed callers to MPs he thought would pick the issue up and assist the caller. My staff would prepare for the incoming calls on the day he would direct the caller with a particular issue to my office, and I know others did as well.

His commitment to public service through media earned him 13 nominations at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards in Best Talk and Current Affairs. He also received three nominations for Australian of the Year. Leon's program became more than a radio show. It was a public forum where citizens could seek help, share ideas, and demand action. Countless individuals and families have benefited from his willingness to investigate injustices, amplify forgotten stories and persist where others might look away, whether it was a small business battling bureaucracy, a family seeking justice, or a community rallying to support local produce and save an icon like Spring Gully. Leon did not just report the news; he listened, acted, and he cared.

Politicians were regularly on his program, sometimes with trepidation, knowing that you would go to air to speak about one topic but could be vigorously questioned on another, with surprise talent being thrown into the mix. I know the Wallis cinema family, Deanne and Michelle, who are with us in the gallery today, greatly appreciated his support over the years. When there was a story to be told in supporting South Australia, Leon often stepped up to the plate.

Like many who live boldly in the public eye, Leon's career was not without complexity. His ability to endure, adapt and remain connected to his audience speaks to his authenticity and the deep trust he cultivated over decades. In 2022, after more than 20 years as a morning voice of FIVEaa, Leon stepped down, the last of the old guard of Adelaide talkback radio. The following year, his lifetime of service was recognised with the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to radio broadcast.

Leon Byner may never have sought public office, but in many ways he fulfilled one of its callings: to stand with the people, to speak for the voiceless and to be dedicated to making South Australia a better place. To Leon, our best wishes and may you be surrounded by love, comfort and friendship.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Ms Stinson): Before we note grievances, I would just like to add my thoughts to the group of carers that we had in and those representing carers. They do remarkable work. I have been very lucky in my time in this place to work with many of them, including foster and kinship carers and also Grandcarers SA, as they are now known. I hope they enjoyed their stay here, and I thank those who took the opportunity to speak about them and commend their work.

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