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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-11-26 Daily Xml
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Condolence

OLSON, MR J.W.

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (11:04): I move:

That the Legislative Council expresses its deep regret at the recent death of Mr John William Olson, former member of the House of Assembly, and places on record its appreciation of his distinguished and meritorious public service, and that as a mark of respect to his memory the sitting of the council be suspended until the ringing of the bells.

I was saddened to learn of the death of John William Olson, better known as Jack Olson, who died on 13 November 2008, aged 92. Jack served as the member for Semaphore from June 1973 until 1979, under the premiership of Don Dunstan and then Des Corcoran. He was also a longstanding member of the trade union movement in South Australia, and he served his nation with bravery and distinction during World War II.

Jack Olson is remembered as a hardworking and devoted local member, who represented the interests of the people of Semaphore, an area where he was born, raised and lived virtually all of his adult life with diligence and integrity.

John William Olson was born in Semaphore on 10 October 1916, during the First World War. In April 1943, at the age of 26, Jack enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force. He was part of the RAAF's 452 Spitfire Squadron, which was the first Australian squadron to form in Britain during the Second World War. The 452 Squadron was ordered to return to Australia in 1942 to bolster our nation's air defences, and from early 1943 it was based in Darwin, where Jack Olson served as a leading aircraftman.

Following his discharge at the end of the war, Jack took on the role of union organiser with the Amalgamated Postal Workers Union, and by 1960 he was working as a full-time union official. Eventually, Jack rose to the position of APWU state secretary.

In 1973, Jack won Labor Party preselection to contest a by-election in the seat of Semaphore, following the untimely death of the former speaker of the House of Assembly, Reg Hurst. Jack won the by-election convincingly, then further increased his majority at the 1975 state election and was re-elected again in 1977. Jack was committed to the western suburbs and was passionate about the issues that were important to working people and families in his electorate.

He and his wife Pearl raised their family of four children in Semaphore, and they were involved in many aspects of the community's day-to-day life. Jack was a well-known and popular figure within his electorate because of the tireless work he undertook on behalf of his constituents.

Even though he was aged just 63 when the 1979 state election was called, Jack was unable to stand due to the fact that he would have reached retirement age before the 44th parliament had served its term. He later told family members that his one regret of political life was that he was not allowed to stand in 1979 and to fight for the right to serve a fourth term. That was at the time, of course, when there were age restrictions within the Labor Party on members of parliament. Following his retirement from parliament, Jack Olson remained an avid follower of the union movement and of politics in all its forms.

On behalf of all members on this side of the chamber, I extend my condolences to Jack's children, Marilyn, David, Robert and Philip, his four grandchildren, and all of his family and many friends.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (11:07): I rise on behalf of the opposition to support the condolence motion and to express our regret at the passing of John William Olson, former member for Semaphore. As the leader of the government said, he was known as Jack Olson. He was born on 10 October 1916. He worked as a postal worker and, before that, a motor body builder. He served our country during the Second World War as part of 452 Squadron in Darwin. Jack Olson and so many other people served their community and country with distinction during a time of war, and when they returned they got on with their life.

On his return from war service, Jack Olson became state secretary of the Amalgamated Postal Workers Union, an executive member of the Australian Labor Party and the United Trades and Labor Council, and also a delegate to that council. He demonstrated a strong commitment to the union movement and to improving the rights of injured workers.

In a by-election in 1973, he was elected as the member for Semaphore and represented that electorate until 1979. During his time, he was a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Land Settlement in 1974-75 (chairman in 1975), a member of the Public Accounts Committee from 1975 until 1979 and a member of the Public Works Committee in 1979.

During his time as the Labor member for Semaphore, Jack Olson was frequently confused with another John W. Olsen who, at the time, was the state president of the Liberal Party. He eventually had to ask then premier Dunstan to advise the media of the error and confusion, after receiving many out-of-hours phone calls to discuss internal Liberal Party matters. I guess that these after-hours phone calls still continue for people on both sides of politics today.

Jack Olson is survived by his children, Marilyn, David, Robert and Phillip, daughter-in-law Lorraine and grandchildren, Sean, Brooke, Purdey and Skye, and we thank them for his great service and acknowledge the contribution he made to the state, the parliament and his country.

Motion carried by members standing in their places in silence.


[Sitting suspended from 11:10 to 11:26]


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