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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
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SNEATH, HON. R.K.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (15:56): By leave, I move:

That this council notes the retirement of the Hon. Bob Sneath and his meritorious service to the parliament and this state as President of the Legislative Council and as a long-serving member.

It is certainly with mixed emotions that I rise to speak about Bob Sneath on his retirement from public office, from parliament and from his office as President. On the one hand, I obviously feel a sense of sadness to be losing a wonderful colleague from this place, but on the other hand I know that he will be entering into a very active and interesting chapter in his life.

Bob was born in Kingston in the South-East and was educated at Tantanoola Primary School and Millicent High School. After school he worked as a shearer and then later became an organiser with the Australian Workers Union. His chosen career was not an easy one, but one which I know he is proud of, which no doubt has been extremely rewarding and which has obviously helped mould him into the wonderful man that he is today.

Since then, he has been involved in community life on many fronts, but all have been focused on helping people, helping those less fortunate than most and helping those who do not have the same access to privilege as others. In later years Bob became secretary of the AWU, and later he was a member of the state executive of the Australian Labor Party and was elected president of the party in 1999.

Just a year later, Bob was appointed to the Legislative Council following the early retirement of George Weatherill, and he has been President of the council for the past six years. I have had the great pleasure of working with Bob for many years, and in all that time I have known him he has been an absolutely passionate campaigner and supporter of the little guy. Bob and I go back many, many years. We worked together in the union movement a long way back. I always enjoyed working with Bob and his union at that time and have enjoyed working with him here in this place.

Bob is a good man through and through. He is compassionate and generous, and I know he has helped many people throughout his life, which I have no doubt he will continue to do throughout his retirement. Not only did he fight for workers' rights for all of those years, but there is a whole range of things he has been personally involved in, including helping out individuals and their families who found themselves in trouble or difficulty. He has assisted them to work through their problems and broker outcomes that have been incredibly helpful to these people and their families, and he does this with a great sense of generosity, kindness and utmost respect for people and humanity generally.

He has also been a very big supporter and fundraiser for the Neil Sachse Foundation and the Down Syndrome Society of South Australia. He has been a ferocious fundraiser and campaigner—I have been stung many times—and all of this has occurred quietly, with no fanfare. He is a no-fuss sort of a bloke. As I have said, I have always enjoyed working with Bob because he has always been such a ferocious campaigner for justice and equity.

I think that one of his secrets of success is that, while he is an absolute straight shooter—everyone knows at all times exactly where they stand with Bob; he leaves you in no doubt whatsoever—he has the utmost respect for people, and this is very much reflected in the way in which he treats people. He will listen and consider things very carefully, after which he is not afraid to come out and call it the way he then sees it. Even if he is the only person with that particular point of view, he will be incredibly vocal and forceful about expressing his view on issues.

Bob has never been afraid of controversy, and he has never been afraid of taking on the establishment—even the party and the caucus. He has always been ferociously up-front. So, Bob is a man who has the courage of his convictions, and he is not one to follow a point of view just because it is a populist one. If it means that he has to stand alone, then Bob stands alone. As I have said, he is a man of great conviction.

Mr President, when you hear the typical criticism from the opposition and also from some sectors of the media-—and we hear it all the time—carrying on about the Labor Party putting union officials into positions of power, they show their ignorance, as you well know, about the wealth of human experience, insight, knowledge, skill and expertise that people like Bob have about the working life of Australians. Bob's long service, including with the union movement, has obviously moulded him into a very skilled and clever negotiator.

Bob has a quiet, disarming, non-threatening manner—except when he is yelling at you in disagreement, of course—and he is very skilled at being able to get people to identify clearly what it is they want and what it is that is important to them and then helping them to negotiate a pathway forward that satisfies the parties. To top it off, he has a fabulous dry wit and a very wicked sense of humour, which make him great company—and I have always enjoyed Bob's company.

Bob is a very generous soul, Mr President, as you well know. He loves a wine, and he does not mind sharing it with you, either. He loves his tucker as well, and he does not mind sharing his chips with you, either! As I said, he is a very generous soul. I do not know where I am going to get my chips from, Bob.

Somewhere in amongst that very busy life, Bob found the time to marry Pam and raise a family. Together, he and Pam, his partner for 44 years—she needs a medal, I think!—raised four children—Jodie, Dwaine, Joshua and Sam—who have now produced a string of grandchildren for them to dote on, which Bob loves doing. Bob's passions include fishing, family and grandchildren, and I am very sure that those interests will keep him very busy during his retirement.

When he does take a few moments from his busy retirement to reflect on his career, I think and believe that Bob should be very proud of the very honourable and immensely valuable contribution that he has made not only to this place in particular but to this state generally. Obviously, there are some members of this chamber who will want to make individual contributions but, on behalf of everyone here and the people of South Australia, I would like to thank Bob for his fabulous contribution and wish he and Pam a very long, happy and fulfilling retirement.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (16:05): It is with a great deal of pleasure that I stand to second the motion of the Leader of the Government and add a few other comments to her remarks which, I think, have very accurately covered the life of Robert Sneath, who, of course, we know was elected to this place on 4 October 2000. He was a replacement for Mr George Weatherill, who, of course, is the father of the current Premier. So Bob, you have had a hand in, I think, the Premier's elevation. Now that you have departed, I guess, from your perspective you would see that you had achieved your goal in getting one of your boys into the top job.

Mr Sneath (Bob) was born, as the minister opposite said, in Kingston, educated in the South-East and became a shearer. Because I am from the South-East, I was recently at the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League grand final and there were two gentlemen who I ran into that day and had a brief word with.

One was Mr George Lannin, from a little town called Lillimur, just over the Victorian border, where Bob was a shearing contractor and shore at his property for a number of years. We have often discussed the good times that he had shearing there and the fellowship that they enjoyed with Mr Lannin and his family, whether it was on the property or in the Kaniva Hotel or maybe even the Serviceton railway refresh or the Wolseley Hotel. In the brief time I spoke to George, he asked me to pass on his best wishes and also his best wishes in retirement to you.

The other person I spoke to was one of his very loyal union members—a gentleman well in his eighties now by the name of Pat Jarrett. Pat was our shearer and he and his brother, Hope, were shearers on our property for as long as I can remember, through until they retired from shearing. The whole Jarrett family are very staunch members of the AWU and it is fair to say that, while they are very good friends of mine, it took some coaxing to get them to even consider voting below the line in the 2002 election to vote for me, number one, but they then went straight back to the number two spot for all of the members of the Labor Party. Pat Jarrett also passes on his best wishes to you in your retirement.

One other person who is a friend in the Lower South-East is Mrs Margaret Considine. She talks about 'young Robert' working for them on the farm. I just notice, printed in The Advertiser on 7 May 2004, is a caption titled 'Big Bob says home cooking is a heavy burden.'

Weighing into the debate on obesity, Labor MLC Bob Sneath blamed his wife's cooking for his ample girth.

He says:

When I got married, I was 11 stone wringing wet...This is a good opportunity to blame my wife. It must be her cooking.

Margaret Considine talked about 'little Robert' and she said he was only a skinny little bloke. She did not actually say 11 stone wringing wet, but she did comment on your much larger person these days than when you worked for the Considines.

I have often used the description of Bob when I have had school tours in this place and young male and female children ask me: 'What do you have to do to be a member of parliament? Do you have to go to university? What do you have to do?' I often explain that I did not go to university—I am from a farming background in the South-East—and I often use Bob as an example of somebody who was a shearer, joined the union movement, worked his way through the union movement and ended up holding here in this place one of the highest offices in our state.

I think it is a real credit to Bob but also our democratic system that our parliament is a true mirror of society. Once we are in this place we are all treated equally, and it is a real credit to Bob, and I think to this place, that he was elevated to the position of president. I am sure his family is very proud of the fact that he achieved that and, as president, served this place with distinction and discharged his duties very well. An article in The Advertiser on 29 September 2000, entitled 'Ordinary bloke joins parliament', states:

An 'ordinary bloke' who wants to 'bring a bit of the bush into parliament' will replace retiring MLC George Weatherill in the Legislative Council. Bob Sneath...ALP president and Australian Workers Union secretary, will take over the position in the next session of parliament, starting on October 4. Mr Sneath said his priorities will include industrial relations, opposing further privatisation and increasing the number of apprentices. 'I am an ordinary bloke from the bush and will be trying to make things easier for people to understand,' he said.

I think that epitomises Bob Sneath; he is just an ordinary bloke who has served the state well and who has served this parliament well. On behalf of members on this side of the chamber I wish him and his family, Pam and all his children and grandchildren, all the very best for his retirement.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (16:10): I rise to very briefly make a few comments on behalf of Family First. I would like to begin my contribution by congratulating you, Mr President, on your elevation to your position; I think anyone who achieves the position of President of the Legislative Council has much to be proud of. I say that about yourself and also about the, I guess, formerly honourable Bob Sneath—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: —who we still all regard as honourable; I have no doubt of that at all. I remember much about Bob. I remember my very first day in parliament when the new president, as he was then, was being sworn in. I had never met Bob, although I had heard of him, of course, and I went up to congratulate him and shake his hand as a brand new member of parliament myself. I said to him 'Well done, Mr President,' and he said 'Yeah, not bad for a shearer is it mate?' That gave me a real insight into who he was straight away.

We will think of Bob as a really honest and decent person, and if you can leave this place with this reputation you have done very, very well. Sadly, some people do not. It is a credit to you, Bob, for being able to conduct yourself in such a way that I believe you are genuinely liked by all sides, whether they be crossbench, government or opposition. People, including me, regard you are someone who is inherently fair and impartial in our debates and as someone to be respected because of that.

As Bob is the only president I have ever had, he is both the best and the worst president I have ever had, but I will certainly regard him as the best—that is, of course, until now, Mr Current President. Perhaps one final thought: I remember very fondly those terrific dinners Bob hosted over the years. They were really fantastic occasions that I enjoyed being part of. Thank you, Bob. I wish you all the best for you and your family in your retirement. God bless.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (16:13): I will be brief, but I think this is an important time to put on the public record my personal appreciation of the former president the Hon. Bob Sneath. However before doing so I congratulate you, sir; it is a very important position and a privileged position, and I am sure that, having had the former president as your mentor, you will carry on in a very similar fashion.

I have served under four speakers of the House of Assembly and only one president, but I have had a chance to compare and contrast those four speakers and president of the Legislative Council in the Hon. Bob Sneath, and I am very pleased to put on the public record that when it comes to balance, commitment to members and their requirements, and due process within standing orders and the parliamentary system, I have found the Hon. Bob Sneath to be number one in the way in which he conducted the business of the chamber in which we serve.

I also want to acknowledge, after talking to Bob several times over this, the commitment of Bob's family, particularly his wife. I have not so far had the privilege of being able to spend time with her, but I know that behind the scenes—as difficult as it is for the spouse of a member of parliament, and particularly in the case of the president's role—that Mrs Sneath was very supportive, although not up front all the time, and right alongside the president, and in other appropriate places was very supportive as well.

Coming from the country, I would have thought we would both have similar ideologies and I was a little surprised when I learnt that the former president was a member of the left and clearly, as colleagues would know, I am a long way away from the left. However, having said that, there is a lot of commonality here that I saw with the president and that is the commonality of the privilege to serve the South Australian community and the commitment, irrespective of your faction and your party, to be professional and to try to get the best possible outcomes for the community. Clearly, the Hon. Bob Sneath has done that.

Now that he is going back to the country I hope that he puts more focus back on rural and regional South Australia. I know that he has not always been the strongest supporter of grants for the regions and for agriculture and the like (as I have been) but perhaps once he gets back into his real territory in the South-East, where he is going to spend his retirement, the farmers and regional and rural people will again influence him and he will be able to encourage the government to look at a broad-based government focus rather than what has drifted sometimes a bit the other way. I still see that the Hon. Bob Sneath will have a role to play as a continuing member of the Labor Party.

I want to finish by saying that I know he is a good fisherman and, in fact, Mr President, I understand he may be even a little better as a fisherman than you are. I hope that he catches a lot of fish now that he has retired and that he has a long, healthy, safe and successful retirement with his family. He has worked hard not only in here but in his life career and I have certainly been privileged to serve under him as president, and I wish him and his family every success in the future.

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (16:16): I also rise to comment on the Hon. Bob Sneath as our former president, and my memories are probably much the same as the Hon. Dennis Hood's. Bob became president here in the same year and at the same time as I was elected into this place. I came in here very naive about parliamentary process or parliament in general and I found Bob, over the years, to be very helpful to me. I have sat up there in the chair beside him many times asking for clarification and explanations on matters that were quite confusing to me. I have always found him to be, as other members have said, an honest, kind-hearted person. If he said something you could basically take it as the truth. Although he had plenty of opportunity with me to play some sort of political game, he never did—or I do not think he did—and if he did he is very good at it!

I do not know very much about Bob's personal life and I do not know very much about Bob's past, apart from the fact that he was a shearer, but having two uncles who were previously shearers and knowing the sort of personality and character they have, it helped me to form a view that he was the right person for the job in this place. He did bring balance and fairness, and he was firm. We may have only butted heads a couple of times but in those times that we did, I will now admit that I felt a little intimidated and I found him sometimes a little scary but perhaps that was more my stuff than his.

I wish Bob all the best in his retirement and happy caravanning—I envy him the opportunity to take off in his caravan and have a relaxed life. I wish his family well, too, and hope that they are able to keep him busy and occupied enough after his life in politics for so many years.

Mr President, I hope that we can have the same kind of working relationship—and I am sure we can—and, again, with other members, I congratulate you on your elevation to the position of President, and I look forward to at least the next 12 months working with you in this place. To the Hon. Bob Sneath I say take care of yourself and make the very best of the years of retirement that you have earnt.

The Hon. M. PARNELL (16:20): I rise to acknowledge the Hon. Bob Sneath's contribution to this place as president of the Legislative Council and I echo the remarks of colleagues in wishing him and Pam all the very best in retirement. As other members have noted, those of us in the class of 2006, he is the only president that we have ever known, but the additional observation that I want to bring is to note that Bob was a very fair president.

I know that behind the scenes he was often exhorted to sacrifice democracy for expediency. I think many of us know our colleagues in another place do not fully understand the workings of this chamber here and I have no doubt that behind the scenes they were putting pressure on Bob to shut down the debate, to move things along and to meet a timeline that was other than of this Legislative Council's own making. We noted that pressure existed and, to his credit, he resisted that pressure overwhelmingly. That means that he was batting for the Legislative Council and, in batting for the Legislative Council, I think we all owe him a debt of gratitude.

He nearly always gave us a fair go and for that I thank him as well. I do not know whether this is a good point or a bad point but I never got thrown out by Bob. I will note that I have only ever once dissented from the president's ruling. It was very early on in my political career and I am prepared to say now that I did not fully appreciate the consequences of where that path was leading us in terms of what happens if a person having dissented the president's ruling then gets the support of honourable members. I think that is known as a career limiting move for the president.

Common sense prevailed and we eventually adjourned the debate for me to calm down and for all of us to collect our thoughts and, as a result, we have had the Hon. Bob Sneath as a long serving president of the Legislative Council. I know that my colleague the Hon. Tammy Franks has some remarks as well but on behalf of the Greens I would like to thank Bob for his years of service and thank him for the fair go that he has given all of us in the Legislative Council.

The Hon. S.G. WADE (16:22): I rise to acknowledge the service of the Hon. Bob Sneath as the president of the Legislative Council. Bob Sneath was one of the few members of the Labor Legislative Council team that I had even heard of before I entered the parliament in 2006. As I went around seeking preselection support in the South-East, Liberal preselectors spoke warmly of Bob Sneath and his work as an organiser with the AWU in the area. He was praised as a sensible union representative who had been known to tell a union member that their demands were unreasonable.

I do not think that the Hon. Bob Sneath always sat comfortably in the president's chair. One saw flashes of the frustration of a shearers' union organiser who would rather be on the floor debating issues without the constraints of the presiding officer. Nonetheless he was a good president and a fair president and we appreciate his efforts over these six years to maintain the standards and traditions of this place.

I particularly want to thank the Hon. Bob Sneath for his defence of this council. Symbolic of this was his actions during the recent renovations of the House of Assembly chamber. The president ensured that the right of the Legislative Council to use its own chamber was respected while accommodations were appropriately made for the House of Assembly to meet here. I have also previously praised his initiative of installing artworks in this place which link us back to our origins and they will continue to adorn the walls of the eastern and western upper gallery for years to come.

I wish the Hon. Bob Sneath and his family all the best in his retirement. We know how much his family means to him and trust that they enjoy many years sharing their lives in the future. I wish the Hon. John Gazzola well in his service of this place in the role of president. I know that he too will experience frustration from time to time as he assumes the constraints of the office. I assure him of my support and encouragement in the discharge of his important role as presiding officer of this council.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (16:24): I rise briefly to acknowledge the only president that I have known and, so again, I echo the words of the Hon. Dennis Hood that this has been both the best and the worst in my experience, but certainly I think as presidents and speakers go that I have observed across parliaments across Australia and New Zealand, Bob certainly is an outstanding president. As we all know, he was a sheep shearer and then a union organiser. My family was actually a little step down from that, having been sheep muleses, so not quite as glamorous as the sheep shearer.

Bob's humour and generosity went a long way to ensuring that this place and the debates in this place contained much less tension and acrimony than those I have seen in the other place. Certainly his sense of humour was alerted to pretty early on when his mobile phone rang and Click Go the Shears played quite loudly.

Bob has left this place on a very positive note in terms of his own political journey, with Premier Weatherill having had the support of Bob, there being connections with the Weatherill family over the years. That is actually a lovely way to exit this place. He is going out on his own terms. He actually said over a year ago that he would leave this place in October, and he has kept his word. He has certainly provided a succession plan for the new President, whom I congratulate on his elevation.

I note that the Hon. John Gazzola, as the current President, let a few supplementaries go through today that the previous president certainly would not have. They slipped through the net. They were certainly not supplementaries on the original answer. I welcome this new, relaxed and comfortable presidency and look forward to robust debate during question time, and an enormous amount of supplementary questions will be welcomed by the crossbenchers.

With that, I think Bob is a wonderful person to have on your side, and certainly members of the government know that. When he was president of the Legislative Council, I believe he was on the side of the Legislative Council, and I commend him for that.

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (16:26): I had the opportunity to say a few words whilst the Hon. Bob Sneath was still in the chair on his last sitting day, so my comments will be brief. I hope these last couple of weeks of retirement have treated the Hon. Bob Sneath and his wife, Pam, well. Hopefully Pam has found many chores that she had put on the back burner for the Hon. Bob Sneath to partake in.

I remember that the Hon. Bob Sneath in his comments made some mention of the importance for him to retire at an age to be able to enjoy his retirement. I think the Hon. Ann Bressington made comments about him keeping well and looking after his health. I have to say that I do agree with him. I will be of a similar age—well, a bit younger—when I retire at the end of my term come the next election.

The Hon. Bob Sneath's commitment to the union movement, to charitable organisations and to individuals has already been mentioned by the Hon. Gail Gago in her contribution, and I very much concur with the remarks she made. The Hon. Bob Sneath is someone who holds the tenets of the Labor Party very dear—access, equity and justice, all the very important tenets of the Labor Party.

I again wish the Hon. Bob Sneath a well-deserved and wonderful retirement and again thank him for his service to the Legislative Council and the community of South Australia in such a distinguished capacity. I take this opportunity to congratulate you, Mr President, on your elevation to President of the Legislative Council and wish you a long and successful tenure.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (16:28): I would like to add to the remarks that have been made thus far by honourable members. It has been noted that the Hon. Bob Sneath was a proud shearer. He is certainly an old-fashioned Labor man in the mould of the sort of Labor man that I think we on this side grudgingly respect. He has been true to his values and has proudly represented his people. He has remained down to earth and he has been generous.

I have really enjoyed working with the Hon. Bob Sneath. I think he has added a lot to this parliament. Many remarks have been made about his fairness and his ability to handle the chamber, not that we are as raucous as the other place, but things do get testy at times. I think certainly his good sense of humour and the respect that we hold for him as a colleague has meant that he has been able to manage situations without things getting out of control. He has certainly discharged his duties as President with good humour.

The Hon. Bob Sneath and I did not always get along as well as we do. I think at some point he might have thought I was a bit of an upstart, and I perhaps viewed him as one of the many members of the retired unionists retirement home that the Legislative Council can be from time to time. So I think with you, Mr President, one evening—I cannot remember how many years ago it was, but it may be just after he had been elevated to President and I was thinking, 'This guy's giving me such a hard time when I ask questions; I've got to do something about it'—we might have had a few late night beverages—I cannot remember whether it was beers or red wines—

An honourable member: The Rockford Basket Press.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: No, it wasn't the Rockford Basket Press—I was hoping that wasn't going to come up. However, we enjoyed a few beverages and broke down the barriers and learnt to realise that the other person does not have two heads. I do appreciate his work and wish Pam and the family well and many years of good health.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (16:31): Mr President, I start by congratulating you on your elevation to high office; I am sure you will do the Legislative Council proud. The Hon. Bob Sneath: when I first came into this place I was not sure that I would have such high regard for members opposite, given that we do battle quite frequently, but I begrudgingly acknowledge the fact that I call the Hon. Bob Sneath a friend. The number of times we had a good laugh together about many serious issues is something I will cherish.

This is not a eulogy—the man is retiring to go on to bigger and better things, so I am trying to be as reasonably light about this as I can be. The Hon. Bob Sneath: to your lovely wife Pam my wife and I pass on our very best wishes. I hope she can tolerate you—it will be a fair challenge, because she has had the protection of you being busy in this parliament for some period of time, so I hope it goes reasonably well for Pam in particular. I will be a bit less suspicious about those fresh sausage rolls coming into you, and your wicked and wry grin about that whole exchange of produce.

I am happy to acknowledge, Bob, that you are a good old-fashioned Labor man through and through. We always from this side had a fair understanding of from where you were coming—there was not anything too tricky about it. You are passionate, unapologetic and pretty tough but, as others have said, it is with a great sense of humour, and I have really appreciated that. Given the fact that you are still a mad Port Power man, you need a sense of humour. As a man who buys and runs slow racehorses, you need a sense of humour. With some of the crappy tips I have given you over the last period of time, you need a sense of humour.

Bob, we have shared one of my favourite two meals—wild duck and magnificent South Australian red wine. It was a day I will always remember. I look forward, hopefully, to sharing my other favourite meal—lobster caught by the Hon. Bob Sneath at his property in the South-East.

The Hon. Carmel Zollo: Take your place in the queue.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: Interjections are out of order, but I might add that I understand the barter system, as you well know, sir, and I am looking forward to us catching up in a relaxed way at some stage. I will only have fond memories of you in this place. Other people have spoken as to how wonderfully well you conducted the business of the place. I remember you having a distinct difficulty in either counting or hearing, because invariably when we had the voices you always called to the right of the chair, Bob. I hope you get that hearing fixed now that you are a retired man and have more time on your hands.

With those few words, I have really enjoyed my time with the occasional bit of sparring here, but more friendship, and I am sure we can enjoy a few sips on the way through. I wish you a long and happy retirement; I hope it is great.

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT (16:34): Thank you, Mr President. I will start by saying congratulations and commiserations to you. I would just like to place on the record a few brief words about our dear Bob. I am going to have to get used to calling him that. I think I will have to reach a compromise and call him Mr Bob, or something strange like that. I have many fond memories of Bob, and the first of those is, of course, of my first day in this place, when I was giving my first ad lib speech, so to speak.

I started to get a bit emotional and broke down a little bit, and tried to pass it off, saying 'I'm not doing very well, am I?' Bob said to me, 'You're doing just fine.' To be honest, I think those words probably have a lot to do with the fact that I am still in this place two years later. I have very fond memories of that.

I also have very fond memories of being called into Bob's office for one of his infamous wine sharings that the Hon. Ms Gago has already touched on and him informing me that the way that bloody John Gazzola was going he was going to have to get down on his hands and knees and build a ramp so I could get up to that chair. So just you look out, because he has already got the other succession plan in place, apparently.

I do not remember this, and I do not think Hansard picked it up either, but apparently the Hon. Bob Sneath once responded, 'Yeah, cool' to something I had said in this place, so it is good to see that the fountain of my youth has rubbed off a bit. I hope that will serve him well into his retirement.

Of course, Bob is also a proud supporter of several causes that I share with him, including supporting people with spinal cord injury and people with Down syndrome. They are obviously causes that are very close to both our hearts as well as many others, I think, and I hope that that will mean that we will keep in contact from time to time.

I would also like to take this opportunity—I did not know I had to do this—to thank the Hon. Ms Lensink for being such a young upstart, because that's obviously what gave Bob the patience to deal with me when I came along. That explains a lot, and also explains why, like the Hon. Mr Parnell, I have never been ejected from this place, try as hard as I might.

The Hon. A. Bressington: Try harder.

The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: I'll see how I go with you, Mr Current President, shall I? I think that speaks a lot as to Bob's patience and kindness. They have already been touched on extensively, so I will not go on too much, but it certainly has been appreciated and will never be forgotten. You will be missed, Bob. All the best.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (16:37): Thank you, Mr President. Firstly, my congratulations to you on taking up that role today. You are the fourth president that I have known in this place, and I look forward to working with you in that role. I rise to speak about the third president that I have known, and that is the Hon. Bob Sneath.

I well remember when he came here in the year 2000 to replace the Hon. George Weatherill. It was very shortly after one of the longest nights that we ever had in this place, when I think we sat until about 5 o'clock in the morning on ETSA. Bob was very pleased that George had waited until we had got that one out of the way, I think; although subsequently we did one of those.

I think in Bob's early days—and I remember this well—he had a running battle for some time with the Hon. Legh Davis. The Hon. Legh Davis thought he was going to get involved in an AWU election, and I think he discovered that the Hon. Bob Sneath was more of a match for him than he ever thought was going to happen. There was quite a battle there for some time.

I am proud to say that I was a whip with the Hon. Mr Sneath. I think we might even have had some of those meetings in Botany Bay, and more latterly out in the courtyard. I think that your progression from whip to president was one that served you well, in that there is no doubt that the role of whip allows you to see how the place works, and there is no doubt that that has assisted you in the role that you have played.

It has been a privilege to assist you from time to time, and I thank you for your recognition of that, because it is important that the president does get some assistance to at least go out for a coffee or for a walk down the corridor.

I would also like to put on the record my thanks for the way in which you have acted in your role as the alternate presiding member on the JPSC. I think that the JPSC is blamed for a lot of things. There are a lot of things which people think are in the JPSC's gambit which are not. Because of your stewardship of that body, and also the time you spent when the Speaker of the House of Assembly has been the presiding member when you still provided a lot of guidance to that committee, I think there have been more sensible decisions made by that committee because of your influence.

That takes me on to the next point that you have stuck up for the Legislative Council when it has not always been fashionable to do so. The Hon. Mr Wade may have alluded to your support for and strength on behalf of the Legislative Council in the recent situation where the House of Assembly was looking for a home. In fact, the first email communication I had was that the House of Assembly was coming in here and we were going to be plonked into the Balcony Room, without any consultation with us whatsoever. I will not say that it was astounding, but it was outrageous, in my view. Bob resisted any of the attempts, I suppose, by our esteemed colleagues downstairs to push us aside. I think that what evolved from that was a very sensible arrangement. So, I pay tribute for that to my friend and colleague.

I also pay tribute to Bob for his support for various charities. I know that the Leader of the Government has mentioned that at some length—and I, too, have been stung. I give great credit to the Hon. Mr Sneath for that support. I also extend my sympathy on his continuing support for matters Port Adelaide in the football fraternity. That is just one of those things, I am sorry, you have on your own; you do not have my sympathy for that.

In conclusion, I echo the comments the Leader of the Opposition made about Margaret Considine. Margaret has spoken to me on a number of occasions about 'little Robert Sneath' but with some affection in her voice. I know that she will be thinking of you as you move on to the next stage of your life.

I grew up as a sheep farmer, so for that reason I have spent quite a bit of time in my life in the company of a range of shearers, ranging from very much the old school to some of the younger breed who came through. Most of the 'old school' had a colourful knowledge of the English language, but I have great respect for the great majority of the shearers I worked with. In closing, can I say, Bob, you are a great ambassador for that vocation.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Kandelaars.

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (16:44): Thank you, Mr President. First, congratulations to you on your elevation to the presidency today. I am sure that you will acquit the office very well. As the newest member—at least until tomorrow—I can recall the August 2011 state council meeting for a number of reasons. First, it was the meeting where I was nominated by the ALP to fill Paul Holloway's position; but, secondly, I was chair at that meeting, and there was a resolution on duck shooting. Bob spoke very forcefully in favour of duck shooting, but he did it in such a way that he brought great humour, without offending people, to his support for duck shooting. I think that is in many ways a sign of Bob's character.

There is no doubt where Bob stands. He is a Labor man through and through, and he is a staunch, proud trade unionist. I am very grateful that we had him as our president. If I could be half what Bob has been in terms of a great Labor man and a staunch trade unionist, that is what I would like to be. Bob has always been available for advice, and it is particularly useful for somebody who is new to this place, given the vagaries of standing orders etc., to be able to go to Bob and get some advice. He is always willing to talk to you and always willing to provide assistance.

Bob's support for those in need is truly amazing. One example is the Hutt Street Centre, which I know Bob is a great supporter of. I can remember talking to Bob about him looking at The 7.30 Report and seeing cases where he saw a need and he would just ring up and say, 'Here, have some money. I'll support you.' That is the type of person Bob is—truly amazing, and something that we will miss in this place, I am sure.

The other thing I will miss is the verbal jousting from the chair, particularly with the Hon. Rob Lucas. Bob could never help himself, and I suppose that is an example of the tribalism that is Bob and is the Hon. Rob Lucas. They come from different ends and they do not mind exchanging their views. Finally, all the best, Bob, to you and your wife. I wish you a long and happy retirement, and you will be missed in this place, I am sure. Thanks.

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (16:46): I too would like to echo the sentiments of other members and thank the Hon. Bob Sneath for all the work he has done not only in his capacity as president but also for the Parliament of South Australia more generally. You were one of the first members to personally welcome me to this place and have always made yourself available to provide advice on parliamentary matters but also, importantly, on matters relating to one of our shared interests—fishing.

I recall receiving a hand-delivered note from the messengers shortly after I had given my matters of interest speech on the Bradfield scheme, which involved bringing water from Queensland via the Clarence River. I remember thinking that it must have been a note pertaining to something of great importance for the president to personally hand write me a note and ensure it was specifically hand-delivered to me. Much to my surprise, the note was simply Bob suggesting that we should fish the Clarence.

I am glad the president was so attentive to my speech, as he was to those of other members in this chamber. The note provided great amusement for my staff and is still stuck to the fridge in our little office. On the subject of little offices, I am sure the constant harassment and persistent haranguing from my staff regarding office space will not be missed. I am grateful for the patience he has shown to my subordinate staff on numerous occasions when they cornered him imploring him for more suitable accommodation in this building.

I congratulate the Hon. John Gazzola, the newly-elected President, and wish him all the very best of luck in dealing with my staff on this issue. In closing, on behalf of my staff and myself, I wish Bob and his family all the best for their future, and hopefully one day we will get to the Clarence.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (16:48): Thank you, Mr President, and I also would like to congratulate you on ascending to one of the vacancies the Hon. Mr Sneath has created for us in this place. It gives me great pleasure to rise today to speak on this very great matter, not because the president of the chamber has retired, but because I can now finally place on the public record my view of the former president, the Hon. Bob Sneath, without him calling me to order.

I hold him in great affection and I know this view is shared by most of us in this chamber to a greater or lesser degree. I am very grateful for the protection he has offered me from that chair that you now occupy—I have needed it from time to time—as I am grateful for the guidance and advice and the training he has given me not just in this place but throughout my political life with the Labor Party. It is not often in this modern day that we see a shearer occupy centrestage in public life. We have been privileged to have one occupy the position of President of this chamber.

I know that regret is occasionally expressed about the massive changes in our economy and how the workforce has changed over the years, and I know that this has had a massive impact on how the Labor Party has organised itself over the years and the type of leaders we now grow and put before the community. But I know that President Sneath will have been the first to tell us that this Labor Party—that great party we are both members of—needs to change and keep up with the times, to be a party for modern times and one that looks forward for its hope and energy and not back.

That sums up President Sneath for me—a man proud of his roots but always focused on helping working people now in our changing economy and into the future. This modern President of the Legislative Council has been up to speed on the issues facing young workers, on women, migrants and gay and lesbian workers but, most of all, he is up to speed on what working South Australians do not need; that is, a Liberal government.

I have no doubt he will continue to support those causes that are close to his heart and have been for a long time. He will continue to advocate on behalf of people with disabilities. The Down Syndrome Society and Neil Sachse Foundation we have heard of already are very close to him. He will also continue, I am sure, to advocate for rural and regional South Australia, especially his beloved South-East.

It is probably unparliamentary to reflect on what will happen tomorrow in the joint sitting, but somehow he has managed to have himself replaced in this place with another champion from the South-East of this state, making sure that country South Australians have a voice in this chamber. I am not sure if it is true or not, but I did hear a whisper that he refused to go unless this condition was met. Bob, thank you, we will miss you. Now, hurry up and clear out your office so that we can get on with the job that you have trained us to do.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Lee.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (16:51): Thank you, Mr President. I also add my congratulations to you on your elevation to President. I am sure you will do a good job and serve this chamber well. I would like to add my congratulations to the Hon. Bob Sneath and pay tribute to him as the President I have known since I was elected in 2010.

I will remember you very fondly, Bob, for all the time and advice that you have given me. I remember that, in my first month here, I had to fill out a travel form or something and I made a mistake on the form. The President actually came up to the second floor and advised me what I needed to do. So, I truly appreciate that personal approach that you had to new members.

The other thing I want to comment on is your power of influence as a president in organising the presidential dinners in Parliament House with the most delicious menus that we can ever prepare in Parliament House and also you convincing the Governor to host a dinner at Government House recently on my birthday—that was pretty special. I shall always remember you as somebody who was diligent in your duty as a president and as someone with great knowledge and a distinguished career. I wish you well. I wish you a long and enjoyable retirement with Pam.

The PRESIDENT: Dare I call the Hon. Rob Lucas?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (16:53): I rise to congratulate you, Mr President, on rising to your lofty new position. We look forward to working with you, as I know we always do on this side, in upholding the standing orders of the Legislative Council.

I had not intended introducing any partisan political element to this speech until I heard the partisan commentary by minister Hunter which seemed to move away, I guess, from the general tenor of the other comments that I had heard in the chamber. The reason for my being unable to be in the chamber was that I have been working through the Auditor-General's Report, highlighting the copious examples of incompetence and government negligence by the current Labor government, but that was just my riposte to the Hon. Mr Hunter's introduction of partisan political commentary into what was to be a farewell for the Hon. Bob Sneath.

My first exposure to that great union that Bob loves so much—the AWU—goes back to the 1980s when I met with some colleagues of the Hon. Bob Sneath, who he would know and I do not intend to name publicly, who may or may not have had some knowledge of events in the South-East relating to the burning down of a woolshed of a prominent South Australian.

In those discussions, which continued over a period of time, there was clearly a partisan element within Bob's great union, one side versus the other, one side trying to shaft the other, and I am sure that has not continued over the years within Bob's great union, the AWU.

I had a sneaking admiration as I met with these people and spoke to them over a period of time about this union. It clearly showed great respect to the former members of the union who had passed away, sadly; so much respect that they used to continue to count them within their numbers for affiliation with the Australian Labor Party and to assist one particular element to maintain control of the union.

Bob Sneath, as others have mentioned, is a product of his background and his union, and he continued to fight the good fight for his party, for the South-East and for his union—his particular union and also unionism in general in South Australia. We on this side certainly acknowledge that. I think someone in an earlier contribution, as I was listening in my room, did note that there was an inevitable tension between Bob's accepting of the position of presidency and the normal custom of not engaging in interjections or debate whilst in the chair.

I think possibly former presidents might have frowned at the occasional instance where the Hon. Bob Sneath was unable to resist the temptation any longer when he heard something which he vigorously disagreed with. I am sure on many occasions he would have preferred to have been down on the floor engaging in the debate on particular issues. It is a capacity that occurs occasionally in the House of Assembly where speakers are able to engage in debate, but it is not meant to occur in the Legislative Council, Mr President, as I am sure the Clerk will instruct you and instruct you in relation to the standing orders of this chamber.

I join with my colleagues and all other members in this chamber who have spoken in wishing Bob Sneath well in his retirement. There have been too many members on both sides of this chamber who have not enjoyed long and healthy retirements after they have left this place. I know all of us hope that he will enjoy his travelling, his fishing, his family.

As a final commentary on how the face of the left of the Labor Party has changed over the years, I might be permitted an advertorial comment at the end. The Hon. Bob Sneath has a very proud association with one of the most prestigious non-government schools in South Australia. The Hon. Mr Ridgeway would be quite familiar with it and I am familiar with it.

From a commentary that Bob has indicated before, we look forward to the occasions in the future when he again will watch the head of river in Adelaide whilst minding the poodles of other parents of that particular school. I have asked that the next time it occurs someone takes a photo so that we can show to all of his AWU colleagues what this man has turned into at the end of a period in the Legislative Council. I wish Bob and his family well for a long and enjoyable retirement.

The PRESIDENT (16:59): I am surprised that the Hon. Bob Sneath did not interject from the gallery, which would have been out of order, totally. Bob, I know how hard it is for you to sit there and listen to people say nice things about you, mainly because for the last 10 years I have not said many nice things about you, but I will give it a go right now. It is said that the measure of a principled person is not just what a good person says but whether that person's actions are consistent with his or her utterances.

Looking back to Bob's first speech, I find no reason to alter my opinion of a person who stuck to his beliefs and principles. Bob is a person who has not been all things to all people but one thing to all. In the course of his life Bob has met many people from all walks of life, from royalty to governors to premiers to ministers and members of parliament of both political persuasions, to industrial commissioners and legal identities, to union secretaries and members, to ordinary people and employees. In all his dealings and contacts with these individuals Bob has always seen their goodness and their generosity.

Bob has always been a man of the country and a devoted trade unionist, two ties that have defined and nurtured his being and direction. Little wonder then that Bob has retired to the country, where he can reflect on his past as a youth, a shearer, married life with Pam, and be an active witness, I am sure, of how the union and industrial scene evolves in the rural environment, so much a part of Bob's union and parliamentary soul.

And soul is the right word in appreciation of Bob's contribution to the wellbeing of the less fortunate and those needing help. His first speech raised concerns about youth and youth unemployment, the ageing and disadvantaged, and workers and their families, and his record in this parliament shows Bob's consistent concern with their welfare and wellbeing. He has also directly reached out and championed the needs of victims of accidents throughout his parliamentary life, something he alluded to in his maiden speech, and through his support and assistance to the Neil Sachse Foundation, with the generous support of the AWU.

Bob is truly a quintessential family man, and the often presence of Pam, his children and grandchildren in parliament reflected his deeply held affection for family and family life. However Bob has been lucky in having two families, the other being his lifelong membership and thoughtful devotion to the union movement. His maiden speech richly caught this history of place and colourful members, and the way that issues and personalities have continually nurtured his aspirations and achievements, and we have witnessed, in Bob's presence and efforts here, a course that he has not wavered from.

In closing, I put on the record Bob's service to parliamentary life from 2000 to 2012 as a backbencher, a whip, and then president of the Legislative Council, his life membership of the AWU, secretary of the AWU from 1995 to the year 2000, his role as foundation secretary of the Amalgamated AWU, and active employment in the union from 1961 to 2000. Bob, friend, compatriot, comrade: I wish you well, and I am sure the council wishes you well in your retirement. You have stayed the course and you have stayed true to the course.

I hope the weather is kind to you and Pam on your travels, the beer always cold, the fishing hot, and finally that the Port Adelaide Football Club wins a flag or two. I will miss you, but I do know where you live. On behalf of all honourable members, and on behalf of my staff and your former staff—Brenton, Kara, Krista, Narrah, Olivia and Alessandro—we wish you well.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

Motion carried.

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