Condolence

Banfield, HON. D.H.L.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:18): By leave, I move:

That the Legislative Council expresses its deep regret at the passing of the Hon. Donald Hubert Louis Banfield, former minister of the Crown and a member of the Legislative Council, and places on record its appreciation of his distinguished 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 rise today to pay my respects to Donald Banfield. Don Banfield was the third child of a family of seven and was raised in Wirrabara. He was quoted as saying that the Salvation Army was also in the town and that they relied on Don's brothers and sisters to make up the numbers at Sunday School.

At the age of 15, the Great Depression hit and many farmers and residents of the town struggled to pay their bills. Don's father was one of those and, as a result, was forced to close his shoe store, and he offered to work for Rossiters Ltd, which was his largest creditor, and to have a percentage of his wages deducted each week to offset his debt. The offer was accepted and, soon after, he commenced work with Rossiters and was able to get Don a job with that firm. As a result, Don left school before graduating and became an apprentice bootmaker. Unfortunately, he was dismissed, as was the case back then with most apprentices when they had completed their apprenticeship. Don was not unemployed for long, as the war was looming and Rossiters gained a large contract to make military boots, and I understand that he got his job back.

Don volunteered to join the Air Force but was knocked back since he was working in a protected industry. A couple of years later, he again volunteered, and this time the Air Force accepted him but did not send him oversees. Don served his time at various Air Force bases in Australia and, after his discharge, he returned to work at Rossiters. He was approached to take the position of union shop steward and accepted. He was later elected to the full-time position of SA branch secretary of the boot trades union and he held that position for 17 years. He was also a former president and executive member of the Trades and Labour Council.

Don Banfield became a member of the Legislative Council in 1965 and served until May 1979. In 1973, he was appointed health minister by the premier at the time, Don Dunstan, replacing the Hon. Bert Shard, who retired from cabinet following the first meeting of the parliamentary ALP following that year's election. Then, from 1975 to 1977, he was appointed chief secretary, additional to his role as the minister for health. In 1977, whilst again retaining his health portfolio, Don was appointed minister assisting the deputy premier. Don remained health minister until March 1979 when he was appointed as the attorney-general, minister assisting the premier in ethnic affairs and minister of prices and consumer affairs.

I did not know Don Banfield personally but I have noted with interest his deep commitment to children with special needs during his lifetime. I understand that Don and his wife Doreen's first son was born with an intellectual handicap and, after talking with parents of children with similar problems, he resolved that something needed to be done and that the government should be doing more. Arising from that meeting in 1950, Don became a foundation member of the children's society that worked to assist children with special needs, known at the time as the Mentally Retarded Children's Society.

In this role he was a strong advocate for the Strathmont Special School and supported the integration of young people with intellectual disabilities into workplaces. I have also been pleased to learn of comments that Don made early in his career as a member of the Legislative Council during the mid-1960s—and let us remember that it was the 1960s—where he actually spoke out against restrictions on women exercising their vote in the upper house. In fact, the local newspaper recorded his words at the time in March 1965:

It is ludicrous that women should have a vote equal to their husbands in the Lower House…but not for the Upper House, which can frustrate anything the Lower House does. A fair go for women in electoral matters in this State will be a prelude to their receiving equal pay for equal work, which is part of Labor Party policy and which has already been given substantial effect by a Labor Government in New South Wales.

He concluded these comments by saying that he believed:

…in one roll for the election for both the Upper House and the Lower House of the State Parliament, thus ensuring citizens the right to vote for both Houses.

I am indeed very pleased to learn of these sentiments and I am glad to have the opportunity to recount those comments to you here today as we pay our respects to a former member of this place.

I was further pleased to learn of a ministerial statement that Don made in July 1978 on prostitution. He made reference to a motion in the Notice Paper that sought to establish a select committee to inquire into prostitution in this state. In this statement he raised concerns about any inquiry being able to obtain the evidence necessary for it to draw conclusions and table a report given the issue related to matters that were at that time prohibited by criminal law—and still are today, of course. He called for this select committee to be provided the necessary immunities in the same way that was done in respect of the Royal Commission on the Non-Medical Use of Drugs. This allowed sex workers the opportunity to speak up without fear of prosecution.

Along with his support for children with special needs, he also spoke out about the stresses that workers faced in their jobs, drawing attention to the frustrations that people carry from their workplaces into their homes. It is a message that, like his comments about equality for women, holds true even today and gives an indication of some of the forward thinking that was part of the political leaders of that day. He spoke about mental illness of workers in the 1970s during Recovery Week which aimed at focusing greater attention on mental illness in industry and commerce.

He lent his own voice and experiences to promoting the cause of good health and was photographed while having his annual medical check-up in an attempt to raise awareness of the cost and impact of heart attacks in Australia. He joined the Heart Fund's Cyclathon in 1977 to raise money for heart disease research. It is pleasing to learn of such strong advocacy from a former member.

In 1994 Don gave a speech to the Eastwood Community Group who had asked him to talk about his life and bring along his Order of Australia medal. In his speech he was reported to acknowledge that he was only the recipient of such an award as the result of achievements gained with the help of a lot of other people over many years. He went on to say that he believed no-one can get anywhere without the assistance of others. I think these really are the words of a truly humble person and words that we should all remember both in a professional and personal capacity.

In closing, I commend Don Banfield's long service to South Australia and to this parliament. I pass on my condolences to his son, Keith, daughter-in-law, Sandra, his grandchildren and his friends at his passing.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:27): I rise on behalf of the opposition to second and endorse the remarks already made by the Leader of the Government. I believe my colleague the Hon. John Dawkins will add some further comments when I have completed mine.

The Hon. Donald Hubert Louis Banfield, or Don Banfield, recently passed away at the age of 97. He was born and raised in Adelaide, starting his life in Plympton in September 1916. Don Banfield was married with two children. As the Leader of the Government said, one of Mr Banfield's sons, Robert, was born with a disability and this spurred him to have a lasting and influential involvement in the disability sector, a passion which he later took with him to the state parliament.

He established a lobby group for disabled children, ending with the opening of the state's first special school. He was a foundation member, president and vice-president of the Mentally Retarded Children's Association from 1950, and he remained a life member.

Prior to his election to the Legislative Council, Don Banfield was also SA branch secretary of the boot trades union for 17 years. By all accounts Mr Banfield entered politics with a desire for meaningful change. He had obviously experienced the hardship and emotion of caring for a disabled child and this appeared to motivate him within parliament, particularly in the area of health.

Mr Banfield represented the Australian Labor Party in the Legislative Council from 1965 to 1979. In the Dunstan government he held the health portfolio and throughout his posting he demonstrated genuine concern for the physical and mental wellbeing of his constituency. He was vocal over his concern about the negative mental impact of factory work and he advocated for worker participation and job enrichment. It is interesting that my father was on our local hospital board in the South-East from about 1965, or probably a fraction earlier, through until his death in the early nineties, and I remember him talking about minister Banfield when delegations from the local hospital board met with the minister.

Mr Banfield was passionate in his participation in events to promote awareness of heart health and perhaps with a greater perspective of the true value of good health. After his retirement in 1979, his passion for community wellbeing continued as he became a volunteer Red Cross driver and helped out with Meals on Wheels.

Throughout his final working year, the Hon. Don Banfield also briefly held other notable ministries including attorney-general. He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his work in the disability sector. Mr Banfield's son, Keith, said he believed his father was the last surviving member of the Dunstan cabinet. On that note, it is sad to say goodbye to some of the last surviving participants of that political era for South Australia. On behalf of the opposition, I extend my great respect and gratitude for his service to the parliament and the state, and send our sincere condolences to his family and friends.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (14:30): I briefly rise to support this motion. I met the Hon. Mr Banfield when I was a young lad, I suppose, as my father was in this place for all of the time that the Hon. Mr Banfield was here. Despite their different backgrounds, they developed a friendship and mutual respect for each other that I think many of us in this place acknowledge can be developed across the party lines, and they had a strong regard for each other.

I remember when I came to this place, I met the Hon. Mr Banfield in the refreshment room otherwise known as the bar. I think he used to come in quite regularly for meetings of former members of parliament, and he greeted me as 'Young fella, I remember you, you're Boyd's son.' Every time I bumped into him he told me some stories about my father's time in this place, some of which I think were exaggerated, but I always enjoyed meeting the Hon. Mr Banfield, and I would like to add my condolences to his family.

The PRESIDENT: If there are no further speakers, I ask all honourable members to stand in their places and carry the motion in silence.

Motion carried by members standing in their places in silence.

Sitting suspended from 14:32 to 14:46.