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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-07-03 Daily Xml
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Condolence

Condous, Mr S.G.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:18): By leave, I move:

That the Legislative Council expresses its deep regret at the recent death of Mr Steve Condous, former member of the House of Assembly and Lord Mayor of the City of Adelaide, 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.

In speaking to this motion it is with a touch of sadness at Mr Condous's passing but also, I have to say, as someone who knew him over a long period of time, it certainly brought back for me many fond memories of my interactions with Mr Condous over a long period of time.

Steve Condous was born in December 1935. He was educated at Adelaide Boys High School. He studied pharmacy at the University of Adelaide. He was a self-employed wholesale health food distributor and then, of course, served with distinction on the Adelaide City Council for 25 years, and for six years as the Lord Mayor of the Adelaide City Council between 1987 and 1993.

I am not sure whether he was the first of the lord mayors—I suspect he was not—there was, of course, a subsequent lord mayor who went on to parliamentary office for the Labor Party. He not only won preselection for the Liberal Party in the western suburbs seat of Colton but held that seat for eight years from 1993 to the commencement of 2002. He served as parliamentary secretary to the minister for housing, urban development and local government relations in the period of 1996, and then became parliamentary secretary to the premier from 1997 through to 2002, when he retired from state parliamentary office.

Steve Condous' life story is a very interesting life story, when one reads not only his maiden speech but the numerous clippings that the parliamentary library has provided to us. As for many members in parliament, not just the South Australian parliament, his experiences as a young person in South Australia and Australia governed many of the attitudes he adopted, both in his personal community and, ultimately, his political life.

I will only refer to one of the media articles in 1998, which would have been soon after he had been re-elected at the 1997 state election. The headline was (and I want to read the first few paragraphs) 'Childhood torment of the Greek boy who became Lord Mayor. They spat at Dad and called me dago'. The story was written by a name we will all be familiar with, Annabel Crabb, who has gone on to lofty heights at the national level in terms of media and journalism. Annabel, at the time, was a junior reporter at the Adelaide Advertiser. Annabel wrote the story, and let me quote the first few paragraphs:

Liberal MP Steve Condous remembers when his family members were spat on in the streets of Adelaide. And he is 'terrified' Australia might revisit the 1950s, when, he says, he was repeatedly bashed and called 'dago' because of his Greek background.

Yesterday the 58-year-old former lord mayor interrupted a formal speech to denounce the call by the One Nation Party for a return to the social standards of the 1950s.

'Well, that's fine...but let me tell you, as an Australian of Greek parents who migrated here in the early 1930s, that it was an Australia that I don't want to know any more', he told a gathering at the Stamford Hotel on North Tce.

'At seven years of age, I saw my father being spat at in the streets and being called a dago. I grew up only 500m from here in an area that was called the working-class ghetto of Adelaide. I went to school at Sturt St (Primary School), and I was abused daily both physically and verbally, and I'd come home with my shirts torn and bloodied because I'd been in a fight because I couldn't stand what I was being called.'

That is a not unfamiliar story of migrant families, in particular the sons and daughters of parents who migrated to Australia, not just to South Australia, during that particular period. As I said, it governed a lot of what Steve Condous felt passionate about in his personal community and, ultimately, in his political life. He felt strongly about these issues and, at the rise of One Nation, he, together with a number of other members of the Liberal Party and from the Labor Party, rose up and spoke out against the rising tide of support there was for One Nation at that particular point in our history.

It was a fair indication. As former minister for education, as a result of the State Bank disaster, I had the sorry task of having to cut expenditure in the education department. One of my decisions was for the closure of the Sturt Street Primary School, which at its height had taught all the former members who I ran into on a daily basis at the West Adelaide Football Club, I might admit. Doug Thomas and I think half of the West Adelaide supporter base had been educated in the west end of Adelaide and had attended Sturt Street Primary School.

They told me that that very small school—which, on recollection now, probably had less than 100 students back in the nineties—had had more than 1,100 students in the primary school, crammed into the same classroom spaces, and that more than 50 and 60 to a classroom was not uncommon for the young people. But they loved the school, and Steve Condous, Doug Thomas and, as I said, half of the West Adelaide Football Club, constantly reminded me of the folly of my ways in terms of closing their alma mater.

Steve Condous was a passionate advocate for a range of issues. I talked about the experiences he had as a young person, and that his family had, which governed his views in relation to migration issues, fairness issues and, at that stage, to the role of One Nation, but he was a forceful speaker and advocate for a whole range of issues. Certainly, within our parliamentary party room, I remember when the minister at the time—I suspect it was either minister Evans or Brokenshire, I cannot remember—introduced the original emergency services levy legislation, which was ultimately supported by both houses of parliament. He and a colleague of ours in the Legislative Council, the Hon. Julian Stefani, were passionate participants—let me put it that way—in that particular debate. They warned, I guess, of what treasurer Koutsantonis, I think it was, did just four years ago: that at some stage it would be used to remove the remissions and be used as a land tax provision.

They had very strong views about the importance of the family home to not only their families but the families and the communities they represented. They argued against land tax on the principal place of residence back in that period leading up to the Tonkin government of 1979-1982 when there were public meetings of many hundreds across metropolitan Adelaide arguing against land tax on the principal place of residence. They raised significant concerns as they participated in the debate privately, and also publicly, about the emergency services levy.

His passion right across the board meant that he spoke forcefully. He was one of the early outspoken advocates for football at Adelaide Oval on Friday nights. The media articles trace a quite public spat with Max Basheer, the then head of the South Australian National Football League. They crossed paths publicly in a passionate way, arguing, as has indeed been the case, that AFL football on a Friday night at Adelaide Oval would be part of a revitalisation of Adelaide as a city and, in particular, the central business district. He spoke publicly, passionately and proudly against those, as he would term them, 'vested interests' who were opposing AFL football on a Friday night at Adelaide Oval.

There are many other issues that the press clippings from the library demonstrate, and I will not go through all of those. He was elected in 1993 for an eight-year term, as I said. He was part of the class of 37 Liberals who were elected. Ten Labor members were elected after the State Bank disaster, so he was part of that huge tidal wave of members who came into electorates, in many cases, which had never been represented previously by a Liberal member of parliament. He, together with other colleagues in the western suburbs, like Heini Becker and others—

An honourable member: Joe Rossi.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Joe Rossi and others. Joe was another example of a first-time member. Heini Becker, of course, was someone who had been elected successfully in the western suburbs for a number of elections. These were a new wave of Liberals in the western suburbs who, as was the case with Steve, knew their communities and argued passionately on behalf of their constituents in the parliament and in the public.

He knew his electorate like the back of his hand but, unlike members of the Legislative Council whose electorate of course is the whole of the state, he did not know the parts outside the metropolitan area quite as well as the regional areas of South Australia. There was one very famous story, which a number of my colleagues will be familiar with. Both Labor and Liberal members are familiar with the love-ins, or meetings, that we have prior to a parliamentary session, and we happened to have one in the lovely regional city of Port Pirie.

Of course, members of the Legislative Council had no problems at all getting up there and getting back. As members will note, as you come onto the main highway, you can either turn left or you can turn right. Members of the Legislative Council, of course, know that you turn right to come to Adelaide. Members who do not know the regional areas quite as well perhaps turn left and end up in Port Augusta before they work out that perhaps they should have gone in the other direction.

Steve would never have made that mistake in relation to his own electorate because he knew it like the back of his hand, but perhaps he should have taken some advice from some of his Legislative Council colleagues in terms of the regional communities of South Australia.

As I said, he was a lovable character in the party room and a fearsome advocate for what he believed in. He was not a shrinking violent in terms of being unafraid to express his views, whether or not he agreed with the parliamentary leadership at the time. He lived through tumultuous times in the Liberal Party where there were battles going on for control of the parliamentary Liberal Party. He spoke up passionately on many occasions in relation to what he saw as the nonsense and divisiveness within the Liberal Party at the time and the fact that it would be a recipe for many years in opposition, and he was indeed correct.

He lived many years after his parliamentary career concluded and continued to be engaged with a number of members of the Liberal parliamentary party. He was not active publicly in terms of a public profile, but continued to express his views to certain members of the Liberal Party and the parliamentary party right through until recent years.

On behalf of my colleagues, I pass on my sympathies to Angela and his surviving family. Certainly, he was much loved by the Liberal Party. We acknowledge his service not only to his former electorate, community and family but particularly to the Liberal Party as an organisation and to the parliament as an institution.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:32): I rise today to support the condolence motion for Mr Steve Condous, the former Lord Mayor of Adelaide and former Liberal member for Colton. Let me start by saying that, on behalf of Labor members in this place, our thoughts, condolences and best wishes are with Mr Condous's family during what is a very difficult time.

It was interesting and instructive to go back and read Mr Condous's first speech to parliament. I think many people in their first speech set the tone for many of the things they carry out throughout their public life. Mr Condous touched on many themes that are still relevant and important today: the importance of small business, the vibrancy of the CBD, the growth of tourism and multiculturalism. Indeed, I understand that Mr Condous was one of the very first mayors of Greek descent in Australia. As I said, these themes are still relevant today. The areas that Mr Condous championed, both as a parliamentarian and Lord Mayor and in his personal life, still remain relevant.

He was strong and independent minded, even without a sense of direction in the regions as we have heard today, doing what he saw best, which meant occasionally crossing the floor on parliamentary votes for his beloved electorate and for this great city of ours. Mr Condous was also a champion of things like the Central Market, where I am told he spent some time selling his wares on occasion at a cake stall. He was a very vocal defender of the Adelaide Parklands.

He was also a mad-keen footy fan and, in rereading his first speech, he took great delight in pointing out the financial difficulties that the Richmond Football Club was experiencing at the time, something that I will try to not hold against him too much. In February 1995, Mr Condous moved a motion, as the leader of the government in this place, calling on football to be played at Adelaide Oval. It is something that he championed on many different occasions in many different forms. It was a fantastic idea then and something that is reality now, and that gives you a sense of the vision of the man. He was a champion of playing football at Adelaide Oval even before the Hon. Terry Stephens had the idea and made it happen.

Mr Condous was a strong local member and was heavily involved in his community. He was patron of Heartbeat at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, patron of the West Beach Surf Life Saving Club, patron of the Henley Football Club, patron of the Henley Surf Life Saving Club, patron of amputee sports and Chairman of the Desert Pea Foundation.

In concluding, I think it is fair to say that Mr Condous's drive, ambition, advocacy and vision has made Adelaide and South Australia a better place and for this he will be well remembered. I commend the motion to the house.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (14:35): I rise to associate myself with the comments made by the Hon. Mr Lucas on behalf of Liberal members, and I do so as the only other current Liberal member in the parliament to have served with Mr Condous. I well remember his contributions in the joint party room, some of which were highlighted by my leader a few moments ago.

There are a couple of amusing things that I remember very well about his time here that coincided with mine. The leader has just reflected on the famous trip home from Port Pirie via Port Augusta. As much as I agree with the leader in saying that very few members of the Legislative Council would have ever done that, Mr Condous at least was happy to confess to the joint party room that he had done it when I think that many people would have kept it to themselves.

We all wondered why he did not work out, as he drove towards Port Augusta, that having had the sea on his left-hand side when he went to Port Pirie why it was still on his left-hand side when going home. I think, as the leader said, his geography skills outside of metropolitan Adelaide and particularly Colton were not as strong as they were for some of us.

Another matter I remember very fondly was the annual Blessing of the Waters at Henley Beach. On Saturday night last some of us heard a former premier, the Hon. Rob Kerin, relate the embarrassing story he had at the Blessing of the Waters at Glenelg, where he had the misfortune of the dove dying in his hands and the subsequent embarrassment about it. In fact, one young friend of his would not even let him hold his baby.

About 12 months after that event I was asked to represent the premier at the other Blessing of the Waters at Henley Beach. I very well remember Steve Condous—I do not know where Steve was but I was there to represent the premier—telling me beforehand that as I was new to the parliament he did not want me embarrassing anybody. He said, 'You know, this is what you've got to do to make sure you don't do what Kerin did.' He also gave me the now very well-known advice: whatever side of the Greek community is running the Blessing of the Waters, they always have spare doves now.

Can I say that I do remember Steve Condous very well, particularly even before his parliamentary career, as a very strong advocate for the City of Adelaide. I recognise that he was awarded an AM. He is well regarded throughout many facets of the South Australian community. I indicate my condolences to Angela and the family.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:39): I rise to speak about the extraordinary, colourful and distinguished life of Steve Condous AM, a great servant and fiercely parochial ambassador of our city and our state, who died on 22 June, aged 82. As those who knew Steve will attest, to describe him as larger than life probably does not do him justice. His sheer presence filled a big room. He was loud, and he loved it. He was opinionated, especially when it came to footy, cricket and politics. He was intelligent, successful and he was street smart.

Above all, Steve was a modest man who never forgot his roots and hard upbringing in the city's west as the son of battling migrants from the Greek island of Kastellorizo. Steve was one of the most generous and giving civic leaders I have had the pleasure to know, along with his loving wife of 49 years, Angela. There are a couple of stories I would like to share that seem to embrace his gregarious yet affable persona.

I first came across him when I was knee-high to a grasshopper—and you may joke that I still am. I was following the West Torrens Eagles at Thebarton Oval and watching my childhood footy idle, the mercurial triple Magarey Medallist, Lindsay Head, in the sixties and seventies. We watched games from the same spot, alongside the cyclone wire-roofed players' race, where fans could cheer and jeer as teams emerged. Not a good idea, Mr President. While I did not know him then, it was impossible not to be aware of him. Steve was so loud with his one-eyed barracking that the running joke was that he could wake up the dead at the nearby Hindmarsh Cemetery.

Legend has it that the Eagles recognised his unique talent as an abrasive 19th man, encouraging him to sledge opposition star players in the hope of putting them off their game. In those days, supporters could go onto the field at three-quarter time and gather around the huddle of players to hear the coaches' final commands. Steve was known to make his way to the opposing team and let fly with a rancid spray. One who copped his ire the most was Neil Kerley, when he was player-coach of Glenelg. How Steve never copped a knuckle sandwich from Knuckles is still a mystery.

Ironically, their paths crossed again when King Kerley came to coach West Torrens in the late 1970s. By that time, Steve was a permanent fixture at Thebby and had the job of fundraising to help pay for Kerley's huge contract. As the story goes, Steve organised a so-called gentleman's evening, replete with exotic dancers, roulette wheels and poker chips. All was going to the bawdy script until the sound of police sirens and screeching brakes suddenly sent men and scantily clad women scattering in all directions into the darkened streets of Panorama. Steve successfully made his getaway. He only had to scamper into his home right next door, leaving his hapless neighbour to face the music and save West Torrens from embarrassment.

Footy was a big part of his life. He was a founding member and a coach of Henley Greek in the amateur league. Never one to let an opportunity pass him by, he would send them on runs after training, armed with his leaflets to distribute during election campaigns. He also loved the Adelaide Crows and was still upbeat about their topsy-turvy season. Last Saturday night, with five straight losses looming, they needed a last quarter miracle. Now, I would not be surprised if the ghost of Steve Condous made himself heard at the three-quarter time huddle of the West Coast Eagles.

Steve never got to finish his pharmacy degree at Adelaide Uni because he was needed to support his family. He became a successful businessman in the food industry and was a canny property investor. Local government proved to be his true calling, spending 25 years as an Adelaide city councillor and as Lord Mayor for six years, the first from a Greek background. He was passionate about the city, increasing its population and protecting the Parklands. We in the media dubbed him 'the people's mayor' because of his down-to-earth, unpretentious and genuine approach. He had no time for elitism.

Nothing demonstrated that more than during the royal visit of Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1988. Steve and Angela were to host a civic reception for the rock star royals, and Town Hall drew up his guest list, made up of Adelaide's who's who and wannabes. As his wife Angela recounted to me, when Steve saw it he ripped it up in indignation and instead drew up his own list of ordinary people from working-class backgrounds who would never have got the chance to be so close to royalty, let alone the most famous couple on the planet at that time. That act impressed the normally cynical and hard-bitten Fleet Street press corps.

Another of those unheralded acts of kindness and generosity came to light while I was reading a sympathy card in his home. One year, Steve invited an underprivileged family to be his guests of honour on the Lord Mayor's stand to watch the Christmas Pageant. Not only that, Steve also bought them new clothes and shoes to wear on the day. Steve and Angela became an institution for their philanthropy and relentless charity work, raising millions of dollars for various causes, including homelessness and victims of domestic violence.

The other love of Steve's life is his daughter Stacey. He and Angela went through years of heartache and frustration trying to adopt Stacey as a baby from South America, and he later became a vocal critic of Australia's harsh adoption laws. The proudest day of his life came when he walked Stacey down the aisle and then toasted her and her new husband at the reception at the brand-new Adelaide Oval, where he loved watching footy and cricket. As far back as 1996, Steve called for AFL to be played there, much to the chagrin of the SANFL. How things have changed.

Steve never lost an election he contested, winning two terms in the other place as the Liberal member for Colton. While he could talk politics until the proverbial cows came home and tell you what was wrong with the world, Steve told me he never really felt comfortable about being an MP because he loathed toeing the party line and selling two-bob policies like the emergency services levy, which he strongly opposed. Steve will forever hold a dear and special place in my life. It was Steve who introduced me to my wife Angela in 1995, changing the course of our lives, and for that we will be eternally grateful. I commend the motion to the house.

The PRESIDENT: May I add my own condolences to the family. I ask honourable members to stand in their places to carry the motion in silence.

Motion carried by members standing in their places in silence.

Sitting suspended from 14:48 to 15:00.

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