Condolence Motion for the Hon R. B. Such
29/10/2014
The Hon. K.L. VINCENT: I unfortunately did not have the pleasure of knowing Bob for as long as some other members have, but in the relatively short time that I did know him I grew to respect and admire him very greatly. My first memory of Bob—it probably was not the first time that I met him, but it is the first time that I can recall at the moment—was when he came up to me in the Blue Room while my staff and I were having lunch and said hello and asked me if it was correct that I had just been appointed to the Social Development Committee.
This was not long after my appointment to the parliament. I said yes and he smiled and said, ‘I will see you there then’ and proceeded to give me a high five. As I was just adjusting to the rather formal proceedings of parliament this struck me as a very unusual, but not unwelcome, gesture. In the time that we served together on that committee my respect for Bob only grew. He was always very thorough, but fair, in his questioning of whichever witness we had before us on the day, and he never let his personal opinion get in the way.
Even though many of our political passions were quite aligned, I never saw him let his personal opinion get in the way of giving fair questioning to witnesses before the committee and getting the comprehensive information that he felt he needed to find the right solution for the community of South Australia. That was something that I very much respected about Bob. In fact, the Hon. Robert Brokenshire has proved me wrong because I was about to say that I never heard Bob say a cross word, but I am sure it was very justified on the occasion that the Hon. Mr Brokenshire has illustrated.
Recently, Bob and I went on a trip together to Coober Pedy with the Social Development Committee, looking at the issues around alcohol consumption there because the committee was at the time doing a report on the sale and consumption of alcohol. His wife Lyn had instructed him to drive up there because she did not like the thought of him boarding small planes, so he had his car up there. He very kindly offered to help me get from place to place if it was too far for me to travel in my wheelchair. He always waited for me. Even if the others went off to do their thing, he always waited for me to load and unload my wheelchair from the car and he did anything he could to assist, which I very much appreciated.
On one occasion, while we were driving around, he asked me if I would mind if he put some music on. Of course, I said yes. Had I known that it was the greatest hits of Liza Minnelli, I might not have been so quick to consent. Certain parts of it were fabulous, but after about the second or third play of the whole album, you do get a bit tired.
When I found out that Bob was ill yet again, despite his efforts and advocacy in the area of health, it was with great sadness that I heard that news. I immediately sent a card and some flowers to his office because I felt that that was the most I could do. When I saw Bob for the last time here in this place for the opening of parliament, I remember seeing him walking down the chamber to his seat. He was being guided by someone because he was unwell. I waved at him and blew a quick kiss to him across the chamber. When somebody had pointed out that that is what I had done, he found his way around to me and blew a kiss back, which was lovely.
After the proceedings were over he came up to me to say thank you for the card. He really should not have had to come up to me, but he made the effort to let me know how grateful he was that I had sent some thoughts his way at that difficult time. He gave me a big hug and just kept holding on to me and saying, ‘Thank you. Thank you so much.’ I just kept saying, ‘I’m sorry’. What else can you do when it is so hard to see someone you admire so much, someone who is usually so strong, going through that? You wish there were other words you could find but, sadly, even someone who loves language as much as myself struggles at a time like that.
I am sorry. I am sorry that this parliament will be a much less colourful and comprehensive place without Bob. As other members have pointed out, he was always very thorough in his research and not shy about putting his views across. I am sorry that the electorate of Fisher has lost a very dedicated and passionate member, and I am sorry that his family has lost such a truly lovely and honourable man.
