I rise to support the comments of both the Leader of the Government and the Leader of the Opposition about the Hon. Frank Blevins. Can I say from the outset that I pass on my family’s condolences to Doreen and her family. My wife actually went to school with Frank’s children and I certainly knew a couple of them reasonably well. I had the pleasure, or displeasure, of coming second to Frank Blevins in the 1993 Giles contest. I have to say that it was a contest that was conducted honourably. I knew Frank well prior to that contest. I always had a decent respect for him and that continued after he had towelled me up in 1993.
He was a passionate man of the Labor Party. There were no ifs, buts or maybes, but he could certainly have a conversation and was not dismissive of other people’s views, for which I respected him. I will share with the chamber that a number of his friends from the tugs, who I also knew and knew quite well, were thrilled that he had taken up the fight for his workmates in the parliament, but most of them could never understand why you would give up a job on the tugs in Whyalla to enter parliament because, I have to say, at different times I was quite envious of their particular role and the terms and conditions of the working men on those tugs. Just with those few words, I pass on my absolute best wishes and sincerest condolences to Doreen and to her family.