I start my support of this motion by acknowledging Mrs Mary Whyte, the Hon. Caroline Schaefer, Gar and Nettie Heron, and of course the Hon. Peter Dunn, former President of the Legislative Council. I was fortunate to meet Caroline Schaefer, the first of the Whyte family I came into contact with, and the great privilege that I had through meeting Caroline was to be introduced to her highly-respected father, Arthur Whyte.
My journey with Caroline started as a candidate for the state seat of Giles in the early 1990s. I had not met Caroline before and, out of that silver medal I received at that time, that podium finish without any chocolates, I had the great fortune to come into contact with the Whyte family. Can I say that the experience for me has been one where I feel extremely fortunate and honoured to have been befriended by that particular family.
The Hon. David Ridgway, the Hon. Rob Lucas, the Hon. Peter Dunn, the Hon. Graham Gunn, Rowan Ramsey, the federal member, and Peter Treloar, the member for Flinders, and I were all fortunate to attend the celebration of Arthur's life in Kimba in December. As a Whyalla person who has always admired West Coast folk, it was exactly as I would have expected it to be. There was an enormous amount of respect shown. It was an enormously well-attended celebration, and I could not help but think, even though it was an extremely sad occasion, that when you looked at the pictorial of Arthur's life as it was presented in this marvellous ceremony, there would not have been a person who walked away without having been inspired by the celebration of Arthur Whyte's life.
Arthur Whyte was a legend of the West Coast; he was a great South Australian and Australian. My condolences to Mary and all of your family. You have much to be proud of, and I indeed was honoured to know Arthur Whyte.