David Tonkin

The Honourable Dr. David Tonkin AO
38th Premier of South Australia Elections: 1977, 1979, 1982
In office 18 September 1979 – 10 November 1982
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor	Sir Keith Seaman Sir Donald Dunstan
Deputy	Roger Goldsworthy
Preceded by	Des Corcoran
Succeeded by	John Bannon
Treasurer of South Australia
In office 18 September 1979 – 10 November 1982
Premier	David Tonkin
Preceded by	Des Corcoran
Succeeded by	John Bannon
30th Leader of the Opposition (SA)
In office 1975 – 18 September 1979
Deputy	Roger Goldsworthy
Preceded by	Bruce Eastick
Succeeded by	John Bannon
Member of Parliament for Bragg
In office 30 May 1970 – 14 May 1983
Preceded by	New seat
Succeeded by	Graham Ingerson
Personal details
Born	20 July 1929 Unley, South Australia
Died	2 October 2000 Mengler Hill, South Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Liberal Party of Australia (SA)
Parent(s)	Oliver Athelstone Prisk Tonkin and Bertha Ida Louisa nee Kennett

Dr David Oliver Tonkin AO (20 July 1929 – 2 October 2000) was the 38th Premier of South Australia, serving from 18 September 1979 to 10 November 1982. He was elected to the House of Assembly seat of Bragg at the 1970 election, serving until 1983. He became the leader of the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia in 1975, replacing Bruce Eastick. Initially leading the party to defeat at the 1977 election against the Don Dunstan Labor government, his party won the 1979 election against the Des Corcoran Labor government. Following the 1980 Norwood by-election the Tonkin government was reduced to a one-seat majority. His government's policy approach combined economic conservatism with social progressivism. The Tonkin Liberal government was defeated after one term at the 1982 election by Labor led by John Bannon.

Early life

Born in Unley, Tonkin's father died when he was five, leaving Tonkin's mother to raise him and his siblings. Tonkin attended local public schools before gaining a scholarship to St Peter's College. Accepted into Medicine at the University of Adelaide, Tonkin worked as a taxi driver while completing his degree and practised as a General Practitioner before undertaking a postgraduate ophthalmology course in London. He established a practice in Adelaide and was soon considered one of the city's leading eye surgeons. Tonkin was of Cornish ancestry.

Tonkin's dedication to public service was in evidence through his honorary service as an eye surgeon to Adelaide public hospitals and the initiation, through the Lions Club, of Australia's first public screening programme for glaucoma. In 1962 Tonkin became executive director of the Australian Foundation for Prevention of Blindness SA Inc.

Early political career

From a young age, Tonkin was a supporter of the Liberal and Country League (LCL), handing out how-to-vote cards at the 1939 election for the party. His prominence in Adelaide society and his community service made him an ideal LCL candidate and in 1967, he unsuccessfully ran for the Electoral district of Norwood against Don Dunstan before winning the adjacent seat of Bragg at the 1970 election.

Tonkin quickly gained a reputation as a progressive member of the LCL and was an early supporter of the Liberal Movement faction created by former premier Steele Hall, although Tonkin remained with the LCL when the Liberal Movement split from it.

Tonkin first gained statewide prominence in 1974 when he successfully introduced a private member's bill to outlaw sex discrimination, the first such law in Australia. This prominence led to a successful 1975 challenge to Liberal parliamentary leader Bruce Eastick for the party leadership. Tonkin became leader after Eastick stood aside. As leader, Tonkin worked toward healing the internal party wounds by coaxing the Liberal Movement back into the Liberal fold, which helped the South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia to regain government for one term at the 1979 election against Labor, briefly led by Des Corcoran. The Liberals won 25 of 47 seats, a two-seat majority.

Premier

Also taking the position of Treasurer of South Australia, Tonkin combined fiscal conservatism with implementing socially progressive reforms. In the former, Tonkin made significant cuts to the public service, earning him the enmity of the unions, while an example of the latter was the passage of the land rights bill and the return to the Pitjantjatjara people of 10 per cent of South Australia's area.

Other significant actions include the development of the copper and uranium mine at Olympic Dam (Roxby Downs), extending his earlier anti-discrimination provisions to include physical disability, establishing the Ethnic Affairs Commission and introducing random breath testing (RBT).

Bidding for re-election at the 1982 election, Tonkin had support of the South Australian media. However, the economy was hit by the early 1980s recession. The government suffered a large swing at the 1982 Florey by-election before losing the state election two months later to Labor led by John Bannon. Tonkin resigned from parliament shortly after following a heart complaint, which sparked a Bragg by-election.

After politics

Subsequently, Tonkin returned to ophthalmology and served in various capacities in different government and community organisations, including chairman of the board of the State Opera from 1985 to 1986 and vice-president of Sturt Football Club. In 1986 he assumed the London-based position of Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

Returning to Australia in 1992, Tonkin was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1993 and served as chairman of the South Australian Film Corporation from 1994 to 1996. A stroke in 1996 permanently affected his speech and forced him into retirement.

Tonkin was awarded the Liberal Party's outstanding achievement award in 2000 by Prime Minister John Howard and died in his sleep at Mengler Hill, Barossa Valley, South Australia, on 2 October 2000 while attending a music festival. He was survived by his wife Prue, six children and 10 grandchildren.

Following his death, the Pitjantjatjara people paid tribute to Tonkin, stating that no Liberal politician had done as much for Aboriginal people. Others stated that he lost the 1982 election because he lacked the ruthlessness required of successful politicians.

The Board Room in the Bragg Electorate Office is named in his honour. In addition, a Memorial Dinner in his name is also now held each year by The South Australian Young Liberal Movement.

References

• Debelle, P. (2000) "Obituaries – David Oliver Tonkin, AO – South Australian Premier", The Age, p 11, 18 October 2000.
• Kemp, M. (2000) "A reformer and a gentleman", Adelaide Advertiser, p 76, 7 October 2000.
• Kemp, M. (2000) "Prime Minister pays Tribute to Former Premier David Tonkin", Adelaide Advertiser, p 5, 12 October 2000.
• Laidlaw, D. (2000) "Premier fostered progress", The Australian, p 12, 25 October 2000.

External links

• Parliamentary Profile: SA Parliament website