Dr WOODRUFF (Franklin – Leader of the Greens) – Honourable Speaker, on behalf of the Greens, I extend my condolences to the family and friends of Roger Groom, known as Roger, who died at the age of 87. What a fantastic age and what a fantastic life he lived. This must be such a hard time for his family – and I acknowledge Rob and Kristin who are with us today – because Roger’s wife, Gay, died just weeks before him. They were married for 63 years. How lucky they were to have such a long time together.
Roger Groom was born in 1936, and he was interested in politics from a young age. He served as the president of the Liberal Party, as the Premier said, at the age of 21. He was working as a machinery salesman for much of his time before he was elected in 1976 to the House of Assembly for the Liberals. In the Long Room, if members want to take a look afterwards, you can see a picture of Roger taken during that time, sporting a fabulous moustache – so fitting of the era. We say there should be more of them here today.
Roger Groom served his community of Braddon passionately for over 20 years until his retirement in 1997. He did great important work for Tasmanians as a senior minister of the Robin Gray and Ray Groom governments between 1982 and 1989. That included his time as Minister for Health, Mines, Police and Emergency Services, Transport, Fisheries, Community Welfare and Health Services. What a lot of portfolios he took on and what a lot of Tasmanians lives he touched in the work he did.
Ray Groom has been complimentary of the work of his old colleague, recording that the Minister for Health was determined and hardworking and a person who dealt with issues quickly and competently. I want to just appreciate what the Premier said in his personal stories of Roger’s life. We also, as the Greens, recognise his integral role in introducing the Bass Strait ferry, the Abel Tasman, to Tasmania. What a critical contribution this has made to our connection with the mainland. In 1994, he also introduced a domestic violence policy. It focused on protecting and supporting victim/survivors and increasing the awareness of the consequences of domestic violence on women and children.
After his retirement from politics in 1997, Roger Groom continued to be a very active member of the community. He was a proud and dedicated member of Lions Tasmania, and he was involved with Lions Tasmania for more than 60 years, contributing particularly to the Burnie Club and serving as the Burnie District’s first district governor in 1980. Even after retirement, he showed this incredible dedication to the Lions Club, and I understand he used to travel 130 kilometres regularly to attend meetings and he would not think anything of it.
I suspect that the Greens may not have agreed on all of the projects that his government prosecuted during his parliamentary period, such as seeking to establish the Franklin Dam or the direction that the salmon industry – which he started in the early days – has grown in the time since then. But no one can disagree that Roger Groom was a hardworking government minister and a passionate advocate for and an active member of the community that he served. He was also a man who loved Tasmania’s wild places. He was a regular walker in the bush and a member of Land Care Tasmania.
On behalf of the Greens, I extend my condolences to his family and friends, and especially to Kristin and Mick, Matt and Rob, to his children and grandchildren, who I understand called him Bodge, and to his brother and best mate, Dick.
I am sure Roger will be hugely missed. The incredible memories of love and generosity that he leaves with his family and friends, and the pride that he ought to have given them, will continue down, I expect, through generations for the contributions he has made to the people of Braddon and the state of Tasmania. Vale, Roger Groom.
Members – Hear, hear.
