Bob Such

Such grew up in Hawthorndene, South Australia and attended Coromandel Valley Primary School and Goodwood Boys Technical High School. His first job at the age of 14 was working on a farm at Alford on South Australia's Yorke Peninsula. He gained a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Economics and Politics and a PhD in Environmental Politics from Flinders University. He also gained a Diploma of Teaching from what is now the University of South Australia and a Diploma of Education from the University of Adelaide. He also completed part of a law degree.{{Cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/bob-such-36954.html |title=Bob Such - ABC The Drum |website=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=21 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140210094427/http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/bob-such-36954.html |archive-date=10 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}

Before entering politics, Such was a teacher/lecturer and researcher in the fields of politics, economics and the environment, at what is now the University of South Australia. Before and during the early stages of his role in Parliament, Such was also a councillor for the City of Mitcham.{{Cite web|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/bob-suchs-wife-lyn-urges-sa-mps-to-continue-her-husbands-work/story-fni6uo1m-1227088247256|title=Bob Such's wife Lyn urges SA MPs to continue her husband's work: The Advertiser 12 October 2014|accessdate=6 April 2024}}

Such was first elected as a Liberal MP for the seat of Fisher at the 1989 election, defeating Labor MP Philip Tyler with a 3.1 percent two-party margin from a 4.2 percent two-party swing, and went on to increase his margins. During his time with the Liberal Party, he took on several high-profile portfolios. He was the Shadow Minister for Further Education, Employment and Youth Affairs (May 1992 – December 1993) and when the Liberal Party won the 1993 election landslide, he became the Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education and the Minister for Youth Affairs (December 1993 – December 1996). In 1996, the Premier of South Australia Dean Brown was deposed by John Olsen in a coup. In Olsen's ministerial reshuffle, Such was moved to the backbench.[http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/sa2014-fisher Fisher, 2014 election: Poll Bludger][http://www.abc.net.au/news/sa-election-2014/guide/fish/ Fisher, 2014 election]: Antony Green ABC Former Liberal leader Iain Evans would later label the threat to Such's preselection as a "mistake" and his demotion to the backbench as "stupid politics".{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-29/late-mp-bob-such-remembered-in-sa-parliament-tribute/5852266|title=Late MP Bob Such remembered in SA Parliamentary tribute|work=ABC News |date=29 October 2014|accessdate=6 April 2024|via=www.abc.net.au}}

In 2000, Such began to voice discontent with the Liberal Government, notably the contrast between its 'obsession with money' and spending on dubious projects. It was claimed that Such allowed his involvement in his local Liberal branch to wane, increasing the possibility of a challenge to his Liberal preselection. When former Kingston Liberal federal MP Susan Jeanes announced her intention to contest Liberal preselection in Fisher, Such quit the Liberal Party, claiming he was disgruntled with the lack of support from his Liberal parliamentary colleagues.

Such retained Fisher as an independent in the 2002 election with a primary vote of 33.5 percent and a final two-candidate-preferred vote of 62.1 percent over Jeanes after receiving Labor preferences. The Liberals had placed Such in fifth place on the ticket, behind the Labor candidate. After the election, Labor was one short of a majority with the Liberals three short of a majority, with three elected independent MPs and a Nationals SA MP holding the balance of power on the crossbench. The Kerin government ended when Parliament resumed in March 2002, with Peter Lewis choosing to support a Labor government.

Such was elected to the position of Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees in February 2002. Although he had not voted to put the Rann Labor government in office, during 2002–06 the Rann government cultivated the support of all the crossbench. Such was often described as a "small-l" liberal independent. Such became Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly in a Labor government from 2005 to 2006 after Peter Lewis resigned as Speaker.[https://books.google.com/books?id=ur28OAgoL50C&pg=PA197 Google Books: Yes, Premier: Labor Leadership in Australia's States and Territories]. Page 211. Mike Rann chapter by Haydon Manning.

Such was a member of many parliamentary committees, including the Environment, Resources and Development Committee, Social Development Committee, and the Economic and Finance Committee. He was a member of numerous community and school groups, several of which focused on the environment, including the Nature Conservation Society of SA Inc., the Nature Foundation SA, and the Parklands Preservation Society.

The 2006 election landslide saw Such face a Labor rather than Liberal candidate on the two-candidate-preferred vote. Such received a primary vote of 45.2 percent, an increase of 11.7 points. His primary vote was 18.8 points more than Labor, and 26.7 points more than the Liberals, holding the seat with a margin of 16.7 points. The outcome of the election saw Such face former President of Australian Young Labor Amanda Rishworth on the two-candidate vote as opposed to a Liberal candidate in 2002, and Labor finished ahead of the Liberals on a 59.4 percent two-party vote from a 15.1 percent two-party swing, marking the first time since the 1985 election that Labor won the two-party vote in Fisher.

His margin remained virtually unchanged at the 2010 election, on 16.6 points.

Such retained Fisher at the 2014 election on a significantly decreased 9.4 percent margin. The 2014 election resulted in a hung parliament with 23 Labor seats, 22 Liberal seats, and two independents. These two independents, Such and Geoff Brock, held the balance of power.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-16/sa-election3a-all-eyes-on-the-independents-as-hung-parliament-/5324116 |title=Independents Bob Such, Geoff Brock likely to hold balance of power as hung parliament looms |publisher=ABC.net.au |date= 16 March 2014 }} Such had not indicated whom he would support in a minority government when, a week after the election, he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. He subsequently took medical leave and was hospitalised.

University of Adelaide Professor and Political Commentator Clem McIntyre said the absence of Such virtually guaranteed that Brock would back Labor – with 24 seats required to govern, Brock duly provided support to the incumbent Labor government, allowing Premier Jay Weatherill to continue in office as head of a minority government. McIntyre said:{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-13/sa-by-election-bob-such-seat-to-put-pressure-on-weatherill-govt/5810494|title=SA by-election to put pressure on Weatherill Government|work=ABC News |date=13 October 2014|accessdate=6 April 2024|via=www.abc.net.au}}

If Geoff Brock had gone with the Liberals, then the Parliament would have effectively been tied 23 to 23, so once Bob Such became ill and stepped away then Geoff Brock, I think had no choice but to side with Labor.

The Liberals were reduced to 21 seats in May 2014 when Martin Hamilton-Smith became an independent and entered cabinet with Brock.

Such was diagnosed with a brain tumour one week after the 2014 election. He immediately took medical leave and was hospitalised.{{cite news|title=South Australian independent MP Bob Such receiving treatment for brain tumour|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-29/sa-independent-bob-such-reveals-he-has-brain-tumour/5354340|accessdate=2014-10-12|work=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}} Although Such ended up on indefinite medical leave, he did attend the opening day of parliament.{{cite news|title=Bob Such attends SA Parliament opening despite medical leave for brain tumour treatment|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-06/bob-such-brain-tumour-turns-up-sa-parliament/5433340|accessdate=2014-10-12|work=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}{{cite news|title=Member for Fisher Bob Such won't return to SA Parliament for at least three months|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/south-australia/member-for-fisher-bob-such-wont-return-to-sa-parliament-for-at-least-three-months/story-fnii5yv4-1226957569662|accessdate=2014-10-12|work=news.com.au|date=2014-06-17}} Such died at the Daw House Hospice on 11 October 2014.{{cite news|title=Independent MP Bob Such dies after battle with brain tumour|url=http://www.news.com.au/national/south-australia/independent-mp-bob-such-dies-after-battle-with-brain-tumour/story-fnii5yv4-1227087496899|accessdate=2014-10-12|work=news.com.au|date=2014-10-12}} and was survived by his (second) wife, Lyn.[http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/lifestyle/sa-weekend/i-thought-we-would-have-more-time/news-story/6c4a13b80390c847b629fb354c0355bf “I thought we would have more time”] Accessed 2017-09-01

The 2014 Fisher by-election was held on 6 December, with Labor's Nat Cook winning the seat by just nine votes{{cite web|title = 2016 Report of the Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission|publisher = South Australian Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission|date = 7 December 2016|accessdate = 18 March 2018|url = http://edbc.sa.gov.au/redistributions/2016/2016-final-redistribution-report/edbc-final-redistribution-report-2016-pdf/download.html|page = 16|quote = A by-election for the district of Fisher was held on 6 December 2014. The Labor candidate won the seat over the Liberal candidate, with a margin of nine votes.}}{{cite web|date = 15 December 2014|title = 2014 Fisher by-election – Final Distribution of Preferences|url = http://ecsa.sa.gov.au/component/edocman/?task=document.download&id=974&Itemid=0|publisher = Electoral Commission of South Australia|url-status = live|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150326224128/http://ecsa.sa.gov.au/component/edocman/?task=document.download&id=974&Itemid=0|archive-date = 26 March 2015|accessdate = 18 March 2018|quote = In the recount conducted on 15 December 2014, Harris received 10275 votes and Cook received 10284 votes.}} from a 7.3 percent two-party swing, taking Labor from minority to majority government.{{cite news|title=South Australia set for two by-elections, in Fisher and Davenport state electorates|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-20/two-sa-by-elections-fisher-davenport-sam-duluk-iain-evans-such/5827412|accessdate=20 October 2014|work=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=20 October 2014}}{{cite web|url=

http://www.abc.net.au/elections/sa/2014/fisher/result.htm|title=Fisher By-election Results|first=Antony|last=Green|publisher=ABC|date=15 December 2014|accessdate=16 December 2014}} Despite this, the Weatherill Labor government kept Brock and Hamilton-Smith in cabinet, giving the government a 26 to 21 parliamentary majority.

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070901024212/http://www2.parliament.sa.gov.au/Internet/DesktopModules/memberdrill.aspx?pid=2819 Parliament profile]

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{{succession box | title=Member for Fisher | before=Philip Tyler | years=1989{{ndash}}2014|after=Nat Cook}}

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Category:1944 births

Category:2014 deaths

Category:Deaths from cancer in South Australia

Category:Deaths from brain cancer in Australia

Category:Members of the South Australian House of Assembly

Category:Independent members of the Parliament of South Australia

Category:Speakers of the South Australian House of Assembly

Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of South Australia

Category:21st-century Australian politicians

Category:Flinders University alumni