Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death on 24 June 2025 of Martin Bruce Cameron, a senator for the state of South Australia from 23 May to 24 October 1969.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That the Senate records its sadness at the death, on 24 June 2025, of Martin Bruce Cameron, former senator for South Australia, places on record its gratitude for his service to the Parliament and the nation, and tenders its sympathy to his family in their bereavement.

I rise on behalf of the Labor government to acknowledge the passing of former senator from South Australia Martin Bruce Cameron at the age of 89. At the outset, I convey my condolences and the government's condolences to his family and friends and to his parliamentary colleagues, who are mourning his passing.

Martin Bruce Cameron was born in Millicent, in my home state of South Australia, in 1935, the only son of a pioneering farming family with Scottish roots. He was educated in local country schools and then boarded at Scotch College in Adelaide, which was my school. Even to the time when I was there, farmers from the south-east often sent their sons and daughters to board there. After national service with the RAAF and agricultural studies in New Zealand, Martin returned home to farm alongside his family.

His appointment to the Senate in 1969 came somewhat suddenly, following the death of a close family friend, Senator Keith Laught. It was a short term; Martin Cameron served for just five months before his Senate term expired in 1969. Former senator Cameron reflected that he did not particularly enjoy his time in federal parliament. It perhaps started inauspiciously when the Clerk of the Senate dropped the Bible on which Martin Cameron was to be sworn in into the wastepaper basket. Now, this is what I was told—I'm assuming it is true, Mr Clerk!

Martin Cameron expressed frustration at the lack of interest in South Australian matters from his peers in Canberra, something which drove him to ask questions almost exclusively on South Australian matters, and he was critical of the lack of interest in federal matters from the Adelaide press. And so it was in South Australian state politics that Martin Cameron made his extensive contribution to public life. He entered the South Australian Legislative Council in July 1971, backed by one of the great leaders of both the Liberal Party and also the state, former premier Steele Hall. Martin Cameron would go on to join Steele Hall's breakaway Liberal movement and would remain an influential ally of Steele Hall's throughout the latter's long parliamentary career.

Martin Cameron was a politician unafraid to speak out on issues he considered to be matters of principle. The liberal movement of which he was a part was socially liberal and committed to electoral reform in South Australia, leveraging popular demands for change to force the Liberal and Country League leaders to enact aspects of Labor's proposed electoral reforms—reforms that would expand the franchise and reverse the so-called Playford gerrymander.

Martin Cameron defended democratic values and advocated for universal suffrage in the South Australian Legislative Council, often against more extreme voices on his own side of politics. He memorably described some of these voices as 'the extreme Right of the political spectrum in Australia and, as such, the lunatic fringe'. Over time, Martin Cameron became a respected elder of the South Australian parliament, known for firm views but always open to considered debate. He supported progressive legislation in the South Australian parliament. He stood against attempts to limit women's rights to abortion, held liberal views on homosexuality and advocated for Aboriginal health and community engagement.

If I might make a comment here, we in South Australia have long prided ourselves on being a state that is moderate. Those members of the liberal movement and members of the Liberal Party who made so many changes to the state over the years of their influence have had an historic and important role to play in the character of our state, and Martin Cameron was one of those.

Upon leaving the South Australian parliament, Martin remained active in public life. He was appointed by the Bannon Labor government to the board of the South Australian electricity trust. He led fisheries and marine sustainability efforts and was passionate about sailing and the seafood industry. He was also a lifelong republican, chairing the South Australian branch of the Australian Republican Movement and acting as a vocal supporter of the 'yes' case in the 1999 republic referendum.

Martin Cameron was of a generation of South Australian Liberals who strove to hold their commitment to the public good above party politics and did what was right even when it was difficult. I want to record my personal respect for his actions and the course he took. May that legacy endure. Once again, in closing, on behalf of the government, I express my condolences following the passing of Martin Bruce Cameron, and I extend my sympathies to all who loved him.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on behalf of the opposition to pay tribute to the late Martin Bruce Cameron, a man of principle, conviction and tenacity, whose public life spanned three decades and whose passing on 24 June of this year marked the closing of a significant chapter in the history of South Australian and Australian politics. Martin Cameron was born on 24 August 1935 in Millicent, South Australia. He was the only son of Gordon and Asta Cameron. He had a country upbringing rooted in the values of hard work, independence and service to others, and these would become the hallmarks of his political life.

He was educated at Scotch College in Adelaide. As a young man, he actually travelled widely, attending the Scouts jamboree in Austria in 1951 before studying agriculture in New Zealand and then returning to Australia to help run the family farm. He completed national service in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1954. He would later work on the family property at Thornlea, near Millicent, and it was from the land and the challenges facing primary producers that he was drawn into public life.

He became politically active in 1965 when he opposed the Labor government's restrictive transport legislation that limited the movement of farm produce by road. Finding the ruling class unresponsive to the concerns of rural communities, he resolved to act, and so began a life of political engagement grounded in the principle that parliament should serve people, not parties. Martin was first appointed to the Senate in 1969 to fill a casual vacancy following the death of Senator Keith Laught. His time in the chamber, as we have heard, was brief—it was just five months—but there were no two ways about it; he left a lasting impression. In that time, he delivered a maiden speech rich in South Australian concerns and asked questions that held the government of the day to account. He spoke directly, with clarity and purpose—qualities that would define his decades in public life.

Defeated at the 1969 election, Martin returned to farming, but not for very long. In 1971, he was elected to the South Australian Legislative Council, where he then served for nearly two decades. There he became a key figure in some of the most transformative political struggles in South Australia's history. As a founding member of the Liberal movement, alongside Steele Hall and Robin Millhouse, Martin stood for integrity, reform and individual conscience within a political culture that often demanded conformity. He fundamentally believed in electoral fairness. He was opposed to the deeply entrenched 'playmander' system that distorted democratic representation in South Australia. Through his efforts and those of his allies, lasting electoral reform was achieved.

Martin Cameron, though, was never afraid to stand alone. Whether taking an unpopular stance in support of progressive legislation or challenging the influence of hard-right factions like the League of Rights, he acted with the courage of his convictions. He was also unafraid to cross the floor. He believed in the sanctity of individual conscience, even when it put him at odds with his own party. In a career of contradictions, Martin championed causes both liberal and conservative, supporting the decriminalisation of homosexuality while also resisting certain aspects of progressive reform that he believed threatened personal liberty or institutional balance. He was complex, but he was always principled. He was not a factional warrior. He was a thoughtful parliamentarian who judged every issue that came before him on its merits.

Even in retirement from elected office, Martin continued to serve the state that he loved. He held senior appointments in the electricity sector, fisheries management and marine conservation. He chaired the South Australian Seafood Council and the Sailing Ship Trust. He was also a republican who chaired the state branch of the Australian Republican Movement, always consistent in his belief that power should be accountable to the people. In the 1990s, when internal divisions again threatened the cohesion of the South Australian Liberal Party, Martin returned as state president. He sought to unify, not divide, and to remind the party that division is death and that a shared commitment to purpose and values must transcend personal and ideological differences.

Martin Cameron was a husband to Barbara and a father to five children, and he was a devoted family man. The values he championed in public life—personal responsibility, fairness and respect for others—were lived daily in his private life. His legacy is measured not only in legislation or electoral milestones but in the many lives he influenced by his example of public duty and personal integrity. In remembering Martin Cameron, we do more than mark the passing of a man. We honour a legacy of principled service and we reflect on what it means to act with integrity in public life. To his wife, Barbara, and to his children, and to all who loved him, we extend our condolences.

With indulgence, I would now like to read some words about Martin Cameron from the former opposition Senate leader Simon Birmingham:

It is hard to imagine anyone whose length of service in the Senate was so brief, yet whose contribution to the politics so significant.

Though only serving in the Senate for a matter of months, Martin's political impact stretched decades, most obviously through his long service in South Australia's Legislative Council but also for many years either side of that through significant service to the Liberal Party in South Australia.

At a personal level I could never have asked for more support, encouragement and wise counsel than I received from Martin.

Martin was something of a legend who flew somewhat under the radar. He was front and centre in the Liberal Movement split of the 1970's, maintaining principled positions on electoral reform and respect of one vote one value principles that were at the heart of those divisions.

Martin opposed restrictions on women's choice, championed indigenous health initiatives, and played a key role in luring the required extra vote—that of Labor Legislative Council defector Norm Foster—that was necessary to enable the Olympic Dam uranium mine to go ahead.

As a Young Liberal in the 1990's I have fond memories of Martin, after leaving parliament, being convinced to return to the political fray at what proved to be the most fractious of times to take on the presidency of the SA Liberal Party.

Martin led with his customary mix of conviction, humour and pragmatism, but also sought to inspire a new generation of YLs, including me, to overcome the divisions of the time and see positive ways to contribute.

Martin would give his time to YL events with equal measure of insight and anecdote, even allowing a good number of us to return to his city home in Kensington to help to empty a few bottles of red or scotch. It was there that we were able to cajole him into treating us to a late-night bagpipe performance, possibly not to the joy of the neighbours!

At Martin's memorial service in the Adelaide Hills the tales of his bagpipe performances featured in many memories of family and friends, including in a moving eulogy by Sir Lynton Crosby who equally reflected on the key role Martin played in the beginnings of Sir Lynton's own long and successful political career.

As I sought to contest positions on the party's state executive and ultimately preselection I knew that I could always rely on Martin to give helpful advice, provide valuable intelligence on the delegates and to personally travel the hundreds of kilometres from his much loved farm near Beachport in SA's southeast to cast his vote in my favour. His commitment to support me continued for many years, for which I remain eternally grateful.

I last saw Martin last year at Steele Hall's funeral. The years had taken their toll, but there was still the magical glint in his eye, cheeky twinkle in his smile, a fire in his belly and conviction in his soul. Vale Martin, from one who owes you much.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I too rise today with great pleasure to have the opportunity to pay tribute to Martin Bruce Cameron. He was a man of incredible courage and extraordinary independence, and he left a huge and lasting impact on my home state of South Australia.

Born in 1935, Martin's life was absolutely marked by his commitment to rural and regional Australia and, particularly, his community—from his commitment to national service to his study of agriculture, which he went to New Zealand for, and the work that he did on his family property near Millicent in the south-east for much of his life, even during his time in public life. But it was his sense of justice and his desire to give voice to his community that was, I think, probably the driving force that brought him into politics.

As Senator Cash mentioned, 1965 was the pivotal point when Martin decided that he could no longer just be a farmer. He had to get himself involved in politics, and he joined the Liberal and Country League on the back of a bill—the South Australian state government's Road Traffic Act—that sought to restrict the transport of live animals and produce by road. Martin thought that was egregious and damaging to his community, so he said that, instead of whinging from the sidelines, he would get into a political party and do something about it.

It didn't take him long before he decided that he was actually going to have a tilt at getting into the South Australian parliament, and, in 1968, he famously lost his election in Millicent by one vote. Needless to say, it was contested, and the Court of Disputed Returns determined that there needed to be a by-election. Unfortunately for Martin, that by-election saw quite an overwhelming victory for his opponent, who had previously only won by one vote. But, typical of Martin, he was always going to push the boundaries and make sure that he didn't die wondering what the result would be.

He had a brief stint in this chamber—a short five months—when he filled a casual vacancy created by one of his very close friends, but Martin's heart was always in South Australia, which was demonstrated by his behaviour for the whole time he was here. You would have thought that there was no other place in Australia apart from South Australia from his contributions—always asking questions about South Australia, talking about South Australia and completely ignoring every other state and territory. Although he recontested his Senate position unsuccessfully, I think he was happiest when he went back to South Australia and was able to represent his home community in the South Australian parliament. So, from 1971 until 1990, just shy of 20 years, Martin served in our state's upper house in South Australia.

He was a true Liberal politician. He was a reformer and he was a principled man who was quite happy to accept the criticism of others as long as he was standing up for what he absolutely believed in himself. He was central to the foundation of the Liberal Movement, alongside Steele Hall, both of whom served in both this parliament and our parliament in South Australia. He also helped to ensure that all South Australians, regardless of gender or status, had the right to vote in the upper house, and he regarded this reform as one of his proudest moments in the South Australian parliament.

But Martin wasn't just a man of politics. As Senator Cash mentioned, he was also a bagpiper—although, I must say, he wasn't a very good one! I can attest to that through personal experience. Martin and I were lucky enough, many, many years ago, to have had the opportunity to sail in the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Now, whilst the rest of us were packing a very small amount, because that was all the kit we were allowed to take, for some weird reason Martin decided that his entire kit was going to be made up of his bagpipes. Whenever it was calm enough, Martin would stand on the deck and would try and pipe out at tune, if you could even call it that, which resulted in many comments from the crew about who was killing the ship's cat! One morning, to our great surprise, we heard the bagpipes being played absolutely beautifully. So we all raced upstairs, wondering what had transformed Martin's clear lack of musical talent, only to find that somebody had commandeered Martin's bagpipes and was making a significantly better effort of punching out a tune than Martin was. You'll be pleased to know that we never heard Martin play the bagpipes again!

But he brought colour and he brought character to our public life. He was a smiling Scott, known for his sharp wit and his sharp questions. He was absolutely relentless in debate, especially on matters like health policy. But he was motivated by a genuine concern about the wellbeing of South Australians. It is something that I think all of us in this chamber absolutely care about—that is, the wellbeing of the people that we represent in this place—as do those that represent us in the other places in our states and territories. Even after Martin retired in 1990, he continued to serve his community. His involvement was very broad, including fisheries, heritage, sailing, Aboriginal health. There was a long list of things, but everything was tied back to his support for his community, and his commitment to public life never dimmed through his entire life.

Martin embodied the values, the true liberal values, that the Liberal Party holds dear: individual freedom and civic responsibility. Martin remained a member of the Liberal Party and a member of our state council till the day he died. I'm pretty sure that Martin voted for me for every one of my preselections, bar one. It was only the last one, when ill health prevented him from travelling to Adelaide to, I'm quite sure, vote for me. But no-one will ever know now, so I'm going to claim that victory!

On behalf of the Liberal Party and the people of South Australia, I offer my condolences to his family, to his wife, Barbara, who he was married to for 65 years, and to his five children, Mary, Jane, Kate, Sandy and Robert. May they take comfort from the incredible contribution that their father and husband made in South Australian and Australian life. Vale, Martin Cameron.

Question agreed to, honourable senators joining in a moment of silence.