Bob Such facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Such
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| Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly | |
| In office 4 April 2005 – 26 March 2006 |
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| Preceded by | Peter Lewis |
| Succeeded by | Jack Snelling |
| Member of the House of Assembly for Fisher | |
| In office 25 November 1989 – 11 October 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Philip Tyler |
| Succeeded by | Nat Cook |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Bruce Such
22 June 1944 Hawthorndene, South Australia |
| Died | 11 October 2014 (aged 70) Daw Park, South Australia |
| Political party | Independent Liberal (2000–2014) |
| Other political affiliations |
Liberal Party (1989–2000) |
| Alma mater | Flinders University |
| Occupation | Teacher |
Robert Bruce Such (born 2 June 1944, died 11 October 2014) was an important politician from South Australia. He was a member of the South Australian House of Assembly, which is like a state parliament. He represented the area called Fisher from 1989 until he passed away in 2014.
Bob Such first joined the Liberal Party. Later, in 2000, he decided to become an independent politician. This means he didn't belong to any major political party. He also served as a minister in the government and later as the Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly. The Speaker is like a referee for the parliament meetings.
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Growing Up and Learning
Bob Such grew up in Hawthorndene, South Australia. He went to Coromandel Valley Primary School. Then he attended Goodwood Boys Technical High School. When he was 14, his first job was on a farm. This farm was located in Alford on South Australia's Yorke Peninsula.
He loved learning and went to Flinders University. There, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with honours. He studied Economics and Politics. He also got a PhD in Environmental Politics. A PhD is a very high university degree.
Bob Such also studied to become a teacher. He got diplomas from what is now the University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide. He even started studying law.
Before he became a politician, Bob Such was a teacher and researcher. He taught about politics, economics, and the environment. This was at the University of South Australia. He was also a local councillor for the City of Mitcham. A councillor helps make decisions for a local area.
His Time in Politics
Starting as a Liberal MP (1989–2000)
Bob Such was first elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP). This happened in 1989 for the area of Fisher. He won against the Labor candidate, Philip Tyler. He kept winning elections and increasing his support.
While with the Liberal Party, he had important jobs. He was a "Shadow Minister" from 1992 to 1993. This means he was part of the opposition party. He focused on education, employment, and youth affairs.
When the Liberal Party won the 1993 election, he became a minister. He was the Minister for Employment, Training, and Further Education. He was also the Minister for Youth Affairs. This lasted from 1993 to 1996.
In 1996, the leader of the Liberal Party, Dean Brown, was replaced. The new leader, John Olsen, changed the government team. Bob Such was moved to the "backbench." This means he no longer had a special minister job. He was just a regular MP.
In 2000, Bob Such started to disagree with the Liberal government. He felt they cared too much about money. He thought they spent money on projects that weren't very good. He decided to leave the Liberal Party. He said he didn't feel supported by his party friends in parliament.
Becoming an Independent (2000–2014)
After leaving the Liberal Party, Bob Such ran as an independent candidate. He won the election in 2002 for Fisher. This showed that people in his area still supported him.
After this election, no major party had enough seats to form a government alone. This is called a "hung parliament." Independent MPs like Bob Such became very important. They could decide which party would form the government. Bob Such was often described as a "small-l" liberal. This means he believed in individual freedom and limited government.
Being the Speaker (2005–2006)
In 2002, Bob Such was chosen as the Deputy Speaker. This means he helped the Speaker run the parliament meetings. He became the main Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly in 2005. He held this important role until 2006. The Speaker makes sure that debates in parliament are fair and follow the rules.
Helping on Committees
Bob Such was part of many parliamentary committees. These groups study specific topics and make recommendations. He was on committees for the environment, social development, and finance.
He also cared a lot about the environment. He was a member of several community groups. These groups worked to protect nature and parklands.
Winning Elections (2006 and 2010)
Bob Such continued to win elections easily. In the 2006 election, he got a lot of votes. He won by a large margin. This showed how much support he had from the people in Fisher.
His strong support continued in the 2010 election. He kept his seat with a very similar large margin.
The 2014 Election and What Happened Next
Bob Such won the 2014 election for Fisher. However, his winning margin was smaller this time. The 2014 election again resulted in a "hung parliament." This meant neither the Labor nor the Liberal party had enough seats to govern alone.
Bob Such and another independent MP, Geoff Brock, held the "balance of power." This meant their decision would determine which party formed the government.
A week after the election, Bob Such was diagnosed with a brain tumour. He had to take medical leave and go to the hospital. Because he was ill, he couldn't help decide which party to support. This meant Geoff Brock's decision became even more important. Geoff Brock decided to support the Labor government. This allowed Premier Jay Weatherill to continue leading the state.
His Passing and a New Election
Bob Such passed away on 11 October 2014. He died at the Daw House Hospice. He was survived by his wife, Lyn.
After his death, a special election was held. This is called a "by-election." The by-election for Fisher happened on 6 December 2014. Nat Cook from the Labor Party won the seat. She won by a very small number of votes. This win gave the Labor government enough seats to have a majority.
