Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Disability and Carers) Share this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to pay tribute to Professor Paul Kerin. Sadly, Professor Kerin passed away on 30 December last year. Paul was an economist, an adviser, a mediator, a media commentator and a champion for those less well off in our community. His passion for social justice started at a very young age. Although Dr Kerin had a highly successful career in business and academia, tonight I would like to focus on the enormous contribution Paul made to a number of South Australian and national disability and not-for-profit organisations.

As Paul was a type 1 diabetic, his involvement in Diabetes SA, including serving on its board, was not surprising. Family experience and friendship also led Paul to become an adviser to and eventually a board member of Down Syndrome South Australia. Prior to joining the board of Down Syndrome South Australia, Dr Kerin was a member of their governance advisory committee and provided strong advice and assistance which was invaluable in meeting the many challenges membership based disability organisations faced with the rollout of the NDIS.

As a board member of Down Syndrome South Australia, Paul helped shape the board's focus on their long-term financial sustainability. That sustainability is vital for any organisation seeking to meet the ongoing needs of their membership. Being an economist, Dr Kerin was adamant that sustainability needed to be a longer term view than the traditional six- to 12-month funding cycle. Apart from the fact that this represented good governance, in Paul's view a longer term sustainable financial outcome was necessary to attract and retain the best possible staff and to ensure quality and guaranteed support to members and their families.

Paul wasn't on the board of Down Syndrome South Australia for long before he took on the role of representing South Australia on the board of Down Syndrome Australia. DSA is a relatively young federated organisation, and having some of Professor Kerin's high-powered business and commercial experience, along with his governance expertise and fierce intellect, would have been invaluable.

Paul's involvement with and commitment to Down Syndrome South Australia saw him suggest an amalgamation with the Adelaide based service provider, Orana. After a significant process of evaluation and due diligence reviews on both sides, along with consultations with the Down Syndrome South Australia membership, the amalgamation proceeded last year. The merger was seen as beneficial to both organisations. Orana was able to provide Down Syndrome SA the financial stability Paul regarded as essential and with statewide reach, and the lively mixture of members and volunteers of Down Syndrome South Australia will help modernise the operations of Orana and introduce them to a new generation of South Australians that need their support. This amalgamation saw Paul leave the board of Down Syndrome Australia. He took a seat on the board of Orana on behalf of Down Syndrome SA.

Paul was a lifelong supporter of many charities, but Diabetes SA and Down Syndrome SA held a special place. In addition to the charities and organisations that Paul supported both personally and financially, economics, music, family and friends were important to Paul. In addition to expressing my condolence to the membership of Down Syndrome South Australia and Down Syndrome Australia, I would like to take this opportunity to pass on my sympathies to Paul's sons, Jack and Alex, and his close friends and family.