GAWLER-born, newly elected Legislative Council president John Dawkins is gearing up to defend his position following his expulsion from the Liberal Party room.
The new Upper House boss faced wrath from fellow party members last week after he won the Legislative Council presidency over the government’s nominee Jing Lee – and a $150,000 pay rise.
Speaking to The Bunyip, Mr Dawkins said he had been a proud member of the Liberal Party for 48 years and felt he deserved a different outcome.
“I will be defending my position when the state executive considers the matter,” he said.
“I am proud of my service to the Liberal Party.”
Mr Dawkins said he believed it was important for parliament’s upper house to be presided over by an experienced member.
“I have had vast experience over all of my time in parliament as being an acting president…” he said.
“I served as opposition whip for 16 years under five different leaders and with seven different lower house Liberal whips.
“I am particularly passionate about maintaining the Legislative Council as a very important part of our parliamentary bicameral system, but there were… standards of the way the place had operated that I felt needed a lift.
“I am already playing a role in that and that role is shared with all of the members of the house, but I am very keen to advance the integrity and the transparency of the Legislative Council.”
Meanwhile, Mr Dawkins won a national award for his work in suicide prevention the same day Premier Steven Marshall sacked him as his suicide prevention advocate.
On Thursday – World Suicide Prevention Day – Mr Dawkins was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by Suicide Prevention Australia.
He said he would continue to pursue his work in suicide prevention “no matter what”.