Vale Ronnie Peel

Mr GREG PIPER (Lake Macquarie)—It's with sadness that I acknowledge the passing of Wakefield resident, Australian singer and musician Ronnie Peel, also remembered by some as Rockwell T James. Ronnie was a bassist well known for his solo 1977 Top 40 hit Roxanne, his work in the La De Das and with the John Paul Young Allstars. His music career took off in the mid-60s with R&B band The Missing Links. From there he travelled to London and joined Thunderclap Newman which recorded the 1969 hit Something in the Air. But more than his musical feats, Ronnie was simply a truly decent bloke who loved entertaining and a good yarn. He was a well-known, well-liked and well-respected member of his community which will farewell him at a memorial service today. I first met him when he sought my help over the operations of an open-cut mine near his small rural community. He was passionate about such matters and I was pleased to help him as best I could.

Ronnie will be greatly missed by his family and friends, and I extend to them my sympathies and wish them all the best. Vale Ronnie Peel.