Wife of police boss sacked by Dunstan dies

THE final chapter in one of South Australia's most controversial political events - the Salisbury affair - has closed.

THE final chapter in one of SA's most controversial political events - the Salisbury affair - has closed.

Joan Salisbury, the wife of former police commissioner Harold Salisbury - who was sensationally sacked by former Premier Don Dunstan in 1978 - has died at her home in England.

Mrs Salisbury, 94, died last Saturday following a long fight with cancer. Her death came 21 years after that of Mr Salisbury, who never overcame the stigma associated with his sacking.

The pair returned to England in mid-1979, just over a year after Mr Salisbury was dismissed in January, 1978, by Mr Dunstan at the height of the Special Branch files controversy.

This centred on Mr Salisbury's failure to provide information to the government on the content of files on prominent people, government opponents and others held by the then Special Branch.

An inquiry found the content of some of the files was inaccurate and, after refusing to resign, Mr Dunstan sacked Mr Salisbury.

The sacking sparked public outrage with 10,000 members of the public and police officers attending a protest rally in Victoria Square. A subsequent royal commission chaired by Justice Roma Mitchell vindicated the government decision, finding that answers provided by Mr Salisbury to the government were "inaccurate by omission".

The Salisburys' daughter, Jane Hall, 67, said yesterday that while her mother did not dwell on the events of 1979, "she never forgot the harsh treatment" Mr Salisbury received at the hands of the Dunstan government. "I don't know that they were bitter, they were just so disappointed," Mrs Hall said.

"My father had absolutely no form of appeal at all. It could not have been done to a junior policeman the way it was to him - they would have had some form of appeal.

"That's what he was so disappointed in. He could not have been dismissed in this country (England) as he was over there."

Mrs Hall said she could still recall the events surrounding her father's dismissal, with her mother ringing her on the day Mr Salisbury was sacked to break the news to her.

"She wanted to tell us before we read it in The Times  so we would not have a dreadful shock," she said.

She said her parents did not discuss the sacking with her "a great deal" after their return to the United Kingdom in 1979, but she said it was "always in the back of my father's mind".

"After a brilliant career of 44 years to suddenly end like that, it was devastating for him," Mrs Hall said.

"He did definitely have a sense of injustice that it had happened as it had."

Mrs Hall said despite their treatment, her parents had "never lost their affection for Australia".

"Mum had always kept in touch with her friends over there and only recently she had cards from Australia saying `so sorry you are not well'," she said.

"They were both immensely touched by the support they had. My father was absolutely amazed by the number of people who were at the demonstrations to support him."