SA Labor heavyweights pay tribute to former staffer Jill Bottrall, who died after being diagnosed with cancer.
Ms Bottrall was a long-serving media adviser and deputy chief of staff to former premier Mike Rann, who was among the first to express his condolences.
Mr Rann said in a tweet that he and wife Sasha were deeply saddened to learn of Jill Bottrall's untimely death. She was a courageous and fiercely loyal comrade-in- arms.
She had no idea of surrender or defeat. There was passion, perseverance and resilience in the ups and downs of politics. Ms Bottrall was widely considered as one of the architects of Mr Rann's political success and was well known in media circles for her formidable communication style, even lending her name to an informal verb.
I never got to work with or know Jill Bottrall but I spent about four years in the government's media unit and she was spoken about with so much respect and reverence, one journalist wrote on social media.
Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis, who was elevated to Labor Cabinet during Mr Rann's premiership, said all of SA Labor was mourning the loss of Jill Bottrall last night after a very brief and unfair battle with cancer. He said no-one fought harder for Labor.
Jill was a key part of the success of the Mike Rann government. God rest you Jill, the battle is fought and won. Premier Peter Malinauskas said he was shocked and saddened by Ms Bottrall's death, and described her as a loyal and dedicated staffer for Mike Rann over many years, both in opposition and government. Ms Bottrall opened her own public relations agency after more than 15 years as an adviser to Mr Rann.
She served as a member of the RSPCA's SA board and as a manager for the NBN in SA and the Northern Territory in later years.