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Character Profiles > Steve Parker Steve Bastoni

Steve 'Stevo' James Parker 2007-2009
Lived: 26 Ramsay Street
Born: c. 1961 (later altered to 1963)
Parents: Kitty Parker and Gary Fuller (biological); Jim Parker (adoptive)
Marital Status: Miranda
Siblings: Stuart and Ned
Children: Riley and Bridget (adoptive)
Family Tree: Parker
Occupation: Erinsborough Veterinary Clinic Vet/Owner, Janitor at Erinsborough High School

Growing up in the country town of Oakey, it was little surprise that Steve Parker decided to become a vet. He later settled in Sydney with wife Miranda, where, after learning that they couldn’t have children of their own, they adopted 6-year-old Bridget and her 12-year-old brother, Riley. While Riley was quiet, tomboy Bridget quickly bonded with her new parents and grew particularly close to easy-going Steve, at the same time rebuffing any of Miranda’s attempts to get her to wear a dress or take up crochet instead of football. Steve was particularly happy when animal lover Riley decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and study vet sciences at university.

With Riley taking a break from university to spend some time travelling and surfing, the rest of the family made the move from Sydney to the Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough, where Steve’s younger brother, Ned, was living. Steve and Miranda had put all of their savings into setting up a new veterinary clinic and, upon their arrival, were forced to rent a small apartment in Anson’s Corner. After finding out that it was already furnished, Ned’s good friend Janae Timmins agreed that they could store their extra stuff in her garage. As they did so, Steve, Miranda and Didge were surprised to meet Mickey Gannon, the eight-year-old son that Ned had only recently found out about himself. Mickey was soon desperate to take a look in the Parkers’ removal van, later sneaking out to have a look and accidentally letting off the handbrake, causing it to roll into the road, straight into the path of a minibus carrying several Ramsay Street residents back from the wedding of Rosie and Frazer. Though nobody was seriously injured, Steve felt terrible about the accident, but was quickly assured by Harold Bishop that nobody held him responsible.

Steve also had another connection to Ramsay Street; one of his best mates from Oakey, Drew Kirk, had been married to Libby Kennedy, whose parents, Karl and Susan, still lived at number 28. While Miranda and Susan quickly started up a friendship, having previously met at Drew’s funeral in 2002, Steve and Karl were slightly more wary of each other, and their friendship quickly took a nosedive when Karl, a drugs rep, used some of his own free samples to treat pet dog Audrey for her anxiety problem. When Steve realised that the drugs weren’t working, he confronted Karl, who insisted that he knew nothing about it, and eventually managed to uncover massive corruption within the organisation. And, having finally opened his vet clinic, Steve was forced to move himself, Miranda and Bridget in with Ned, new girlfriend Janae, and Mickey, when their apartment flooded.

Meanwhile, Steve was horrified when Riley finally returned to the family and explained that he had dropped out of his uni course, only months from graduating. Riley was surprised to find out from Didge that their parents were broke thanks to opening the Erinsborough Veterinary Clinic, while Steve eventually calmed down and they had a chat, during which Riley admitted that he had been working for his uni newspaper and was interested in a career in journalism. Riley’s distant behaviour was still a cause for concern, however, and Miranda came to the conclusion that he’d decided to trace his birth parents. Riley denied this and finally admitted that, for the past ten years, he’d felt like they only adopted him because they felt obligated when they took on Bridget, as he had noticed the look of disappointment in their eyes when they realised that she had an older brother. Steve and Miranda admitted that they had been surprised, as they had expected a younger child, but that had never stopped them loving him like their own. Riley wasn’t convinced but after chatting to neighbour Elle Robinson, he realised that Steve and Miranda deserved another chance and so he agreed to stay on with them in Erinsborough. Steve was delighted to have his son around, even though he decided against a career as a vet and took up a cadetship with the Erinsborough News, then started looking around the area for his own flat. Even after illegally performing an operation on the dog belonging to pensioner Norm Hastings, who wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise, Riley was still determined that his future was as a journalist.

Tragedy struck for the Parkers soon after when Didge was knocked down in a hit-and-run accident. Only hours earlier she'd been arguing with her parents, having been caught joyriding with Declan Napier. The pair had been banned from seeing each other, and when Didge was found unconscious in the road and rushed to hospital, it wasn't long before young Mickey came forward and admitted that he'd seen what had happened - it was Declan's car that hit her. As Didge fought for her life in the operating theatre, Declan came to visit, where he was pounced on by the police. Declan protested his innocence and, as Didge lay in a coma, Susan came forward and admitted that she'd been the one driving Declan's car, as she and Karl had borrowed it for a test drive. She explained that she'd fallen asleep briefly and hit something, but thought it was the kerb, and drove away, and pleaded for forgiveness, but Steve and Miranda refused to listen and vowed to make sure she was punished for what she'd done. A few days later, everyone was relieved when Bridget regained consciousness but it was clear that she had a long road ahead of her, as she was left paralysed down the left-hand side of her body. Though Steve was just relieved to have his daughter back again, Miranda couldn't bear to watch her little girl struggling to simply move around the house, and made it clear that she would never forgive Susan for what she'd put her through.

Trivia Notes
• Steve Bastoni previously appeared in 1985 as Alex Baxter

Tenure
5261-5740

Magic Moments
Episode 5261: The Parkers' Arrival

Biography by Steve