(Ms BYRNES - Cunningham) Today I pay my respects to the Honourable Stewart West, who passed away on 29 March 2023. I also want to acknowledge Stewart’s contribution to the Australian Parliament and our community.
Stewart’s wife, Mary Paris and family were in the Gallery on Tuesday when the Prime Minister paid tribute to his friend, Stewart West.
Can I also make special mention of Stewart’s sister, Shirley, who also lives in Wollongong.
Almost a year ago I had the privilege to be elected as the Labor member for the Illawarra seat of Cunningham. I love representing our area in the Commonwealth Parliament.
And I am also a successor to Stewart West who was member for Cunningham from 1977 to 1993.
Stewie’s love of politics and the Labor Party never diminished. Despite his deteriorating health, Stewart stayed up to watch his good friend, Anthony Albanese, claim victory on election night, nearly one year ago.
The broader community knows Stewart as a Minister in the Hawke Government.
But first, I want to talk about Stewart as a local Illawarra resident and as the Member for Cunningham.
Stewart West was born in Forbes, New South Wales, on 31 March 1934. He lived in Tubbul – near Young – until the family moved to Windang, near Lake Illawarra.
Stewart left school early – at 15 or 16 – and began working in a bank in Nowra. An early sign to Stewart’s future life occurred at the bank. As Stewart and the Bank Manager watched the May Day march the Manager said “someday you’ll be leading that march, Stewart”.
How true!
In 1953 Stewart began working on the wharves at Port Kembla, on the same day as his father, John.
Outside his family, Stewart’s lifetime passions were the trade union movement – particularly the Waterside Workers’ Federation – and the Australian Labor Party.
Between 1972 and 1977, Stewart was President of the Waterside Workers' Federation (Port Kembla Branch). As well, he was on the ALP Federal Electorate Council for Cunningham between 1968 and 1977, and campaign Manager for Hon. Rex Connor from 1966 to 1975.
Stewart’s passion for all working families and his local community shone like a beacon throughout his Parliamentary career.
Right from the start.
Stewart was elected in a by-election on 15 October 1977. This followed the sudden death of long-time Member for Cunningham, and Whitlam Government Minister, Rex Connor.
In his first speech to Parliament as a new MP, on 25 October 1977, Stewart focussed on the ‘cancer’ of ‘national unemployment’ and, particularly, unemployment in the electorate of Cunningham.
Soon after Stewart entered Parliament, Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, called a federal election for 10 December 1977.
Stewart was re-elected in 1977, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1990 and retired at the 1993 election.
In the years leading up to Labor’s victory in 1983 Stewart West served as Opposition Spokesperson on Aboriginal Affairs, on Environment and Conservation, and on Finance and Trade.
Stewart’s role as Shadow Minister for Environment and Conservation was at the dawning of the modern age of awareness of the value of the environment, and the threats to its future.
It was during this period that federal Labor announced its support for saving the Franklin River in Tasmania, and Kakadu in the Northern Territory. Stewart was the lead author of those policies at the 1982 ALP National Conference, which were then taken to the 1983 election. Those policies were implemented soon after the Hawke Government came to Office.
When the Hawke Government came to Office in 1983, Stewart became a member of Cabinet and Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs.
These were exciting and somewhat turbulent times.
One issue concerned uranium mining in Australia and uranium exports.
As ‘uranium’ was debated again during the first year of the Hawke Government -both about the 3 mines policy and a proposal to export uranium to France -- Stewart West – described by MacIntyre and Faulkner as ‘the only left-wing member of the first Hawke Cabinet”-- resigned from Cabinet because he could not support the Cabinet’s decisions on these issues.
Stewart remained Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs until the end of 1984. In the meantime, he re-joined Cabinet in April 1984.
Stewart’s ministerial roles continued through to 1990. During that period, Stewart remained in Cabinet, as Minister for Housing and Construction from late 1984 to mid-1987 and then, Minister for Administrative Services from mid-1987 until April 1990. Working with Stewart through this journey were a great team, Idalina, Michael and Joan.
I have talked to Mary about Stewart and their life together. All I hear in her voice is love.
Mary and Stewart met in September 1972 and married in December 1972.
As I have said, it’s a love story.
The memories of Stewart’s children, grandchildren and great grandchildren are all about his unquestioning love and support. They all have their own stories about his support and encouragement for them in all aspects of life. I did recognise one other characteristic of Stewart that all his family recall fondly: Stewart’s love of ice cream.
They are family stories.
In 2015 Stewart was diagnosed with the early signs of dementia. The dementia progressed and began to dominate Stewart’s life. Mary and Stewart moved from their family home in Figtree to Wollongong. Supported by their family and support services, interrupted by a stay in hospital, Stewart spent his final days in their apartment, surrounded by love.
Dementia denied him the power of speech, but he did have moments where he was lucid. I am NOT breaking confidences. Mary told me a lovely story from late last year.
When Mary went to say good morning, he said “I love you, Mary.”
A couple of weeks later he said: “there she is!”
The following week he said: “you are beautiful”.
Then, in classic Stewart style, a couple of days later he said “you again!”.
Mary told me the other day that what she misses most about Stewart are his beautiful smile and blue eyes, along with his renditions of “You are my sunshine” and “Solidarity Forever.”
I have talked about Stewart West’s passion for all working families and his local community. I finish with words from then Prime Minister Paul Keating to the House of Representatives on 17 December 1992 – the last sitting day before the 1993 federal election, at which Stewart was retiring.
“My colleague Stewart West was a member of the Cabinet with me… He more than distinguished himself.
He comes from a working-class area, the area of Wollongong, and he has never done or said a thing which he thought or knew was injurious to the people he represented, only always speaking in their favour. “
I am proud to follow in the footsteps of Stewart West, the Labor Member for Cunningham from 1977 to 1993.
And I have truly valued both his and Mary’s friendship over the years.
Rest in peace, Stewart West.
