Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Community Services) Share this | Hansard source

It is with sadness that I speak on this condolence motion for Kenneth Shaw Wriedt, or Ken Wriedt for those who knew him, who passed away last week at age 83. As we have heard, Ken was born in Victoria on 11 July 1927, another great Cancerian. But Ken considered Tasmania his home and was adopted by Tasmanians. He worked as a merchant seaman and in insurance until his move into the federal parliament. He really was a member of state and federal parliaments from the 1960s until 1990 and he was a passionate advocate for those he represented—that is, Tasmanians.

He was elected as a senator for Tasmania in 1967 and served until 1980, when he ran unsuccessfully for the federal seat of Denison. We have heard what a well-regarded minister he was in various portfolios, including primary industry, agriculture and minerals and energy, during the Whitlam government. He also served as the Leader of the Government in the Senate and then as the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate for five years. We have heard about the role he played in the dismissal of the Whitlam government. One of the things about Ken I want to talk about specifically today is what a passionate advocate he was for the people of Franklin, the seat I represent in the federal parliament.

Ken was always held in high esteem by both sides of parliament. He was not averse to speaking out against his own in a gentle and considered way when he thought it was the right thing to do. I recall that during the pilots dispute he had some things to say to the then Labor government about Tasmania and how we were being affected. He has certainly been on the record with some comments in relation to state Labor governments and some of the issues that have been raised regarding minority governments in Tasmania and our position with the Tasmanian Greens.

So Ken was a really strong advocate for the people of Franklin and the people of Tasmania. He was elected to the House of Assembly in 1982 to represent the people of Franklin and he was there until 1990, when he retired, and I am sure that the communities in Franklin remember him fondly and well. He was Leader of the Opposition from 1982 to 1986 and, as we have heard, served as a minister in the Field minority government. When he retired from state parliament he remained active in the Labor Party. In fact, he was the local branch member I met at a couple of branch meetings when I was state secretary, and it was there that I learned about Ken’s fierce loyalty and defence of his own family members, particularly Paula, his daughter who he was very proud of—as I am sure he is of both of his daughters—for following in his footsteps. She became a state member for Franklin from 1996 until 2009. Ken was certainly very clear with me on one occasion when I said something that disagreed with what his daughter Paula was trying to do, and I admired him for that. We had a very frank and honest discussion in which Ken very loyally supported his daughter and her point of view, as you would expect.

He was made a life member of the ALP Tasmanian branch in 2003 for his services to the party. One of my great memories of Ken Wriedt is in a photo of Labor stalwarts: Lance Barnard, Eric Reece, Don Dunstan, Harry Holgate, Ken Wriedt, Michael Field and Gough Whitlam. There are not many of those people in that photo still alive today, and it is with great sadness that we talk about Ken here today. He will certainly be remembered as a true gentleman of Australian and Tasmanian politics. He was a giant in the Tasmanian Labor Party, and it is very sad to hear of his passing. I pass on my condolences to his daughters, Paula and Sonja, and his grandchildren. As we have heard, his wife, Helga, mother and grandmother, passed away not that long ago, and I am sure this is a very difficult period for them. I am very pleased to be able to attend the state funeral for him this Wednesday in Hobart.

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