Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the House records its deep regret at the death on 2 April 2013 of Hon. Ian Bonython Cameron Wilson AM, former federal minister and member for Sturt, and places on record its appreciation of his long and meritorious public service and tenders its profound sympathy to his family in their bereavement.

A man named Ian Bonython Cameron Wilson could only come from one Australian state. For almost a quarter of a century Ian Wilson served South Australia, Adelaide, and the people of Sturt in this House. His father, Keith Wilson, had held the seat of Sturt before him almost continuously from 1949 until 1966. His mother, Lady Betty Wilson, was the granddaughter of Sir John Bonython, a member of the very first House of Representatives after Federation, not to mention the owner of the Advertiser. Betty was also the great granddaughter of Sir John Bray, the first Premier of South Australia to be born in that state.

The choice of profession for the young Ian must have seemed ordained. Ian Wilson was born in 1932. He was educated at St Peter's College and graduated in law from the University of Adelaide. After graduating, he studied at Oxford as a 1955 Rhodes scholar, two years after Bob Hawke and a year before Neal Blewett. Returning to Australia, Ian practised as a barrister and solicitor before entering federal parliament in 1966 as the member for Sturt in his father's footsteps in his father's old electorate. Ian went on to hold that seat, except for a single term between 1969 and 1972, from the mid-1960s until 1993.

Ian was a man of moderate views, of conviction and compassion. He was active in many charitable causes and involved in a number of social welfare groups, including the Good Neighbour Council of South Australia and St Matthew's homes for the aged. This flavoured his work as a minister in the Fraser government. After briefly serving as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, Ian went on to serve as Minister for Home Affairs and Environment from 1981 to 1982. He was then Minister for Aboriginal Affairs as well as the Minister Assisting the Minister for Social Security from 1982 to 1983.

In addition to his ministerial service, Ian Wilson had a long and distinguished career of service to the parliament. He served on and contributed his wisdom to many committees and represented the parliament overseas on a number of occasions. Ian Wilson retired at the 1993 federal election. After his death last month at the age of 80 there were many tributes for a man known for his integrity and honesty. One word re-occurred in many of these testimonials—'gentleman'. On behalf of the government, I offer condolences to Ian's wife of 52 years, Mary, his sons, Keith, Richard, James and Nigel, and their families.

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