Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the House record its deep regret at the death, on 3 April 2022, of the Honourable James Joseph Webster, a former Minister and Senator for the State of Victoria from 1964 to 1980, place on record its appreciation of his long and meritorious public service, and tender its profound sympathy to his family in their bereavement.

In the space of just two years, Senator Jim Webster lost a High Court case seeking an injunction against a joint sitting of parliament following the 1974 double dissolution election but won a High Court case against allegations he was in breach of section 44. He was what the papers call an outspoken backbencher and a meticulous, combative minister. Now, to mark a sometimes rugged public life, we offer the tranquil courtesy of a condolence motion in recognition of his service to our nation.

The youngest of three boys, Jim was left to work the family farm at Greenvale during the Second World War while his brothers served. In 1964, upon the death of Senator Harrie Wade, he was chosen to fill the casual vacancy—the beginning of 16 years as a senator for Victoria.

A glance at the late senator's pre-parliamentary CV reveals a seeming mass of contradictions: a delegate to the Timber Workers Union and a member of the Young Country Party; a member of the Waterside Workers Federation and the junior chamber of commerce. Some might imagine he was a mere contrarian. After all, as a newly elected senator he voted against the establishment of several committees that he then went on to serve on. But I think two words take us to the core of the paradox and the heart of the man: agrarian socialism. Jim Webster was one of those old-school Country Party representatives who believed very much in government intervention, whether it was more funding for select irrigation projects, tax breaks for timber plantations, new subsidies for rural industries or more support for tobacco growers. He knew what he believed, he knew what mattered to the people he represented, and he fought for it fiercely and frequently.

Later on, he went on to serve in the first two terms of the Fraser government, first as the Minister for Science and, after 1978, as the Minister for Science and the Environment. He had quite a record during this period. During his time in the portfolio, Kakadu was declared a national park, whaling was banned in Australian waters, new support was given to the CSIRO and progress was made in preserving the Australian Antarctic Territory, which the senator visited twice and where Webster Bay still bears his name. He had a farmer's respect for the land and an explorer's love of beautiful places.

He left the Senate in January 1980 to take up the post of Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand—four more years of service to the nation in a long life that was well lived. We honour him today and extend the respect of the parliament to his family and, in particular, to those people who knew him in the National Party. May he rest in peace.

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