Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the House record its deep regret at the death on 14 March 2008 of the Hon. Clyde Robert Cameron AO, former minister and member for Hindmarsh, and place on record its appreciation for his long and meritorious public service and tender its profound sympathy to his family in their bereavement.

Clyde Cameron was the member for Hindmarsh for 31 years, from 1949 to 1980, an era spanning from the end of Ben Chifley’s time as Prime Minister to Bob Hawke’s election to the seat of Wills. After the death of Kim Beazley Sr in October last year, he was the sole surviving member of the parliament elected in 1949; Clyde Cameron was the last of ‘the 49ers’. Clyde Cameron was a cabinet minister in the Whitlam government, a prolific author and a leading figure in the Australian labour movement for more than 40 years.

Clyde Cameron was born on 11 February 1913 at Murray Bridge, South Australia, the son of a shearer of Scottish descent. It was a poor but happy upbringing. As he said many years later:

We assumed that it was the natural order of things that children did not wear shoes and would have to go to school barefooted.

He left school at 14 to work as a shearer. He experienced unemployment during the depths of the Great Depression and, during the rest of the 1930s, worked in every Australian state and in New Zealand as well. His harsh experience of working life, combined with a political awareness that he had learned at the family dinner table, led him to become a lifelong supporter of the working people’s movement and, in fact, an active participant in the Australian labour movement. In The Confessions of Clyde Cameron, published in 1990, he remarked of his mother:

Every mealtime she used to talk with us about the state of society, explaining that it did not have to be the way it was. If we took an intelligent interest in politics and exercised our right to vote when we became old enough, then we could change things … I can honestly say that I do not remember a meal at which political and social questions were not mentioned by my mother.

Clyde Cameron’s commitment to changing things began with an active role in the Australian Workers Union from a very early age. He gained a reputation for his dedication to improving the working conditions of shearers. He travelled the sheds across much of southern Australia, meeting with shearers and often sleeping in the back of his car before travelling the next day to another remote location. By 1941, at the age of just 28, he had become South Australian state president and federal vice-president of the AWU. From 1943 to 1948 he was the union’s industrial advocate and taught himself industrial law.

Clyde became State President of the Labor Party for South Australia in 1946, and at the 1949 election he was elected to the House of Representatives for the Labor seat of Hindmarsh. His entry marked the beginning of 23 years in opposition for Labor. He rose quickly to become a leader of the Left within the Labor caucus and, during the split of the 1950s, he played a prominent role opposing the influence of the industrial groupers. Clyde Cameron served in the shadow cabinet for two decades, from 1953 to 1972. In the Whitlam Labor government, he served as Minister for Labour, from 1972 to 1974; Minister for Labour and Immigration, from 1974 to 1975; and Minister for Science and Consumer Affairs, in 1975. One of Clyde Cameron’s greatest achievements in office was taking the case for equal pay for women workers before the arbitration commission. That case was argued by Mary Gaudron, later, of course, the first woman to be appointed to the High Court bench.

Clyde Cameron was an effective and able parliamentarian, a great storyteller who brought passion, intelligence and colour to parliamentary life and then to political and historical debate afterwards. After retiring from the federal parliament, he played a major role in documenting Labor history and interviewed prominent political and other national figures as part of the National Library’s oral history program. His published works include The Cameron Diaries of 1990 and The Confessions of Clyde Cameron, also of that time. Clyde remained a frequent contributor to public debate well into his 80s.

Clyde Cameron was a tough and passionate man who was as hard on his own side of politics as he was on his opponents. It is true that he could bear the odd grudge for a while, yet he was able to deal with political opponents like Menzies and Gorton with a great generosity of spirit. His personal relationships aside, Clyde Cameron’s commitment to working men and women remained paramount throughout his life. This was recognised when, in 1982, he was awarded the Officer of the Order of Australia. On behalf of the government, I offer condolences to his wife, Doris, and his family.

Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on behalf of the opposition and alternative government in support of this condolence motion. The Hon. Clyde Cameron was by all accounts a good man: a great servant and sometimes critic of his political party but always a man who believed in building a stronger and a better Australia as he saw it. His passing marks, in many ways, the end of an era in Australian public life.

Born in Murray Bridge on 11 February 1913, he was the son of a shearer. He was educated at Gawler but left school at 14 on the eve of the Great Depression and worked as a shearer. At the outbreak of the war, Clyde married Cherie Krahe, with whom he had three children, Warren, Noel and Tania. From an early age he was active in the Australian Workers Union and the Australian Labor Party, becoming an AWU organiser and then South Australian state secretary and federal vice-president of that union in 1941.

In 1946 he became State President of the South Australian branch of the Labor Party and in 1949 he was elected to the House of Representatives for the seat of Hindmarsh, being re-elected on 12 subsequent occasions. In 1969, Gough Whitlam appointed him shadow minister for labour, and on 19 December 1972, following the Whitlam victory, Cameron was appointed Minister for Labour, at the age of 58. It is said that at the first cabinet meeting Gough Whitlam listed the academic qualifications of the cabinet to show that it was the best qualified Labor cabinet ever. Cameron is reported to have said:

What a relief, we wouldn’t want any drongos here like Scullin and Chifley.

Despite the relationship between Whitlam and Cameron disintegrating in later years, Whitlam hailed Clyde as a principal architect of the Whitlam victory in 1972. He played an important role in delivering the necessary reforms that actually made Labor electable that year, and particularly was instrumental in supporting Whitlam’s move in 1970 to reform the Victorian branch of the Labor Party and remove its extreme left leadership. Following the 1974 election, he was appointed Minister for Labour and Immigration and finally he retired from the federal parliament at the 1980 election, at which point he was joint father of the House. He was a part of a generation of Labor politicians that spent 23 years in opposition, and he spent only three of his 31 years in parliament on the government benches. Despite his formidable nature and often fiery engagement with his political opponents, Jim Killen once observed, ‘The softest part of Cameron is his teeth.’

Clyde Cameron earned the respect of the conservative parties. Phillip Lynch, during his valedictory address, described him as one of the giants of the parliament. Clyde Cameron formed friendships with many of his opponents, including a very strong relationship with the late Sir John Gorton, who often stayed with Clyde when visiting Adelaide. Notwithstanding the many mistakes of the Whitlam years, Clyde Cameron’s move to throw the support of the federal government behind equal pay for women workers by appointing now High Court Justice Mary Gaudron to argue the case before the Arbitration and Conciliation Commission was a significant and enduring achievement of which we should all be proud. He improved the pay and conditions of public servants, yet came to later regret seeking to use the public sector as a pacesetter for the private sector. A real wage surge in 1974 of around 12 per cent, led by the public service, was very damaging to the Australian economy and a major contributing factor to rising unemployment. He later described the introduction of a 17.5 per cent annual leave loading as ‘a stupid decision’. He was a dedicated and tireless parliamentarian and a devoted servant of and advocate on behalf of the Labor Party and the labour movement. He died on Friday in Adelaide and he is survived by his wife, Doris, whom he married in 1967, and by his three children. This recognises the passing of a great man, a great Australian, and the condolences of the Liberal and National parties are strongly provided to his family and those who loved him.

Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on the condolence motion for the late the Hon. Clyde Robert Cameron. Clyde was the first politician I ever met. It was during the election of 1977 that I met Clyde and handed out how-to-votes for him at Cowandilla Primary School. Anyone that met Clyde was in awe of his great presence, frank nature and ability, which commanded the attention of any audience. He was a great man, someone that I and all that knew him truly admired. Clyde was one of the last of his era to pass away, following other greats such as Mick Young, Reg Bishop and his brother Don Cameron, among others from South Australia.

Personally, I feel very privileged to have known Clyde all these years. Clyde always offered his advice on all matters political throughout my career. He kept a keen interest in politics throughout his entire life, even in his last years. This interest was evident in his involvement in Hindmarsh campaigns. He was active in each one of the last three Hindmarsh campaigns and, as I said, I felt very privileged to have such a great man supporting me and the Labor Party. He co-launched my 1998 and 2001 campaigns, together with Kim Beazley, and was front and centre for the opening of the Hindmarsh electorate office when I was elected a couple of years ago. The 1998 Hindmarsh campaign was launched by Clyde at the Hilton Hotel. A miscommunication lead to Clyde thinking that it was to be at the ritzy Adelaide city Hilton Hotel, only for him to be told, with great relief, that the campaign launch was at the Hilton Hotel in the working class suburb of Hilton. It is a working man’s pub, where Clyde felt comfortable and stood proudly to discuss the trials and tribulations of a working man’s life.

Clyde was always involved in varying ways within the South Australian labour movement and it was his passion to help those that he felt were underrepresented. Clyde would call me on a regular basis, keeping me informed of his dealings within Hindmarsh and passing on messages to be delivered either to the then Leader of the Opposition, Kim Beazley, or to last year’s Leader of the Opposition—and today’s Prime Minister—Kevin Rudd. I remember a call I received from Clyde shortly after 24 November last year. I could feel the smile radiating from his face. He knew that his passion for the working man would again be something that was taken very seriously.

Clyde Cameron was the member for Hindmarsh for 31 years. His dedication to his electorate has been long remembered by many members of the community, who often mention this great man’s defence of the working man’s rights. Clyde held great rapport with those in the electorate of Hindmarsh and with many individuals across South Australia. He had great links with the array of communities he represented. Clyde was a true believer, a true Labor man. His commitment to the working class was evident in his actions as a member of parliament, as a union representative and as a member of the Australian community. He joined the ALP at the young age of 15, as a young boy who would continue on to become one of the most influential men in the South Australian political and labour movements. His father was a shearer who worked hard to support his family and their farm in rural South Australia. There were many nights around the dinner table where Clyde would be encouraged by his mother to enter into discussions about issues relating to politics. Being bought up in a small, modest country town, Clyde’s roots in South Australia were firmly placed in Australia’s working class. His childhood and the great influence of his parents fomented his beliefs in the Australian fair go.

Clyde joined his father as a shearer during his young years before his election as a full-time organiser for the Adelaide branch of the Australian Workers Union. His work at the AWU ensured that pastoralists fully observed the shearers award and he focused on the standard of hygiene within the workplace. He sat on the opposition benches from 1953 to 1972, before becoming the Minister for Labour and Immigration and also the Minister for Science and Consumer Affairs in the Whitlam government. He introduced equal pay and the concept of flexitime—allowing workers to stagger their hours, principally to accommodate school-age children. These changes initiated by Clyde still have an effect on the working lives of Australians. His legacy will not be forgotten. Clyde’s great support of the unions and his reforming of the union movement led to the establishment of the Clyde Cameron College in Wodonga, which was an education centre. Clyde never forgot the working man. He would be smiling down on us today, as the working man’s rights are a centrepiece of discussion in our parliament. For me, it has been an honour and a privilege to know Clyde, as it has been for all the others that knew him. I feel very humble that I now represent the seat that such a great man, who contributed so much to Australia and contributed so much to Australian working people, represented. I would like to conclude by expressing my deepest sympathies to his wife, Doris, his children and his many grandchildren.

Ms Julie Bishop (Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The passing of significant characters from our political history is always a cause for reflection on the part of serving members in this House, and that is an extremely appropriate course of action because it is an opportunity to reflect on the great political debates of the time and on the impact on the nation. Clyde Cameron began his political career as a renowned trade union hard man and was legendary for his so-called hatred of those on this side of the chamber. Yet, over time, he earned the respect of all sides of politics. When appointed to the Whitlam cabinet as Minister for Labour, he demonstrated that he was able to rise above ideology and to act in what he believed to be the national interest.

Given his background and beliefs, the unions had high hopes that Clyde Cameron would bring greatly improved benefits for industrial workers. There were great expectations of increased salaries across the board for union members. However, when faced with the realities of managing budgets and managing the economy, Clyde Cameron tried to resist spiralling wage demands, which would fuel inflation. Cameron’s stance put him at odds with many of his Labor colleagues at the time and his relationship with Gough Whitlam deteriorated. He became increasingly critical of union leaders who, as he saw it, blindly pursued wage rises without regard to the state of the economy or to the policies of their own Labor government.

Much to the surprise of some of his colleagues, Clyde Cameron revealed a feminist streak when he appointed Mary Gaudron to argue the government’s case before the arbitration commission for equal pay for women workers. Clearly, he recognised Mary Gaudron’s competence as a lawyer, and she went on to be the first woman appointed to the High Court bench. Through Clyde Cameron’s long parliamentary career and his commitment to the national interest, he demonstrated that he was true to the motivation of most members who enter this parliament—that is, the desire to make a difference and to spend our time here in this place working for the betterment of our fellow Australians. I offer condolences to the family of Clyde Cameron.

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I just very briefly want to add my support to this condolence motion because it is my view that Clyde Cameron was one of the greatest political figures to emerge from South Australia. He was a really great man in many ways. He was a great friend of my parents—initially, of my father. They came into the House together in 1949. My father was a quite traditional conservative and Clyde Cameron was not much of what you see on the other side these days but a very traditional representative of working people. He did a wonderful job standing up for working people throughout his life. Whilst I do not think my father ever agreed with too many of his policies, and was very critical of them on occasions, the friendship that developed between them and, in time, between Clyde and my mother, right up until the time of Clyde’s death, is an illustration of the type of man Clyde Cameron was.

He was a man of enormous integrity. He was very tough. He was often extremely acerbic, as members on both sides of the House I think would know. He was a great champion of working people, as he saw it. He was also an extremely amusing man and he was able to build relationships right across the political spectrum—very close and very personal relationships. He will be greatly missed. As I said at the beginning, he really was one of the greatest political figures, Liberal or Labor, or Democrat for that matter, that South Australia has produced. He will be very sorely missed, and I want to extend my condolences to Doris and to his family.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by the Prime Minister be agreed to. I ask all honourable members to signify their approval by rising in their places.

Question agreed to, honourable members standing in their places.

I thank the House.