Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It may come as a surprise that someone like me from the other end of the continent, from a different era, from a different chamber and from a different side of politics would seek to speak on the condolence motion for Ken Wriedt. Ken Wriedt was one of the people who helped me to establish an interest in federal politics—although I suspect unwittingly so. Ken Wriedt entered the Senate on 1 July 1968 as a senator for Tasmania. In 1972 he was elected to the Labor ministry, and Prime Minister Whitlam appointed him to be the Minister for Primary Industry. It would be fair to say that farmers were outraged by his appointment. He was a sailor-cum-insurance salesman, and he was appointed Minister for Agriculture. Farmers were used to having an agriculture minister who was steeped in the traditions of farming and probably a farmer himself.  So to have someone coming completely from outside the industry and, what is more, a senator from Tasmania—in fact, he was the lowest ranked minister in that first ministry—certainly provided a shock to the farmers of Australia. It was seen as a snub by the Whitlam government to agriculture. It was seen as the beginning of a whole series of insults by the Whitlam government towards Australia’s agricultural sector.

However, Ken Wriedt had a moderate temperament, he was personable and he won a lot of respect from Australia’s farmers. He was seen to be easy to get on with. Indeed, his appointment became something of a model for Labor Party agriculture ministers in the future. He was undoubtedly a left-field choice but, because his term as agriculture minister was perceived to be somewhat successful from a political perspective, I think subsequent Labor appointments of agriculture minister have come out of the same mould. They have been people with whom farmers have been able to identify, and they used a strategy of saying, ‘I stuck up for you in the cabinet, but all those city members would not back me and, therefore, I wasn’t able to achieve everything that you would have wanted.’

In fact, one of his successors as an agriculture minister from the Labor Party once said to me—and I will not identify who it was—that it was always easier for Labor Party ministers for agriculture because no-one ever expected them to do anything. So if in fact nothing much happened there was a degree of forgiveness. He sympathised with me as an agriculture minister from which everything was expected because our side was expected to be friendly to farmers. On the other hand, he suggested that the position of industrial relations minister in the Labor government was perhaps a similar type of role. It is almost impossible to be a popular industrial relations minister if you are from the Labor Party because you are expected to achieve all sorts of things which you simply cannot deliver. I am not saying that Liberal industrial relations ministers were popular, but at least not much was expected of them, so there was not so much disappointment.

This was quite a turbulent era. The Whitlam era activated many people to join a political party or become politically active. Country Australians were outraged at the way they were treated by the Whitlam government, and they mobilised to protest that treatment. Many of them joined farm bodies and political parties. The National Farmers Federation became strong. There were farmers’ rallies. The government itself hosted a major rural summit in Canberra.

Now I get to the story about how I actually got to know Ken Wriedt over subsequent years. I was one of the delegates invited to attend the rural summit in my role at the time as Australian president of the Rural Youth Organisation. I made a contribution to that summit which attracted a lot of attention. Shortly thereafter Ken Wriedt appointed me to the National Rural Advisory Council, which was set up to provide advice to the government on matters affecting agriculture. I think he did this for two reasons: firstly, he wanted there to be some people to give him some alternative advice to that of the National Farmers Federation so that there would be some independent thought coming forward and, secondly, he wanted to have a body that was seen to be independent to be able to back him when he was taking arguments to the federal cabinet to try to achieve some results for regional Australia.

I found the National Rural Advisory Council to be a really challenging experience. I was only about 25 years of age at the time. It taught me a lot about ‘small p’ politics in agriculture and the way in which the political system worked in Canberra. The opportunities that were given to me at that time to meet and to be involved with people certainly encouraged me to take an ongoing interest in primary industry affairs and then, ultimately, to have the privilege of being a member of this parliament.

Ken Wriedt’s achievements in a relatively unpopular portfolio were recognised. He was quickly promoted through the Labor Party and became Leader of the Government in the Senate and then Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. I have no doubt that the way in which he handled what was perceived to be a difficult portfolio like agriculture led his colleagues to the view that this was a man who could rightly be trusted with more substantial responsibilities.

In his farewell speech to the Senate, Senator Wriedt commented about the loss of country seats and how that had in fact led to the demise of the Whitlam government. Indeed, in 1974 at the midterm election the seat of Wide Bay, which had been held by the Labor Party for quite a number of years by a very capable and well-liked local member, was lost. I am pleased to say that it has been lost permanently by Labor since that time. But there was a revolt within the rural and regional communities during the period of the Whitlam but Ken Wriedt always managed to maintain his respect, dignity and acceptance within the regional community.

In particular, he spoke about some of the decisions that were made during that time, such as the decision by the Whitlam government to abolish the super phosphate bounty. He let it be known that he considered the decision to be foolish and that it showed government insensitivity. He was also taken aback in September 1974 when Prime Minister Whitlam announced the devaluation of the currency without even telling him. As he was the agriculture minister, he could have obtained some political credit for something that would be seen as a major advantage. But it all happened without him knowing about it. At that stage, he was rising through the ranks of the party. He found some of those things quite difficult. But he made a significant contribution.

Later, he decided that he would seek a seat in the lower house. That was unsuccessful. But he then had eight years in the Tasmanian parliament. Among his achievements in agriculture he named the reserve price for wool. Some look back on that critically now, but there is no doubt that at that time it was well received by the industry. He also presided over the end of support for butter production. That was somewhat more controversial, bearing in mind that the reason why support was provided for butter production in Australia was that the UK had entered the Common Market and refused to take any more of Australia’s butter. So there was a crisis way beyond anything that the industry had ever seen before or since that had to be addressed.

I join today in paying tribute to Senator Ken Wriedt and his contribution, particularly his contribution to agriculture. I extend my sympathy to his family. His wife predeceased him by only a few weeks. His two daughters will grieve their father and recognise the political contribution that he made in their lives and mine. I acknowledge the privilege of having met and worked with him in that period between 1972 and 1975.

Dick Adams (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the National Party for his good words. Ken Shaw Wriedt died peacefully on 18 October 2010 at a Hobart private hospital with his daughters by his side. His wife of 51 years, Helga, died a month previously, which saddened him greatly, as they had been close all their married lives. Helga was a very large, outgoing lady who was always joyful as I remember her. He is survived by his two daughters, Paula and Sonja; his son-in-law Damien; and his grandchildren, Jack, Ella, Damien and Amy. He was 83 years old.

Ken was born 11 July 1927 in Fitzroy in Melbourne. He joined the merchant navy after leaving school at the age of 16. His father was a fitter and turner on the left-wing side of politics. As an apprentice seaman and later ship’s officer he worked on iron ore and phosphate carriers—which is a bit ironic—among others, travelling the world as well as serving coastal routes. He learnt a lot in his travels and that prepared him well for his turbulent life in politics. He enjoyed the sea and sailing all through his life and was passionate about maritime history. He spent time contributing to the Tasmanian and Sydney maritime museums. He was a life member of the Sydney Maritime Museum and a life member of the Maritime Museum of Tasmania. He was also a life member of the Vintage Boat Club of Tasmania and vice-president of the Bellerive Regatta Association. I remember his fishing boat, which was converted to a river boat in which he sailed the Derwent. He enjoyed his boats and the sea. He did all sorts of sailing in boats.

I remember great debates at Labor Party conferences between him and Justin O’Byrne, another senator from Tasmania who went on to become President of the Senate and who was a great friend of a mentor of mine, Leo Brown. It was two sides of the Labor conference tit-for-tatting, with Ken on one side and Justin on the other, with the young members of the Labor Party such as me listening intently to the great battles of minds as they tried to win arguments at Labor conferences—that usually comes down to the numbers.

He met his good wife, Helga, in Hobart. She was a migrant who had endured Hitler’s Germany. Ken had established himself as an insurance inspector in Hobart. The couple married on 26 December 1959 and settled on the eastern shore at Howrah.

Ken’s political life was long and eventful. He joined the ALP in 1959 and soon became secretary of his local branch. He attempted to gain preselection in 1963 and 1964 for the seat of Franklin in the House of Assembly. He was finally preselected for the Senate elections in 1967 and when the Whitlam government was elected in December in 1972, Ken was appointed Minister for Primary Industry, later renamed Minister for Agriculture.

He was a good minister. I remember him opening the Longford Show, my local agricultural show in my hometown, where it had rained the week before, after a dry period. Ken claimed to be a good agricultural minister and that the rain had come when he was coming to open the show. Those were good times. Ken was well respected in agriculture in Tasmania because he listened and he tried to achieve things. In his first speech, Ken declaimed:

We cannot achieve perfection, we cannot change the course of history just as we would like, but we must constantly be mindful of the ideals and the hopes of those who have sent us here.

That can still be a timely reminder for us all as we try and do our best in this place because we have the responsibility of representing our constituents. Ken was a very decent and fair man.

On 14 October 1975, Rex Connor was obliged to resign as Minister for Minerals and Energy as a result of the loans affair, and Ken Wriedt was appointed in his place. Later he was elected as Leader of the Government in the Senate during the Whitlam term of government, and he was in that position in the Senate, attempting to pass appropriation bills for the government, when Prime Minister Gough Whitlam was sacked. He was to play a part in that historical event. If he had been aware of what was going on in the other house he may have been in a position to delay the bills when the Liberal senators came back and supported those appropriation bills through the Senate. But that was not to be. So he lost his position as Leader of the Government in the Senate and became Leader of the Opposition in the Senate within a few minutes.

Then, of course, there was a disastrous election for the Labor Party. The whole media in this country turned against the Whitlam government very unfairly after the government was dismissed on 11 November 1975. Ken was returned and won the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. Really he was against Whitlam’s preferred candidate. By that time, he was having some differences of opinion with Gough. Wriedt remained in the Senate until his resignation in September 1980.

Politics were still very much a part of his life, and, although he became Chairman of the State Grants Commission and was a member of the state executive of the Bicentennial Authority, he decided to contest Franklin after losing a stint at the federal seat of Denison. In the 1982 state election, he won a seat. That was the election in which I lost a seat in the state parliament. It was a pretty turbulent time in Tasmanian politics, with the Franklin River decisions about. It was a time of great change in Tasmania. The environment was becoming a big issue and, while Labor had attempted to take the middle line, the conservatives under Robin Gray beat Labor by taking a strong line in supporting the Hydro-Electric Commission to build another dam on either the Gordon River or the Franklin River.

Wriedt won a seat representing Franklin in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. While he polled strongly, Labor lost government and he became Leader of the Opposition from 1982 to 1986, when he lost the leadership because of internal issues within the party and took on the position of a member of the front bench. However, in 1989 he was part of the more incredible events of Tasmanian politics when Michael Field took government after an election and formed government with an accord with the Greens. Ken then became Minister for Roads and Transport from 1989 to 1990 in the minority government led by Michael Field. He resigned from parliament in October 1990 due to ill health. Ken continued to take a keen interest in politics and was always there to support his daughter Paula, who was elected to state parliament in 1996 and went on to serve as a minister in the Lennon government and then the Bartlett government.

He was well liked in the Senate and was held in high esteem, especially by new senators, whom he mentored through many sessions. Tasmanian Senator Michael Tate said of Ken during a speech he made at Ken’s valedictory:

Wriedt is held in the very highest regard within the walls of this Parliament. His quality of calmness and his grasp of many subjects are also known to many outside; what is not known is how that calmness and that confidence are constantly put at the disposal of other Senators and in particular, as I say, at the disposal of those fledgling senators who look to his leadership for the guidance he so generously gives.

I think that summed up Ken very well. He was keen. He was seen as a gentle, kind man by most who knew him, and it was only when he believed that an injustice was being done that he could become very scathing and very loud and earthy in his vocabulary. Ken was very approachable and was happy to help new members and new branch members in the ALP to understand the whys and wherefores of public office, and I know he mentored many in Tasmania.

In his later years, he suffered from Parkinson’s disease but still liked to keep in touch with politics, and he still had a great love of the sea and anything maritime—and, of course, his beloved wife, Helga. I think her death hastened Ken’s end. He led a full and eventful life and is still seen as very much a part of Tasmanian political history. He will be sadly missed by his family, his old colleagues and many others in the community and by those of us who knew him for a long period of time. I am sorry that the opposition has disallowed my pair for me to attend his funeral. I think it is a sign of ugliness and is very disrespectful to people. I do not think there are any political gains in it, just bloody-minded nonsense, and I think it reflects badly on the conservative parties of the House and the parliament. I would like to offer my deep sympathies to both Sonja and Paula and their families and say to them: your father was a truly good man. I will miss him and I know many Tasmanians will do so too.

Robert McClelland (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in support of the motion. Senator Ken Wriedt and my father were good mates, going back to their careers as senators. They continued their friendship long after their Senate careers, and indeed until very recent times made regular phone calls to each other. When the political history of the 1960s through to the 1990s is written, Ken Wriedt’s name is going to be up there with the best of them. He was a big man, in every sense of the word. He was well-built, he was fine looking and indeed it was reported that Senator Ron McAuliffe, in those days, dubbed him ‘Cary Grant without the horse’. That followed him throughout his career. But despite his presence he was an unpretentious man. As we have heard, he was quiet, unassuming, polite and courteous—and, present company excepted, I would think we would like those qualities to be among those of modern politicians, which those present have.

My father says of him that he was strong and persuasive in the presentation of his own case, but he was always tolerant and understanding of another person’s view. He was a deeply spiritual man, as we have all heard, but in a very self-contained and thoughtful way, without the piousness or self-righteousness that that can often involve. He was good humoured and appreciated the humour of others. He learnt his values from his parents. His mother, as we have heard, was a teacher, who taught him the importance of education and learning; and his father was a fitter and turner, who taught him the importance of industry and people having a job but also the protection that organised labour could give workers. In that context he was brought up during the period of the Depression in Melbourne and saw what devastation unemployment could bring.

Ken won his Senate seat for the state of Tasmania in 1967. He took up that position on 1 July 1968 and he remained in the Senate until September 1980, until he went into state politics—and we have heard the former speakers speak of that. We have also heard of his maiden speech, which I will not recount, but the member for Lyons aptly referred to a passage that spoke about his values and the obligations on members to represent the values of their constituents.

He was a keen sportsman. He loved cricket. Indeed, my father said that Senator Wriedt carried him in a regular match that he played, the Senate against the House of Representatives—invariably, Ken Wriedt and my father against Bill Hayden and Manfred Cross. Ken usually carried the day.

He became, as we heard, the Minister for Primary Industry in the Whitlam government. Despite the challenges of the period he was respected for the difficult issues that were in his portfolio at the time. After Lionel Murphy was appointed to the High Court in February 1975 he became Leader of the Government in the Senate, and indeed for a time my father served as his deputy leader.

Mention is made of the fact that Ken Wriedt, and indeed my father, as Manager of Government Business in the Senate at the time, were not advised of the fact that the Whitlam government had been dismissed, resulting in the Senate moving a resolution to guarantee supply to the Fraser government. As has been speculated, if notice of that dismissal had come through to Senator Wriedt and my father then perhaps that bill would not have been introduced, meaning that the then caretaker Prime Minister would conceivably have had to return to the Governor-General to advise that he was not able to guarantee supply, which had been a request, as history shows, of the Governor-General. But that is history, and history has of course moved on.

As has been mentioned, Ken Wriedt maintained a strong interest in politics even after his state career. I recall receiving a phone call from him shortly before the 2007 election. I had created some controversy, as one does from time to time, making comments with respect to capital punishment. I received a call, which I appreciated, from Ken, who in his very calm and analytical way went through the issues and persuaded me to proceed with my values and goals, and indeed in the last parliament the parliament unanimously supported legislation to prevent capital punishment from being reintroduced in a state or territory. I would like to think that Ken Wriedt, who encouraged me to do that, had some credit for that occurring.

My father has said—and I think he is absolutely right—that Senator Ken Wriedt made an enormous contribution to the Australian parliament and to the political life of the nation. He had an enormous wealth of natural experience: the horrors of Depression, his long service in the merchant marine as a seaman and also an officer—as we have heard—and his experiences as a sportsman and as a lover of fine music. He also had an amazing knowledge and understanding of humanity. As a people we are certainly lucky that Australia has had the benefit of that vast worldly experience in this parliament. On behalf of those who served him in Canberra, and on behalf of the present generation of parliamentarians, I express our admiration and gratitude for his immeasurable contribution to the political life of our country. I would also like to convey my deepest sympathy, and that of my father, Doug, and my mother, Lorna, to his two daughters and their families and to his close friends.

Sid Sidebottom (Braddon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise as a proud Tasmanian because I think it is important that I support the motion and acknowledge the significant contribution of a passionate adopted son of Tasmania, Kenneth Shaw Wriedt, better known as Ken Wriedt. Through his efforts both in this place and in the Tasmanian parliament, he has indeed earned himself a prominent position in the history books of this nation.

Like my late father, Ken Wriedt was born in Melbourne and came to Tasmania following wartime service, as has been mentioned by several of the condolence speakers, with a career in the merchant marine. Indeed, he had a passion for all things maritime and pursued these throughout his life. It was not that long afterwards that his more than half a century of association with politics began when he joined the Labor Party. This was also the time he struck up another longstanding partnership, with his wife, Helga, which also lasted half a century till very recently when she too, sadly, passed away—a passing that grieved Ken greatly.

Ken’s rise through the Labor Party was hardly swift, with three attempts before he was preselected to run for the Senate. In 1967 he was elected as part of a new Whitlam team and entered what is still one of the most memorable—indeed, some would regard it as infamous—periods of politics in Australian history. It was a time that shaped the political aspirations of many in this House today, including my own.

By the early 1970s his talents saw him made the Minister for Primary Industry from 1970 to 1975 and Minister for Minerals and Energy, also in 1975. Ken also became the government leader in the Senate and later Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 1975 to 1980. He played an important role in the reformist agenda of the Whitlam years, seeking to bring Australia’s agricultural sector forward to a new global future which is still today being realised. I know Ken would have been very honoured to have the current leader of the Nationals pay tribute to his significance both as the minister and also as a mentor to him and someone who gave him the inspiration to continue his political career.

He was well known for admitting that as a merchant seaman he could not tell a merino from a Corriedale but he proved his worth, as we have had testified today, and gained the respect of the agricultural sector by listening and consulting—something that is not amiss at any stage when dealing with that very important sector. Ken’s federal ministerial career came to an abrupt halt, along with others, in November 1975 and one really does wonder what he might have achieved had fate not taken such a twist. As Senate leader he was one of the key players in the famous dismissal of the Whitlam government, something that the current Attorney-General attested to with some personal information in relation to his father, who was a friend of Ken Wriedt. It is something that political historians will discuss and debate for many years to come.

He finished his term in the Senate in 1980 but his contribution was not over. He turned his focus to Tasmania and won a seat in Franklin in the Tasmanian parliament in 1982. It is great to have the current federal member for Franklin in the chamber today and I know that she will be paying special tribute to Ken Wriedt very soon after me. He became Leader of the Opposition soon after, from 1982 to 1986, and was a minister from 1989 till 1990 in the Michael Field government as Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for Roads and Transport. His links to parliament continued until recently, with his daughter Paula also a significant contributor to Tasmanian political life. She was a minister and successful member for Franklin from 1996 to 2009.

Ken Wriedt is survived by his daughters, Paula and Sonia, and four grandchildren. I join with others in this place and extend my deepest sympathies to Ken’s family and friends and also thank them for his fantastic and considerable contribution to his state and nation. I note also that the state funeral for the Hon. Ken Wriedt will be held at the Federation Concert Hall in Davey Street, Hobart at 11 am on Wednesday, 27 October 2010. Unfortunately, not everyone in this place who sought a pair to be able to attend the state funeral of this very significant contributor to Tasmanian life will be able to attend, so I ask those who are attending to please pass on my deepest sympathies to those of Ken Wriedt’s family who will be there.

Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Community Services) Share this | Link to 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.

Tony Smith (Casey, Liberal Party, Deputy Chairman , Coalition Policy Development Committee) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Briefly, I wish to associate myself with the remarks of all of those who have spoken. Ken had a wonderful career here and in Tasmania. As we have heard in the contributions from the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and again from those speaking here today, he was at the centre of critical events here in Canberra in 1975 as Leader of the Government in the Senate. Following a strong career here, he went on, of course, to replicate that in the Tasmanian parliament. I take the brief opportunity to associate myself with those who have spoken.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I understand it is the wish of honourable members to signify at this stage their respect and sympathy by rising in their places.

Honourable members having stood in their places—

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

I move:

That further proceedings be conducted in the House.

Question agreed to.