Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I rise on behalf of the opposition to acknowledge the passing of John Royston Siddons, who passed away last month at the age of 88. At the outset, I convey the opposition's condolences to relatives and friends of Mr Siddons.

As Senator Brandis has said, Mr Siddons was a key figure in the formation of the Australian Democrats and one of its early parliamentary members. His six years as a senator came after a significant career in the manufacturing industry. He was first elected as a senator for Victoria in 1980 and, although defeated in 1983, he returned to serve a further term from 1985 to 1987.

Born in 1927 Mr Siddons was raised a devote Methodist, and whilst he might later leave the church it was not before apparently being instilled with the Methodist work ethic. He brought these first to industry and then to politics, coming to the Senate with a strong background in manufacturing, having built the Siddons Ramset business, which was primarily known for fasteners and industrial tools. In addition to striving to produce innovative quality products made in Australia, in the 1970s Mr Siddons set about changing the structure of production line to incorporate self-managed teams. He saw this as industrial democracy and as innovation in its own right.

At the same time, Mr Siddons was taking an increasing involvement in politics. Believing the policies he was implementing in his business deserved a wider platform, he first became involved with the Australia Party. This belief in the need for a progressive centrist party ultimately led to a meeting with Don Chipp, and Mr Siddons was part of the formation of the Australian Democrats. Elected to the Senate for the party in 1980, he served from 1981 to 1938 before re-election in 1985, serving from 1985 to 1987. Consistent with his background, he served on committees and as party spokesperson in trade, commerce and industrial relations throughout his career. He also served as national president of the Australian Democrats and briefly as its parliamentary deputy leader in 1986.

It was also in that year that the party's founder and the leader of the Democrats, Don Chipp, retired. In the ensuing leadership contest, Mr Siddons, then the deputy leader, lost to Janine Haines. In November of that year, he left the party, disillusioned with the party's leadership direction on economic policy. Mr Siddons then launched the Unite Australia Party, but was defeated at the 1987 election. Yet notwithstanding the circumstances of his departure, Mr Siddons would later mourn the decline of the Australian Democrats as a political force.

Following his defeat in 1987, Mr Siddons return to business activities and, not being one to take retirement at a gentle pace, Mr Siddons set about pursuing another interest: ethics and morality. He authored a book that discussed a system of morality that was independent of religion, race or culture. This did reflect a departure from the faith of this youth but also a desire to see children and young people develop an understanding of ethics. He also continued to maintain an interest in manufacturing and in innovation. In 2005, he warned of the demise of the Australian car manufacturing industry. Sadly, that is a prophecy that has come to fruition.

John Royston Siddons bought a different range of experiences to the Senate at a time when third party involvement was on the rise. Both these aspects of his contribution—his personal attributes and his place as an Australian Democrats senator at a time when the party was establishing itself on the Australian political scene—were important for our nation's democracy. The opposition again extends our deepest sympathies to his family and his friends.