Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

We're taking over, you'll have to be careful! You'll have to watch it!

This is my melancholy duty, on behalf of the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Wong: by leave—I move:

That the Senate records its sorrow at the death, on 3 April 2022, of the Honourable James Joseph Webster, former senator for Victoria and Minister for Science and the Environment, places on record its gratitude of his service to the Parliament and the nation and tenders its sympathy to his family in their bereavement.

I rise on behalf of the government to express our condolences following the passing of a former senator and minister, the Hon. James Joseph Webster, at the ripe old age of 96. As I begin, I wish to convey the government's condolences to his family and friends.

Born in Tasmania in 1925—specifically, on Flinders Island in the Bass Strait—James Webster spent his first years there before his family moved to a farm near Melbourne. After completing school, with two brothers at the war, he remained at home to manage the farm and serve in the Air Training Corps before training in business and accountancy. After gaining some experience in other environments, he would join a timber, hardware and plumbing business founded by his grandfather that also undertook significant civil engineering projects.

As I read the entry for James Webster in The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate, I was greatly encouraged. Following World War II, and prior to joining the family business, he joined a firm of timber merchants and became a delegate to the Australian Timber Workers' Union, which, if I'm not mistaken, was a union that Senator Wong once worked for—and I'm just getting a nod: that is correct. Later, he worked as a tallyman on the wharves and became a member of the Waterside Workers' Federation—another terrific organisation. What a sad thing that such a servant of the labour movement has passed away, I thought. So I was shocked to discover that when James Webster first entered the Senate, when he filled a casual vacancy in 1964, he was a member of the Country Party. He would go on to serve in the Senate as a member of that party until 1990. I cannot help but think that the Nationals today would be better served if they had more members from trade union backgrounds!

He was also an elder of the Presbyterian church at the age of 21, the same denomination in which the father of former Labor senator John Button served as a moderator. But, in truth, James Webster had a strong Country Party pedigree, with his father briefly representing the party in the Victorian Legislative Assembly, and himself joining as a member of the Young Country Party. He would later serve on the party's federal council. Entering the Senate, he spoke of how grateful he was to have the Country Party's support, and especially reflected on its policies 'aimed at maintaining a free-enterprise community with a minimum of control'. Given party leader Sir John 'Blackjack' McEwen was the foremost defender of the tariff wall, as trade minister now, I found those comments a little surprising.

Like so many in his party, Webster walked both sides of the street, speaking about the importance of economic liberalism while staunchly advocating for government support for all manner of projects and schemes. Not much has changed. Bringing his business experience to the Senate meant he was interested in economic issues combined with an emphasis on the breadth of Australia's wealth created by primary industries. He spoke about the importance of recognising and supporting this. These latter comments are sentiments that I would endorse.

When Webster was born his father was chairman of the local butter factory, so it was no wonder he lined up against the forces of margarine, which he thought would break the Australian dairy industry. Interestingly, in his first speech he also reflected on the growing availability of television and the need to ensure the production of Australian content. His support of the Australian film and television industry was something he would continue right throughout his career.

He became embroiled in the coalition opposition's relentless constitutional attacks on the Whitlam government by seeking a High Court injunction to inhibit the joint sitting of both houses of parliament under section 57 of the Constitution following the 1974 simultaneous dissolution. The court did not find in his favour. Later, he found himself in the High Court for reasons not of his choosing, as his ongoing involvement in the familial timber and hardware business was called into question after it was awarded government contracts. The High Court found that his arrangements were not in breach of section 44 of the Constitution. This was a fortunate outcome for James Webster, not least because he was to become a minister in the Fraser government following Labor's defeat in 1975.

James Webster served as a Minister for Science from 1975 until 1979, just before his retirement. In 1978 the environment was added to his ministerial responsibilities. He was fortunate to serve at a time at which there was great support within the government—and externally—for the advancement of scientific and environmental matters. Some of his signature achievements include multilateral progress in the Antarctic, a place in which he took a strong personal interest. He visited the South Pole on two occasions, and Webster Bay, in the Australian territorial section of the continent, is named in his honour. He oversaw the restructuring of the CSIRO, having a strong appreciation for its role in supporting rural industry. Kakadu was declared a national park during his time as minister. Whaling was banned in Australian waters. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority came under federal control when Prime Minister Fraser placed a ban on petroleum exploration on the reef. The latter resolved an issue that had been the source of some difficulty for the minister and within the government.

Concurrent with his time as minister, Webster was leader of the party in the Senate, having served as deputy leader in opposition during the term of the Whitlam government—intriguingly, at the same time as he was serving as Deputy President of the Senate and chair of committees. Faced with the prospect of a difficult election in 1980, James Webster offered to leave the Senate ahead of the election and became the High Commissioner to New Zealand, a post in which he would serve for four years.

James Webster was at times a contradiction: a business person who represented the Country Party; a farmer who became an environmental minister. Perhaps this is simply an illustration of the importance of a breadth of experience and ability for seeing different perspectives. This is something we can all take on board as we reflect on his life and service. The government expresses our condolences following the passing of the Hon. James Joseph Webster, and we convey our sympathies to his family and those who knew him well.