Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is with deep regret that I inform the Senate of the death, on 25 October 2022, of the Hon. Anthony Austin 'Tony' Street, a former minister and member of the House of Representatives for the division of Corangamite, Victoria, from 1966 to 1984. I call the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That the Senate records its sorrow at the death on 25 October 2022 of the Honourable Anthony (Tony) Austin Street, former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Industrial Relations and former member for Corangamite, places on record its gratitude for 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 the Hon. Anthony Austin Street, known as Tony Street, a former Minister for Foreign Affairs, who passed away on 25 October at the age of 96. I start by conveying the government's condolences to all of his family and friends.

Tony Street took on big responsibilities as a federal minister, guiding the Fraser government's policies in both industrial relations and foreign affairs. He did so as a conciliator and as a moderate, working to bring consensus and agreement. This approach served him well in both of these policy areas and, as an instinctive consensus builder, he was a natural fit for both of these portfolios. In particular, he was clear in his support of multilateralism, recognising that Australia's national interest would be advanced by working in cooperation with other nations.

However, his story begins in 1926 in Melbourne. He grew up on the family property in Lismore, roughly halfway between Geelong and Hamilton and just north of Lake Corangamite in south-west Victoria. He didn't have to look far for political inspiration; his father served as both the member for Corangamite in Victoria and a federal minister. Geoffrey Street became Minister for Defence in November 1938 and played a major role in the expansion of military and munitions production prior to his death in the Canberra air disaster in 1940. His son would eventually take the same political path in the same seat.

Tony Street was first elected to represent the electorate of Corangamite in 1966. In a seat that nowadays is known for changing hands, he was re-elected seven times prior to his resignation in 1984, serving for over 17 years. He was briefly a minister in the McMahon government, serving as assistant minister in the Labour and National Service portfolio from August 1971 until the election of the Whitlam government in 1972.

When John Kerr appointed Malcolm Fraser as caretaker Prime Minister on Remembrance Day 1975, Tony Street found himself as the senior Minister for Labour and Immigration and in the cabinet. Following the election the portfolio name changed to Employment and Industrial Relations. He held this position through to 1978, and then Industrial Relations alone until 1980. At various times he concurrently held additional portfolios, including the Public Service, and, perhaps somewhat oddly, he was the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Women's Affairs. We are reminded that it was not actually until Bob Hawke appointed Susan Ryan to that role that it was actually held by a woman.

Regarded as a conciliatory politician, as industrial relations minister Tony Street supported the idea of closer relationships between unions and employers, recognising that it would not be possible to increase productivity without good labour relations. He didn't always win plaudits from the union movement—and I don't think anyone would describe the Fraser government as pro union—but he did work concertedly to change the policy approach, having been a critic of the coalition's previous attitude to industrial relations management.

In 1980 Tony Street was appointed to succeed Andrew Peacock as Minister for Foreign Affairs. Of course there was a direct swap between them, and Mr Peacock took over the Industrial Relations portfolio. Andrew Peacock's time in the Foreign Affairs portfolio was a time in which the Liberal Party was turned in a direction that was less partisan and more focused on the national interest than it had been under former Prime Minister Billy McMahon. This was an approach that Tony Street continued.

As I said earlier, he was a proponent of multilateralism. He said:

In its role as a middle power, Australia needs a foreign policy which encompasses not just bilateral relations but the multilateral diplomacy of international organisations and blocs of countries acting together.

Wise words then and now.

Tony Street was active in critical foreign policy decisions in the region and around the world. One of his first tasks was to denounce Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge regime, which, at the time, was still recognised by the United States, the United Nations and ASEAN. In 1981 Tony Street was heavily involved in Australia's boycott of the Springboks' rugby tour to New Zealand. Crucially, he was also an early builder of Australia's relationship with China, following on from the foundations set by Gough Whitlam. Continuity in our early engagement with China across partisan lines was a crucial decision in the national interest.

Tony Street knew that it was not just sufficient to talk about Australia as a middle power but that to maintain and advance Australia's position required active engagement and investment in our relationships. He said:

A middle power must acquire those qualities by its own efforts, then it must make a conscious effort to maintain them.

They are words as important today as they were 40 years ago.

Concluding his time as a minister with the defeat of Malcolm Fraser's government by Bob Hawke in 1983, Tony Street left the parliament in 1984. With his death, we see two eras of Australian politics coming closer to their conclusion. He had been the last surviving assistant minister of the McMahon government and the last surviving Liberal minister of the first Fraser ministry. Tony Street was a parliamentarian and he was a minister of substance. He combined pragmatism with a desire to forge cooperation and consensus. Australia is better for ministers, like Tony Street, who look to advance the national interest first.

In closing, can I, on behalf of the government, again express our condolences following the passing of the Hon. Anthony Austin Street and, again, convey my sympathies to his family and friends.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I too rise to honour the life of the Hon. Anthony Austin 'Tony' Street, a distinguished parliamentarian, a thoughtful Liberal, a considered and humble man of effective engagement with both friend and foe alike.

Born in 1926 to Evora and Brigadier Geoffrey Street, a former defence minister himself, Tony was not unknowing of political life. His passion for sport also started early, having joined the Melbourne Cricket Club at the age of six. During the time of World War II, Tony attended Melbourne Grammar School and was made school captain. He left in 1945 and, following a call to service, joined the Royal Australian Navy serving upon HMAS Norman, HMAS Queenborough and HMAS Shropshire as an able seaman. As were many at the end of the war, he was demobilised in 1946. Tony then returned home to the family farm and also joined the Lismore branch of the Liberal Party, starting a trajectory to an ultimate parliamentary career.

Tony brought to the parliament his learnings of the land, noting that after 20 years of running your own farm you learn to take the rough with the smooth. Elected as the member for Corangamite in 1966, Tony served in numerous spokesperson roles following that period of opposition that he entered in 1972. He was then appointed to his first cabinet ministry, as Senator Wong indicated, in 1975 as Minister for Labour and Immigration under Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.

Tony Street's stature, at 5 foot 4 inches—or thereabouts, depending upon which article you read—attracted some nicknames with the friends he made. Having a close, lofty mate in the Navy, he and the mate gained the duo name 'Dot and Dash'. But it was the press gallery that dubbed Tony Street and Malcolm Fraser 'the Odd Couple', owing to Tony's close accompaniment of Malcolm Fraser.

Nicknames aside, Tony remained polite and thoughtful throughout each of his cabinet positions, remarking that losing your temper impairs your capacity to think straight. But he always stayed true to speaking his mind when required. His diplomatic demure was no doubt most fitting in his final portfolio of foreign affairs—as, indeed, was his work in industrial relations.

It was within government, firstly in the portfolio of industrial relations, that Tony made a name for himself. He confronted the circumstance and reality of unemployment at the time, and offered a lowering of the confrontational approach to trade unions—an approach that he took with candid realism, which earned respect. He said at the time: 'It is impossible to be dogmatic about this very complex subject. Experience here and in other democracies shows that the lawmaking power of government, particularly where personal conflict is involved, must be used with fine judgement.' It was a judgement that he brought to try to ensure that parties could come together.

The speeches Tony would give across his portfolios came to be recognised as subtle but significant. Senator Wong has referenced some and, indeed, in 1982, as Minister for Foreign Affairs, he delivered a hallmark speech to the Australian Institute of International Affairs outlining Australia's role as a middle power. He stated:

Because of its very size, a superpower enjoys authority whether it deserves to or not. However badly it may behave, it will, by dint of its power, always command respect and even credibility from one quarter or another.

But a middle power must acquire those qualities by its own efforts and then it must make a conscious effort to maintain them. That job of maintenance becomes an important part of a middle power's foreign policy. Moreover, if a middle power is sufficiently determined, it can achieve significant authority by sheer force of political will.

The doctrine outlined by Tony Street is one that many Australian foreign and external affairs ministers have sought to hold true to, and our nation is better when they do hold true to that approach and, in doing so, seek to ensure that we are best able as a nation to influence our region and our world, and to do so from a position of respect and credibility. Tony Street took that approach and applied it in his engagement with others. He presented stances on matters of human rights and humanitarian issues that were ones of principle, as Senator Wong has referenced, in relation to matters sensitive at the time, such as apartheid in South Africa and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.

Tony Street's passion stretched beyond the parliament. Of course he was well-known for a passion for cricket, and a reputation as a leg break bowler was evident in the well-used cricket ball he always kept in his attache case. While not playing competitively in parliament, except in the Press Gallery versus politicians matches, he would grip and spin the ball most days, just in case.

Serving always with distinction, Tony made a humble exit from politics in 1984 in the election following the defeat of the Fraser government, announcing that it was time to give younger members of parliament a go. The member for Corangamite for an impressive 17 years, Tony Street served the Australian people with decency, integrity and the qualities of a gentleman—a passionate sportsman who worked the land and served his country and parliament. Tony Street's retirement took him back to the family farm. I think I'm safe in saying that he had a fulfilling 96 years of life, something that we can all but only hope for.

On behalf of the opposition, the Senate and the Liberal Party, to Tony's loved ones—his wife, Ricky, and sons Geoffrey, Alan and Phillip—I extend our gratitude for his service to our nation and to our party, and our deep and sincere condolences on your loss.

Sarah Henderson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I too rise in this condolence motion to pay tribute to and honour the life of Anthony Austin Street—Tony Street. As a former member for Corangamite myself, Tony Street was legendary in terms of the contribution that he made to the Corangamite community over some nearly 18 years.

I had the great joy of having afternoon tea with Tony and his wife, Ricky, last year. It was clear that Tony was very frail, at some 95 years of age, but we had the most joyous and wonderful discussion over a couple of hours where he spoke of his lifetime of service, his love of the Liberal Party and his focus on consensus—on getting things done through taking the middle ground and bringing people with him. That included his local constituents, people on both sides of the House and all those with whom he dealt, even when he was the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I can't repeat many of the stories, but they were fabulous. I did ask if he would record some of the stories. He declined. He was never someone to promote himself. He was a true gentleman, and, when I messaged his son Geoffrey earlier today to ask how he and his brothers wanted Tony Street to be remembered, Geoffrey said: 'We don't really want very much. We only want for people to know that our father was a real gentleman. He was respected on both sides of the House, and he was also someone who rejected extreme views.'

We have heard in this debate the contribution that Tony Street made to this parliament and to this nation. He came from a political family; indeed his father was the member for Corangamite. Tragically, his father, Brigadier Geoffrey Street, died when Tony was only 14 years old. Tony went to Melbourne Grammar. He attended with Malcolm Fraser. He was the school captain in 1944. Following his schooling, he joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1944 as a gunnery radar operator, serving on HMAS Norman, HMAS Queenborough and HMAS Shropshire, including seeing action in the Pacific. He joined the Liberal Party in 1946 and, as we know, he was elected to the seat of Corangamite in 1966, where he served for almost 18 years.

In his maiden speech, Tony Street said:

… extension work in its broadest sense is probably the primary producer's most valuable weapon in his continual battle against rising costs.

He was underlining the value that computers and data analysis would play in the increasing complexity of farming operations. He had a great love of the land; he was born of the land. While he settled in Ocean Grove in his later years, the love of the land never left him.

Tony Street was highly respected by people from all walks of life for his effectiveness, fairness and decency. He served with great distinction in a number of ministerial roles, including as assistant minister for labour and national service during Billy McMahon's term; as shadow minister, during the Whitlam years, for social security and welfare, for health, for primary industry, for shipping and transport and for science and technology; and, under Prime Minister Fraser, as Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in Public Service Matters and Minister for Foreign Affairs.

As Australia's representative on the world stage, Tony Street promoted the importance of consensus and strove to chart a new course for Australia as a middle power. In that role he steered the legislation for the foundation of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research through parliament, and he played a key role in the negotiation of the Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement in 1983. He held, as I said, a strong belief in consensus.

He was also renowned as being a great cricketer. In fact, he had real potential and, perhaps if his life had taken a different course, he may have played for Australia. He was endearingly known as 'the little leg spinner from Corangamite'. His attitude to cricket was a profound metaphor for life. Wherever he went he carried in his attache case an old, much bowled cricket ball. Every night he would grip it and spin the ball for practice, to keep his fingers strong, just in case.

We have lost a great Liberal with the passing of Tony Street, and we've lost a great local resident. We have lost someone who was a true parliamentarian, who put the service of his community and his nation ahead of himself. I would like to convey my deepest condolences to Tony Street's family, particularly his wife, Ricky, and his three sons, Geoffrey, Philip and Alan. May he rest in peace.

Question agreed to, honourable senators joining in a moment of silence.