Anthony Alexander Alam was one of the longest-serving members of the New South Wales Legislative Council

New South Wales Legislative Council

The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...

, and a prominent member of the Lebanese community.

A Lebanese Australian

Lebanese Australian

A Lebanese Australian is an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Lebanese descent. The community is multi-religious, and includes a Christian, mostly Maronite Catholic, majority, as well as a large Muslim minority of both the Shia and Sunni branches of Islam, and various other Christian and...

, Alam was born in Wallsend

Wallsend, New South Wales

Wallsend is a western suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, located from Newcastle's central business district. It is part of the City of Newcastle local government area.- Origins :...

, the son of immigrant Lebanese

Lebanon

Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

 storekeepers Joseph Alam and Mary Hashem. He was educated at De La Salle College Armidale, and married Therese Anthony (daughter of W. Anthony) at St. Columbia's Church, Charters Towers on the 26th April 1924.

He lived in various country centres including The Rock

The Rock, New South Wales

The Rock is a town, with a population of 860, in the Riverina region of southern New South Wales, Australia, in Lockhart Shire and the City of Wagga Wagga. It is situated 32km south west of Wagga Wagga on the Olympic Highway....

 and established Alams Limited, merchants of Dubbo, Delegate and Dunedoo. He was also the managing director of the Australian Fur Exporting Company. He became a contract builder in Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

 and was director of Mala Homes Pty Ltd, Zebra Motels Pty Ltd and A.A. Alam Pty Ltd.

Political career

Alam was an active member of the Australian Labor Party

Australian Labor Party

The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...

, and served as president of that Party's Gwydir

Gwydir

Gwydir may refer to:Australia*Gwydir Highway, New South Wales*Gwydir River, New South Wales*Division of Gwydir, electoral divisionUnited Kingdom*Gwydir Castle, Conwy, Wales*Gwydir Forest, Conwy, Wales...

, Dubbo and Wammerawa branches. He represented Labor in the New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

 Legislative Council from December 1925 until April 1958, when he retired from that position. He later filled a casual vacancy from November 1963 until April 1973, when he again retired.

Alam was therefore an MLC for 43 years.

Community involvement

Some members of the Lebanese community in New South Wales may remember Anthony Alam. As well as being a significant political figure, he and his wife were well regarded in the Lebanese and wider community and participated in many charitable, business and social events.

Alam and his wife Therese Alam (née Anthony) were instigators behind many charitable endeavours for the Maronite community, the Lebanese community, and the community in general. One of Mrs. Alam's notable efforts was raising funds to purchase ambulances to transpont Australian troops and others injured during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 as President of the Lebanese Ladies War Comforts League of Australia.

A number of the ambulances apparently found their way to Lebanon, where they were used to transport injured civilians in addition to injured Australian troops.

It has been said that some years later, in gratitude, the Lebanese Government presented Australia with a number of cedar saplings (Cedars of Lebanon). Some members can remember being shown the saplings growing strongly in a garden in Canberra

Canberra

Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...

. However, with the passing of years, their exact location has been forgotten.

He died on the 9th August 1983, age 87.