Gordon Stirling
Encyclopedia
Gordon Stirling was an Australia
n politician. He was the Labor
member for Williamstown
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
from 1973 to 1988.
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Stirling worked as a moulder before joining the Royal Australian Navy
in 1946. He served as an Able Seaman
aboard during the Korean War
, reached the rank of Petty Officer
, then completed his service in 1958. In 1962 he joined the Australian Labor Party
.
Stirling's political activity led to a career as a unionist, becoming an official of the Federated Storemen and Packers Union
. He was a member of the Australia-USSR Friendship Society as well as the Congress for International Cooperation and Disarmament. He was also involved in the Williamstown Historical Society, the Williamstown branch of the Returned and Services League
, and he was a member of the Williamstown Hospital board.
Stirling was elected to the Victorian Electoral district of Williamstown
at the 1973 State election, won by the Liberal party under new leader Rupert Hamer
. He served on Labor's Public Works Committee from 1976 to 1982 and the Salinity and Printing committees from 1974 to 1983, and was a member of the Victorian Institute of Marine Sciences board. He retired in August 1988, a month before John Cain II
's narrow re-election to a third term.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He was the Labor
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...
member for Williamstown
Electoral district of Williamstown
Williamstown is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. It is a 33 km² urban electorate in the inner south-western suburbs of Melbourne, encompassing the suburbs of Brooklyn, Newport, Spotswood, Williamstown and Yarraville...
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
from 1973 to 1988.
Career
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
in 1946. He served as an Able Seaman
Able seaman
An able seaman is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. An AB may work as a watchstander, a day worker, or a combination of these roles.-Watchstander:...
aboard during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, reached the rank of Petty Officer
Petty Officer
A petty officer is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotion OR-6. They are equal in rank to sergeant, British Army and Royal Air Force. A Petty Officer is superior in rank to Leading Rate and subordinate to Chief Petty Officer, in the case of the British Armed...
, then completed his service in 1958. In 1962 he joined 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...
.
Stirling's political activity led to a career as a unionist, becoming an official of the Federated Storemen and Packers Union
National Union of Workers
The National Union of Workers is a large Australian trade union formed in 1989.-History:The National Union of Workers of Australia was formed by a progressive amalgamation of unions from 1989 onwards in a time when all Australian unions were merging, with varying degrees of success...
. He was a member of the Australia-USSR Friendship Society as well as the Congress for International Cooperation and Disarmament. He was also involved in the Williamstown Historical Society, the Williamstown branch of the Returned and Services League
Returned and Services League of Australia
The Returned and Services League of Australia is a support organisation for men and women who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force ....
, and he was a member of the Williamstown Hospital board.
Stirling was elected to the Victorian Electoral district of Williamstown
Electoral district of Williamstown
Williamstown is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria. It is a 33 km² urban electorate in the inner south-western suburbs of Melbourne, encompassing the suburbs of Brooklyn, Newport, Spotswood, Williamstown and Yarraville...
at the 1973 State election, won by the Liberal party under new leader Rupert Hamer
Rupert Hamer
Sir Rupert James Hamer, AC, KCMG, ED , generally known until he was knighted in 1982 as Dick Hamer, Australian Liberal Party politician, was the 39th Premier of Victoria, serving from 1972 to 1981.-Early years:...
. He served on Labor's Public Works Committee from 1976 to 1982 and the Salinity and Printing committees from 1974 to 1983, and was a member of the Victorian Institute of Marine Sciences board. He retired in August 1988, a month before John Cain II
John Cain II
John Cain , Australian Labor Party politician, was the 41st Premier of Victoria, holding office from 1982 to 1990.-Biography:...
's narrow re-election to a third term.