Norman Foster (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Norman Kenneth Foster was a former South Australia
n federal and state Australian Labor Party
politician.
and left school at 13. He worked as a labourer until he enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force
's 2/10th Battalion in 1939 at the outbreak of World War II
. He served in England, Tobruk
, New Guinea
and Borneo
, where he was mentioned in dispatches for bravery in action as a signaller. After the war he worked on the docks in Port Adelaide and became a leader of the Waterside Workers' Federation
and president of the Trades and Labor Council
in 1964.
in 1969 on 50.5 per cent of the two party vote with a 15 per cent swing, but lost it back to Ian Wilson
in 1972. He served in the South Australian Legislative Council
from 1975 to 1982. He was probably best known for his support of the Tonkin
Liberal
government's legislation to enable the Roxby Downs uranium
mine in 1982. The legislation was very controversial, and was opposed at the time by Labor. Foster resigned from the Labor Party just before he crossed the floor to give the final vote required to pass the legislation. He ran unsuccessfully for the Legislative Council
as an independent Labor candidate in 1982, however his ALP membership was reinstated in 1988.
He died in Adelaide and was survived by his wife, five children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n federal and state 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...
politician.
Early life
Norman was born in AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
and left school at 13. He worked as a labourer until he enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
's 2/10th Battalion in 1939 at the outbreak of 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...
. He served in England, Tobruk
Siege of Tobruk
The siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 240 days between Axis and Allied forces in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War...
, New Guinea
New Guinea campaign
The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
and Borneo
Borneo campaign (1945)
The Borneo Campaign of 1945 was the last major Allied campaign in the South West Pacific Area, during World War II. In a series of amphibious assaults between 1 May and 21 July, the Australian I Corps, under General Leslie Morshead, attacked Japanese forces occupying the island. Allied naval and...
, where he was mentioned in dispatches for bravery in action as a signaller. After the war he worked on the docks in Port Adelaide and became a leader of the Waterside Workers' Federation
Maritime Union of Australia
The Maritime Union of Australia covers waterside workers, seafarers, port workers, professional divers, and office workers associated with Australian ports. As of 2011 the union has about 13,000 members. It is an affiliate of the International Transport Workers' Federation and represents the...
and president of the Trades and Labor Council
United Trades and Labour Council of South Australia
The United Trades and Labour Council of South Australia, also known as SA Unions, is a representative body of trade union organisations, known as a Labour council, in the State of South Australia...
in 1964.
Political career
He won the federal seat of SturtDivision of Sturt
The Division of Sturt is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia.First proclaimed for the 1949 election, Sturt was named for Captain Charles Sturt, nineteenth century explorer and the first European to discover the Murray River...
in 1969 on 50.5 per cent of the two party vote with a 15 per cent swing, but lost it back to Ian Wilson
Ian Wilson (politician)
Ian Bonython Cameron Wilson , solicitor, company director and Australian politician, was born in Adelaide, South Australia, the son of Sir Keith Wilson, a prominent United Australia Party and Liberal Party politician...
in 1972. He served in the South Australian Legislative Council
South Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the House of Assembly...
from 1975 to 1982. He was probably best known for his support of the Tonkin
David Tonkin
Dr David Oliver Tonkin AO was the 38th Premier of South Australia, serving from 18 September 1979 to 10 November 1982. He was elected to the House of Assembly seat of Bragg at the 1970 election, serving until 1983. He became the leader of the South Australian division of the Liberal Party of...
Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
government's legislation to enable the Roxby Downs uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
mine in 1982. The legislation was very controversial, and was opposed at the time by Labor. Foster resigned from the Labor Party just before he crossed the floor to give the final vote required to pass the legislation. He ran unsuccessfully for the Legislative Council
South Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the House of Assembly...
as an independent Labor candidate in 1982, however his ALP membership was reinstated in 1988.
He died in Adelaide and was survived by his wife, five children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.