Don Dunstan
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2 Life in politics 3 Life after politics |
Early life
Dunstan was born in Suva, Fiji to Australian parents. Health problems forced him to leave the tropical climate of Fiji to live with relatives in Murray Bridge, South Australia. He attended Murray Bridge High School and then St. Peters College on a scholarship. Dunstan was remembered by his schoolmates as unpopular because he befriended Indian and Fujian immigrants and refused to share the racism that was endemic to white Australia at the time.
Dunstan began studing for a degree in Law at the University of Adelaide and after a brief flirtation with the Liberal Party, he became a member of the ALP. He married his first wife, Gretel, with whom he had three children. After graduating he practised law in Fuji, but he returned to Adelaide in 1951. Dunstan was nominated and elected as the State Member for Norwood in 1953. He was made a Queen's Council in 1965.
Life in politics
When Labor gained power in 1965 under Frank Walsh, Dunstan became Attorney-General and Minister of Community Welfare and Aboriginal Affairs and in 1967, he became Premier of South Australia for the first time. After Labor lost power in 1968, he remained the party's Parliamentary leader and when Labor was returned to power in 1970, he once again became Premier.
Dunstan reformed the government of the socially conservative South Australia into the most progressive state in Australia. Legislation was passed to prohibit discrimination against women, homosexuals and indigenous Australians. His government made South Australia the leader on Aboriginal land rights and reformed electoral law to prevent the reintroduction of the gerrymander.
Dunstan was a passionate lover of the Arts and South Australia and Adelaide became a national leader in the Arts. The Government transformed the Adelaide City Baths into the Adelaide Festival Centre. The Dunstan Government dramatically expanded the Adelaide Festival of Arts.
In 1972 he and Gretel separated, and in 1974, they divorced. Dunstan remarried in 1976 to Adele Koh, a member of his staff. Another prominent member of his staff was Mike Rann, the current Premier of South Australia. After the death of his wife and because of his own health problems and political controversies, he resigned as Premier and from Parliament on February 15, 1979.
Life after politics
After leaving politics, Dunstan became the Director of Tourism Victoria until 1986 when he moved back to Adelaide. Always having been prominent for his love of food (he released a cookbook in 1976) he opened a restaurant called "Don's Table" in 1992. He died from cancer at his Norwood home.