Norman Foster (Australian politician)

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Norman Kenneth Foster (12 March 1921 – 19 November 2006) was a former South Australian federal and state Australian Labor Party politician.

[edit] Early life

Norman was born in Adelaide 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.^[1]

[edit] Political career

He won the Federal Seat of Sturt in 1969 by less than fifty votes, 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, but was readmitted to the ALP in 1988.

He died in Adelaide and was survived by his wife, five children, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.^[1]

[edit] References

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Ian Wilson	Member for Sturt 1969–1972	Succeeded by Ian Wilson

Persondata
NAME	Foster, Norman Kenneth
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	South Australian politician.
DATE OF BIRTH	12 March 1921
PLACE OF BIRTH	Adelaide, South Australia
DATE OF DEATH	19 November 2006
PLACE OF DEATH	Adelaide, South Australia