Tom Webster (politician)

Thomas Stephen Webster, (born 5 July 1950) is a former Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the electorate of Wakehurst from 1978 to 1984.^[1]

Born in 1950, Webster was educated at Rozelle Public School and Drummoyne Boys' High School (closed in 1990).^[1] After High school he attended Sydney Technical College and became a property valuer for the Valuer-General's Department. He was admitted as a Fellow of the Australian Property Institute (FAPI).

Webster joined the Grafton Branch of the Australian Labor Party in 1971 and joined the Dee Why branch in 1976, becoming President from 1977-1978.^[1] He was pre-selected as Labor Party candidate for the NSW State seat of Wakehurst in 1978. The 1978 election saw a huge swing towards the Labor Party in NSW and was known as the 'Wranslide', in reference to the state leader, Neville Wran. Webster was elected on 7 October 1978, becoming the first Labor member of what was a traditionally safe Liberal seat, defeating the sitting Liberal member Allan Viney.^[2]

During his six years in Parliament, he served on a number of committees including the Public Accounts Committee. He was later appointed as senior policy adviser to the State Premier. He retained his seat at the 1981 election but lost his seat at the 1984 election.^[1]

Webster was then elected as a Councillor for A-Ward on Warringah Shire Council in 1991 and later served as Deputy-Mayor. He served on the Council until 1999^[3] After leaving he returned to work exclusively for his Valuer Practice, T. S. Webster and Associates, which he had founded in 1988.^[4] In the lead-up to the 2011 NSW state election, Webster was made a life member of the ALP and tried to mentor local Labor candidates but lamented to the Manly Daily that: "In my 40-year membership of the party I don’t think we have ever been in such dire straits", a comment that was reflected in the subsequent landslide defeat suffered by the party at that election.^[5]

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