I was born in 1926 in Fiji and my parents were from South Australia. My Father was manager of the Adelaide Steamship Company in Fiji. I had asthma when I was a child and was sent to Murray Bridge just outside Adelaide for health reasons. before I left I was shunned by the whites in Fiji because I made friends with the Indian and Fijian kids and refused to share the racial prejudices that the whites had towards them.
I went to adelaide for my secondary schooling - at St. Peters College.
I went to Adelaide University to study Law and Classics.
I worked in Theatre and Radio to finance my way through University.
I became interested in Trade Unions and the Australian Labor Party at this time even though my father was a Liberal ( Conservative )
Upon Graduation in 1948 I went back to Fiji to practice Law.
In 1949 I married my first wife Gretel and had three children, Bronwen , Andrew and Paul.
In 1951 I returned to Adelaide.
I was elected to State Parliament in 1953 as member of Norwood - then considered a safe Liberal - Conservative seat. ( I was a labor politician ) I remained the Member for 25 Years.
I began to look at reform as my main platform.
Some things I knew needed Change and Modernisation. South Australia was trapped in the past and needed to move into the future. I wanted to bring Colour and Personality into the State and relax the rigid grey outlook that many ministers in the Government had ( on all sides of politics )
In 1965 Labor finally came to power in South Australia under leader Frank Walsh. It was 32 Years since a Labor Government had been in power in South Australia. South Australia was crying out for change. However on June 1st. 1967 Labor Premier Frank Walsh stepped down as leader and I became Premier but only for a short time as my Labor Government lost power in 1968. During the (almost) one year I was Premier My Government passed some new laws which allowed Hotels to trade for longer hours and Relaxed the laws on Outdoor eating and drinking and also Wine Cellar sales laws. Some laws had been in place unchanged since 1915.
In 1968 Steele Hall became leader of the Liberal-Country League Conservative Government even though Labor got 53% of the vote.
It was a period of politicial instability in S.A.
It was impossible to stop the momentum for change.
In 1970 Labor won office again with myself as the leader. Our Government remained in power for the whole of the 1970's
I then remained premier for nearly 10 years until 1979.
I was the second longest serving Premier in South Australian History.
In the decade of the 1970's We achieved an unprecedented series of Social, Cultural and Political reforms. My Government was responsible for a wide ranging agenda and I had to contend with some opposition to get some reforms done.
In the 1970's I had a popularity rating of 74% among South Australians. It was one of the highest in History - Matched only by Bob Hawke in his very early days as Australian Prime Minister.
I led the Labor Party to 4 successive wins in South Australia .
A lot of my reforms went around Australia to be adopted by other State Governments.
Amoung the changes were the following -
Self Determination Policies and Land Rights Policies.
Industrial Law Reform and Industrial democracy. Worker Participation Schemes.
Consumer protection laws.
Anti-Discrimination legislation.
Womens rights. Youth's rights and their right to speak up. Rights for minority groups including Homosexuals, Aborigines and Women and Ethnic Groups.
Multiculturalism.
Ending the so called "white australia policy". ( in the Federal ALP policy )
Drug law reform. Enviornmental policies. Conservation. Recycling campaigns including the 5 cent buy back of all bottles cartons and packaging.
Relaxing Censorship. Extending hotel trading. Allowing wine cellar sales. Allowing outdoor drinking and eating. Changing Licensing laws.
Opening in 1976 Rundle Mall in Adelaide - previously a congested city street.
Set up the Industrial Development Department - established offices in Asia - Sought to embrace Asia as our trading partner - Curb Police Powers - Safeguard Personal Privacy. Reform, Modernise and Expand Education - Health - Public Housing - Transport.
I was vocal in not supporting the Vietnam war and urged the youth to speak out against the war if they so wished.
I had many public arguments with the Police over this matter and how they (the police) treated the young people.
I was keen to curb the police powers of arrest and search - in particular with regard to our Youth.
I supported the Arts and pushed to establish the Festival Centre. I expanded the Adelaide Festival of Arts and Set up the S.A. Film Corporation. I set up the Jam Factory - a place for local craft workers.
I relaxed dress rules in Government - became "famous" for wearing Pink Short Pants in State Parliament.
I was seen at the public openings of Gay Art Exhibitions. I attended Youth Rock Concerts. I spoke at Anti War Demonstrations. I attended and spoke at Aboriginial Land Rights Rallies.
I made my so called "fireside chats" where - while I was dressed casually at home I was televised to South Australians telling them what had happened in State Parliament that day - for instance " today we spent 150,000 dollars of your money to build a new school ".
This had never happened before anywhere in Australia.
It was unheard of for a Politician to do this.
It was called Accountability.
In 1974 I divorced my first wife and in 1976 married my second wife Adele Koh who was a journalist from Singapore who was expelled from there in 1973 during a press crackdown.
Unfortunately she died of cancer two years later in 1978. I was very depressed at the time. And in 1979 I resigned from politics, as Premier of South Australia and as Member for the Adelaide seat of Norwood, a seat I had held for 25 years.
- I Died on the 6th February 1999 from cancer. My Funeral in Adelaide was attended by about 5% of the population of the State of South Australia. Many Thousands lined the river around Adelaide. It was the most emotional public state funeral ever.
Don Dunstans' last words were " Rather than talk about my reforms - put them into practice"
Don Dunstan was and is to this day a South Australian Legend. An Amazing man who made a big impact on Australian Reforms. Social. Cultural. and Political.
Myspace Editor
