Stewart West remembered as a 'giant' of heart and principle

The long-time member for the Wollongong federal seat of Cunningham died this week, two days short of his 89^th birthday - which would have been Friday, March 31.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led the tributes, saying West was a man who put his "whole heart" into his portfolios.

"Stewart showed a great willingness to put his money where his mouth was," the PM said.

"He was a politician of unbending principle, one who cherished the privilege of being in Cabinet but who nonetheless prioritised principle over career.

"Stewart was instrumental in reforming Australia's immigration policy, and remained vocal about the plight of refugees long after his political career came to a close.

"Stewart's passion for the environment was as deep and strong as his commitment to serving the people of his electorate of Cunningham."

It seems like West always had it in him. His loving wife Mary this week remembered a story her husband enjoyed telling.

Stewart - who was born in Forbes but had moved to Wollongong - was 15 or 16. It was many years before he would become president of the Waterside Workers' union in Port Kembla; even more until he would be elected to parliament. He was working in a bank in Nowra, and he was standing at the door of the bank while the May Day march came down the main street.

"One day son, you will be leading that March," the bank manager said.

"Already then, he must have seen something in Stewart, that he stood up for whatever was happening," Mary told the Mercury.

It was 1972 when she met him when they were introduced by Mairi Petersen, wife of the state MP George.

"I guess if there's such a thing called love at first sight, it was pretty much like that," Mary said. "We met in October and we were married in December.

"And 50 years later, here we are.

"It's been a pleasure and a privilege to have travelled the journey with him. He's had dementia for nine years and that journey in itself has been an eye-opener to everything, from the aged care system to dementia itself and what it can do.

"For him to be robbed of his ability to speak - he could say things, but to have lost that coherent language was such a sadness because he was such a brilliant speaker.

"I loved listening to him.

"Stewart had the most beautiful smile that would light up a room and the most beautiful eyes and, and they were there right until the very end - until the last two days I'd say."

Mary remembers West in the kitchen of their old council house in Berkeley, writing what would become the environment policy that would save the Franklin River.

"He sat there pre-computers and all the rest of it, writing the environmental policy to take to the [Labor national conference] convincing people that we had to save the Franklin."

West was Labor's shadow environment minister under Bill Hayden, then immigration minister and later minister for housing, and administrative affairs.

He quit the Hawke Cabinet in 1983 over the decision to sell uranium to France. Hawke would later welcome him back - "they couldn't do it without him", Mary says.

West continued his advocacy for refugees as long as he could. Mary said they both found the change in attitude to refugees in Australia - and in the Labor Party - very difficult to accept.

She remembered when he visited refugee camps in Malaysia after the war in Vietnam - and brought people back.

"I can remember Stewart saying: we came back from Malaysia and our plane was full of refugees, and for him, that was a very proud moment.

"No boat. You're never illegal. Stewart hated that word. If you're assessed to be a genuine refugee that's it - there shouldn't be any argument, you're welcome in Australia.

"The trade unionists always stood up - I was a teacher and I can remember, he would take them out on strike because of the air quality [around Port Kembla] and how it was for the school kids. It wasn't just wages for dock workers, it was environmental [and] refugees, Aboriginal land rights."

He is survived by Mary, three children, seven grandchildren and three - almost four - great-grandchildren.

And to hear Mary tell it, a Labor movement that is in the good hands of the next generations.