Norm Foster (politician)

For other people named Norman Foster, see Norman Foster (disambiguation).

Norman Kenneth Foster OAM (12 March 1921 – 19 November 2006) was a Labor member of the Australian House of Representatives for the seat of Sturt from 1969 to 1972 and then the South Australian Legislative Council from 1975 to 1982. He also served as a signaller with the 2/10th Battalion in North Africa, Papua and Borneo during World War II, and was mentioned in dispatches for his bravery in action.

The Honourable Norman Foster OAM
Member of the Australian Parliament for Sturt
In office 25 October 1969 – 2 December 1972
Preceded by	Ian Wilson
Succeeded by	Ian Wilson
Member of the South Australian Legislative Council
In office 12 July 1975 – 6 November 1982
Personal details
Born	(1921-03-12)12 March 1921 Adelaide, South Australia
Died	19 November 2006(2006-11-19) (aged 85) Adelaide, South Australia
Political party	Labor Party
Occupation	Dock worker

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]

Political career

He won the federal seat of Sturt from Liberal incumbent Ian Wilson at the 1969 election with a 50 percent primary and 50.5 percent two-party vote from a 15 percent two-party swing. Foster's victory in the historically blue-ribbon Liberal seat was part of an 18-seat swing to Labor that nearly ended the Coalition's record tenure in government. However, Wilson won the seat back at the 1972 election from a 2.7 percent swing even though Labor won government.

Foster then served in the South Australian Legislative Council from 1975 to 1982^[2] and was probably best known for his support of the Tonkin Liberal government's legislation in 1982 to allow the Roxby Downs uranium mine. 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. His ALP membership was reinstated in 1988.

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

Footnotes

1. Kelton 2006.
2. Parliament of South Australia 2022.

References

• "Award Extract – The Honourable Norman Kenneth Foster: Medal of the Order of Australia". Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
• "Bid on ACTU deadlock". Tribune. No. 1565. New South Wales. 3 July 1968. p. 10. Retrieved 27 December 2022 – via Trove.
• Carr, Adam. "Commonwealth of Australia, Legislative Election of 25 October 1969: House of Representatives – Voting by Division – South Australia: Sturt, SA". Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
• "Former Labor MP Norm Foster dies at 85". ABC News. 22 November 2006. from the original on 28 October 2016.
• "Foster, Norman Kenneth: B883". National Archives of Australia. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
• Humphrys, Jack (23 June 1982). "Roxby Go-Ahead Defuses Election For ALP". Tribune. No. 2241. New South Wales. p. 3. Retrieved 27 December 2022 – via Trove.
• Kelton, Greg (7 December 2006). . Labor Herald. Archived from the original on 15 March 2007. Retrieved 29 May 2007.
• Krumins, Bruno, Governor's Deputy (24 April 2007). "Minutes of the Proceedings of the Legislative Council – Second Session of the Fifty-First Parliament". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). South Australia: South Australian Legislative Council. Part 1.
• "Labor 'Troubleshooter' Appointed". The Canberra Times. Vol. 47, no. 13, 300. Australian Capital Territory. 7 December 1972. p. 15. Retrieved 27 December 2022 – via Trove.
• "Labor 'Villain' Thanked for Mine Expansion". 9 News. 1 December 2011. from the original on 26 December 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
• "Norman Kenneth Foster OAM". Former members of the Parliament of South Australia. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
• "Roxby Downs Venture – Councillor's Absence May Let Bill Pass". The Canberra Times. Vol. 56, no. 17, 065. Australian Capital Territory. 18 June 1982. p. 8. Retrieved 27 December 2022 – via Trove.
• "Stormy Normy Hits a Hurricane". The Bulletin. Vol. 95, no. 4861. Sydney. 7 July 1973. p. 25. ISSN 0007-4039. Retrieved 27 December 2022 – via Trove.
• "Survival". Prospecter. No. 33. Fitzroy, South Australia. 1 May 1984. p. 10. Retrieved 27 December 2022 – via Trove.
• "The World". Papua New Guinea Post-Courier. Port Moresby. 13 March 1981. p. 6. Retrieved 27 December 2022 – via Trove.
• Wishart, John (3 October 1979). "Pass the Land Rights Bill!". Tribune. No. 2114. New South Wales. p. 3. Retrieved 27 December 2022 – via Trove.
• Wishart, John (10 November 1982). "Labor Come-Back in SA Poll". Tribune. No. 2261. New South Wales. p. 2. Retrieved 27 December 2022 – via Trove.

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