Parliamentary Service |
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Electorates
- MLC North Province 22 May 1971–21 May 1982 (resigned)
Committees
- Member, Library Committee, 1977–29 September 1982
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Personal Information |
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8 August 1931 |
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Sydney, NSW, Australia |
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Son of Robert Stephen Withers, butcher and professional gambler, and Elsie Mary McPharland |
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Married 3 July 1954, Werribee, Victoria to Judith May Wakefield, daughter of Harry Hewson and Vivienne May Chautem
Children: one son and two daughters |
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None |
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Educated Kogarah Primary School 1937–1943, Sydney Technical High School 1944–1947
RAAF School of Technical Training—trade proficiency certificate 1948–1950
RAAF School of Air Navigation 1951–1952—Air Navigation Certificate and RAN Anti-Submarine School 1953
Successfully completed extension courses in jewellery trades 1963–1988 in Sydney and Brisbane also in permaculture
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Businessperson |
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Fishing and tourist guide, 1947–1948
Joined Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), 2 February 1948
Apprentice air frame fitter, 1948–1951 aircrew trainee, navigator, commissioned, 1951–1956
RAAF Reserve from 1957
Experimental flying with Aircraft Research and Development Unit RAAF–CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation), 1956–1964, senior cloud seeding officer
Partner in general store, Withers and Young, Kununurra, 1964–1965
Worked on garbage disposal for a time
Proprietor Ford dealership (Messmate Motors), panel shop, BP Ord River Service Station Kununurra, 1965–1966
Proprietor Djaaru Gems (later Nina’s Jewellery), jewellery and gift shop, Kununurra, 1966–1971
Established Ord River Hairdressers and Beauty Salon 1966, Ord River newsagency, March 1968, Cinderella Toys and Shoe Shop, September 1968
Incorporated Kafupi Mining, August 1970
Established Tropical Farm on Ord River (sold September 2002) and developed Organic Survival Unit
After leaving Parliament established Tropp Bar (confections and juice), 1983 and Worm-a-Culture
Proprietor, Kimberley Diamonds (later Ord Diamonds), designed and manufactured jewellery from Argyle diamonds, member Panel of Argyle Diamond Ltd distributors
Proprietor, Tropical Souvenirs
Owner, Ord River Mango orchard |
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Wyndham–East Kimberley Shire Council, 1965–1971; deputy president, 1966–1971
Consultative Councillor for Kimberley, 1966–1971; Reserves Advisory Board, 1969–1971 |
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Member, CSIRO Technical Officers’ Association
Member, Chamber of Commerce (president April 1965) and Rare Fruits Council
Director, EJ Withers & Co, WA Coloured Diamond Syndicate until 1988
Chairman, Ord Diamonds Pty Ltd and proprietor Nina’s Jewellery until moved to Perth
Justice of the Peace and Hon Magistrate Children’s Court, 1966–1980
Chairman, Ethics Committee, King Edward Memorial Hospital
Chairman, Mirriuwun/Gajerrong Respondent Group in Federation and High Courts
Member, executive Lions Club
Trustee, Kununurra Kindergarten
Chairman, East Kimberley Secondary Education Board
Inaugural Chairman, Kimberley College of TAFE (Technical and Further Education) 1994–1995
Rotarian
Singer in Perth Male Voice Choir
President, Lake Kununurra Golf Club 1984–1986 and Ord River Sports Club
Member, Nedlands Golf Club, Royal Tanjung Pinang Yacht Club
Vice-president, Berowra Bowling Club
Competed in rifle shooting at state level and numerous sports at club level including golf, bowls, rugby league, boxing (RAAF welterweight championship)
Singer and actor in various musical comedy productions eg Oklahoma, Magyar Melody and Rose Marie
Landscape painter, won various competitions. Paintings in Parliament House, National Bank and other collections
Commissioned to design and make various pieces of jewellery under Royal and State patronage
Published:
- The Ord Adventures of Barra Bill and Katy Katfish
- How Well Intentioned Governments Strangle the Development of a Nation
- Frontier Dreaming
- Was It Murder (novel)
- A Man’s Secret Sex Life (novel)
- Safari (novelette)
22 bound volumes of papers, essays, manuscripts and letters are located in the Battye Library
Retired to Victoria Park in 2002
Moved into the Collier Park Retirement Village, Como, 2007 |
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D Black and G Bolton, eds, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia: volume two 1930-2010, Western Australian Parliamentary History Project, Perth, WA, 2011, p. 284-285.
Transcript of interview with Ron Chapman, 2004 (State Library and WA Parliament Library)
West Australian, 7 April 1982.
Who's Who in Australia, (1977) |
| Bibliography |
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 Withers, William Robert, Oral History 2007.pdf |