Stanley Stephens (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Stanley Tunstall "Stepper" Stephens (13 February 1913 - 23 March 1986) was an Australia
n politician. He was a Country Party
member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1944 to 1973, representing the electorate of Byron
. He served as Minister for Housing and Minister for Co-operative Societies in the Askin
Coalition
government.
Stephens was born in Blayney
, and was educated at Fort Street High School
and Murwillumbah High School
. He became a journalist, and served as editor of the Mullumbimby Star from 1932 to 1939. He enlisted in the army at the beginning of World War II
, and saw action at Tobruk
, before being severely wounded in the Battle of El Alamein
. Initially left for dead, he managed to survive, but lost the sight in one eye and suffered impaired vision in the other. He returned to Australia, underwent rehabilition, and returned to working as a journalist.
Stephens nominated as a Country Party candidate for the seat of Byron
at the 1944 state election
, and was easily elected. He was re-elected nine times, running unopposed in 1950, 1953 and 1959. He served as Country Party whip
from 1953 until the election of the Askin government, when he was appointed to the ministry as Minister for Housing and Minister for Co-operative Societies. While the relevant minister, he was responsible for the passage of the Credit Union Act 1969, pioneering legislation overseeing the introduction of credit union
s.
Stephens resigned in the middle of his tenth term in 1973, and the subsequent by-election was won by Country Party candidate Jack Boyd
. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
(OBE) in 1976, and died in the Sydney
suburb of Lindfield
in 1986.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He was a Country Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1944 to 1973, representing the electorate of Byron
Electoral district of Byron
Byron was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales created in 1913, replacing Rous, and named after Cape Byron. With the introduction of proportional representation in 1920, Byron absorbed Lismore and Clarence and elected three members...
. He served as Minister for Housing and Minister for Co-operative Societies in the Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
Coalition
Coalition (Australia)
The Coalition in Australian politics refers to a group of centre-right parties that has existed in the form of a coalition agreement since 1922...
government.
Stephens was born in Blayney
Blayney, New South Wales
Blayney is a farming town and administrative centre with a population of 2,745 in 2006, in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia...
, and was educated at Fort Street High School
Fort Street High School
Fort Street High School is a co-educational, academically selective, public high school currently located at Petersham, an inner western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and Murwillumbah High School
Murwillumbah High School
Murwillumbah High School, is a State run comprehensive secondary, co-educational, high school located at 86 Riverview Street in Murwillumbah, New South Wales, Australia. The school was established as a comprehensive high school in 1929 being upgraded in status from an intermediate high school. It...
. He became a journalist, and served as editor of the Mullumbimby Star from 1932 to 1939. He enlisted in the army at the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and saw action at Tobruk
Siege of Tobruk
The siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 240 days between Axis and Allied forces in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War...
, before being severely wounded in the Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
. Initially left for dead, he managed to survive, but lost the sight in one eye and suffered impaired vision in the other. He returned to Australia, underwent rehabilition, and returned to working as a journalist.
Stephens nominated as a Country Party candidate for the seat of Byron
Electoral district of Byron
Byron was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales created in 1913, replacing Rous, and named after Cape Byron. With the introduction of proportional representation in 1920, Byron absorbed Lismore and Clarence and elected three members...
at the 1944 state election
New South Wales state election, 1944
The 1944 New South Wales state election was held on 27 May 1944. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1940 redistribution...
, and was easily elected. He was re-elected nine times, running unopposed in 1950, 1953 and 1959. He served as Country Party whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
from 1953 until the election of the Askin government, when he was appointed to the ministry as Minister for Housing and Minister for Co-operative Societies. While the relevant minister, he was responsible for the passage of the Credit Union Act 1969, pioneering legislation overseeing the introduction of credit union
Credit union
A credit union is a cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members and operated for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit at competitive rates, and providing other financial services to its members...
s.
Stephens resigned in the middle of his tenth term in 1973, and the subsequent by-election was won by Country Party candidate Jack Boyd
Jack Boyd
John Charles Boyd was an Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1973 until 1984. He was a member of the Country Party and its successors....
. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(OBE) in 1976, and died in the Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
suburb of Lindfield
Lindfield, New South Wales
Lindfield is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lindfield is 13 kilometres north-west of the Sydney Central Business District in the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council.- Location and history :...
in 1986.