Don Dunstan

An inspiring social reformer

Don Dunstan was one of Australia’s most charismatic, courageous, and visionary politicians.

Arguably Australia’s greatest social reformer, he worked for social justice, was a true friend to the Aboriginal people and those newly arrived in Australia, and held a lifelong passion for the arts and education.

Most of Don’s reforms have withstood the test of time and many have been strengthened with time. Many of his reforms in sex discrimination, Aboriginal land rights, and consumer protection were the first of their kind in Australia.

Don was a leading campaigner for immigration reform and was instrumental in the elimination of the White Australia Policy. His influence spanned social welfare and child protection, consumer protection, Aboriginal land rights, urban planning, heritage protection, anti-discrimination laws, abolition of capital punishment, environment protection, and censorship.

You can read some of Don’s past speeches in our resource library.

In 2011, the Don Dunstan Foundation, in association with Flinders University, undertook the Dunstan Oral History Project to share the stories of Don Dunstan. This ABC 7:30 Report shows some of these stories.

Biography

The Hon Donald Allan Dunstan AC QC

Donald Allan Dunstan was born in Suva, Fiji on 21 September 1926. After early schooling in Fiji, he spent three years in Murray Bridge for health reasons. He lived with his maternal grandmother, Florence Hill, and his aunts, Beth and Bride, and attended Murray Bridge Infant and Primary Schools.

He returned to Fiji early in 1937 where he continued his schooling at Suva Boys’ Grammar School. In 1940, Don commenced three years at St Peter’s College in Adelaide, living for the first two years with his uncle and aunt, Howard and Ada Dunstan. In his final year at St Peter’s, Don boarded together with his sister, Beth, who had been evacuated from Fiji.

He then undertook tertiary studies at the University of Adelaide, graduating with a law degree in 1948. For some years he practiced law in Fiji and later in Adelaide. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel (QC) in 1965.

Don Dunstan became involved in Australian Labour Party politics, and in 1953 successfully stood for the House of Assembly seat of Norwood. In Frank Walsh’s government, Dunstan held the position of Attorney-General and Minister of Community Welfare and Aboriginal Affairs. When Frank Walsh retired as Premier of South Australia in May 1967, Dunstan was elected leader of the Australian Labor Party (South Australian Branch) and became Premier. The Labor Party was defeated in the 1968 election but in 1970 Dunstan was re-elected as Premier, and thus began the so-called “Dunstan Decade” of political reform.

During Dunstan’s premiership, South Australia was socially transformed. Among Dunstan’s many reforms were those concerned with Aboriginal land rights, equal opportunities, consumer protection, town planning and the environment, and the restructuring of electoral law. He also encouraged a flourishing of the arts, with support for the Adelaide Festival Centre, the State Theatre Company, and the establishment of the South Australian Film Corporation.

Dunstan resigned from politics in early 1979 due to ill health. He was awarded The Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in June 1979.

After leaving politics, Dunstan published his political memoirs “Felicia” in 1981. He became the first director of Tourism Victoria in 1982, and then chairman of the Victorian Tourism Commission until 1986. He was national president of the Freedom from Hunger Campaign from 1982-1987, president of the Movement for Democracy in Fiji from 1987, and national Chairman of Community Aid Abroad from 1992-93. He also had a keen interest in food: he released his own cookbook in 1976 and established the Don’s Table restaurant with Steven Cheng in 1994 on The Parade, Norwood. Dunstan was also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Adelaide from 1997-1999.

Dunstan was married twice: to Gretel in 1949, with whom he had a daughter and two sons; and to Adele Koh in 1976.

Dunstan passed away in Adelaide on 6 February 1999.

Timeline

• Born in Suva, Fiji, 21 September 1926
• Educated at St Peter’s College, Adelaide, Australia
• Graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Adelaide, 1948 (degree conferred in 1949)
• Practiced law in Suva and Adelaide
• Elected as a Member for Norwood, 1953 – 1979
• Member of the House of Assembly, March 1953 – February 1979
• Co-founded Meals on Wheels, 1953
• Attorney General, Minister of Social Welfare and Aboriginal Affairs, 1965
• Queens Counsel, November 1965
• Premier of South Australia, June 1967 – April 1968
• Leader of the Opposition, April 1968 – June 1970
• Premier of South Australia, June 1970 – February 1979
• Don Dunstan’s Cookbook released, 1976
• Companion of the Order of Australia, June 1979
• Chairman, Victorian Tourist Commission, 1982 – 1987
• National President, Freedom From Hunger Campaign, 1982 – 1987
• Chairman, Nelson Mandela Foundation, 1987 – 1993
• President, Movement for Democracy in Fiji, 1987
• Chairman, Jam Factory Craft and Design Centre, 1990 – 1994
• National Chairman, Community Aid Abroad, 1992 – 1993
• Adjunct Professor, Department of Social Enquiry, The University of Adelaide, 1997
• Restaurateur – ‘Don’s Table’
• Passed away in Adelaide, Australia, 6 February 1999

Political Career

• Member of the House of Assembly, 7 March 1953 – 15 February 1979
• Elected Member for Norwood, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1962, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1977
• Attorney-General, March 1965 – April 1968
• Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, March 1965 – June 1967
• Minister of Social Welfare, March 1965 – June 1967
• Premier of South Australia, June 1967 – April 1968
• Treasurer, June 1967 – April 1968
• Attorney-General, June 1967 – April 1968
• Minister of Housing, June 1967 – March 1968
• Leader of the Opposition, April 1968 – June 1970
• Premier of South Australia, June 1970 – February 1979
• Treasurer, June 1970 – February 1979
• Minister of Mines, June 1970 – October 1970
• Minister of Development, June 1970 – October 1970
• Minister of Development and Mines, October 1970 – September 1973
• Attorney-General, October 1975 – September 1975
• Minister of Prices and Consumer Affairs, June 1975 – July 1975
• Minister of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, June 1977 – February 1979