Don Dunstan

Don Dunstan
Dunstan in 1968
35th Premier of South Australia
In office
2 June 1970 – 15 February 1979
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor
DeputyDes Corcoran
Preceded bySteele Hall
Succeeded byDes Corcoran
In office
1 June 1967 – 17 April 1968
MonarchElizabeth II
GovernorSir Edric Bastyan
DeputyDes Corcoran
Preceded byFrank Walsh
Succeeded bySteele Hall
Leader of the Opposition in South Australia
In office
17 April 1968 – 2 June 1970
DeputyDes Corcoran
Preceded bySteele Hall
Succeeded bySteele Hall
Leader of the South Australian Labor Party
In office
1 June 1967 – 15 February 1979
DeputyDes Corcoran
Preceded byFrank Walsh
Succeeded byDes Corcoran
Treasurer of South Australia
In office
2 June 1970 – 15 February 1975
PremierHimself
Preceded bySteele Hall
Succeeded byDes Corcoran
In office
1 June 1967 – 16 April 1968
PremierHimself
Preceded byFrank Walsh
Succeeded bySteele Hall
38th Attorney-General of South Australia
In office
20 June 1975 – 9 October 1975
PremierHimself
Preceded byLen King
Succeeded byPeter Duncan
In office
10 March 1965 – 16 April 1968
PremierFrank Walsh
Himself
Preceded byColin Rowe
Succeeded byRobin Millhouse
Member of the South Australian Parliament
for Norwood
In office
7 March 1953 – 10 March 1979
Preceded byRoy Moir
Succeeded byGreg Crafter
Personal details
Born(1926-09-21)21 September 1926
Suva, Colony of Fiji
Died6 February 1999(1999-02-06) (aged 72)
Norwood, South Australia
NationalityAustralian
Political partyLabor
Spouses
Gretel Elsasser
(m. 1949; div. 1974)
Adele Koh
(m. 1976; died 1978)
Domestic partner(s)Steven Cheng
(1986–1999)
Children3

Donald Allan Dunstan AC QC (21 September 1926 – 6 February 1999) was an Australian politician who served as the 35th premier of South Australia from 1967 to 1968, and again from 1970 to 1979. He was a member of the House of Assembly (MHA) for the division of Norwood from 1953 to 1979, and leader of the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party from 1967 to 1979. Before becoming premier, Dunstan served as the 38th attorney-general of South Australia and the treasurer of South Australia. He is the fourth longest serving premier in South Australian history.

In the late 1950s, Dunstan became well known for his campaign against the death penalty being imposed on Max Stuart, who was convicted of rape and murder of a small girl, opposing then-Premier Thomas Playford over the matter. During Labor's time in opposition, Dunstan was prominent in securing some reforms in Aboriginal rights and in Labor abandoning the White Australia policy. Dunstan became Attorney-General after the 1965 election, and replaced the older Frank Walsh as premier in 1967. Despite maintaining a much larger vote over the Liberal and Country League (LCL), Labor lost two seats at the 1968 election, with the LCL forming government with support of an independent. Dunstan responded by increasing his attacks on the Playmander, convincing the LCL into watering down the malapportionment. With little change in Labor's vote but with the Playmander removed, Labor won 27 of 47 seats at the 1970 election, and again in 1973, 1975, and 1977.

Dunstan's socially progressive administration saw Aboriginal land rights recognised, homosexuality decriminalised, the first female judge (Dame Roma Mitchell) appointed, the first non-British governor, Sir Mark Oliphant, and later the first Indigenous governor, Sir Douglas Nicholls. He enacted consumer protection laws, reformed and expanded the public education and health systems, abolished the death penalty, relaxed censorship and drinking laws, created a ministry for the environment, enacted anti-discrimination law, and implemented electoral reforms such as the overhaul of the Legislative Council, the upper house of Parliament, lowered the voting age to 18, enacted universal suffrage, and completely abolished malapportionment. He also established Rundle Mall, enacted measures to protect buildings of historical heritage, and encouraging arts, with support for the Adelaide Festival Centre, the State Theatre Company, and the establishment of the South Australian Film Corporation.

At the same time, there were also problems; the economy began to stagnate, and the large increases to burgeoning public service generated claims of waste. One of Dunstan's pet projects, a plan to build a new city at Monarto to alleviate urban pressures in Adelaide, was abandoned when economic and population growth stalled, with much money and planning already invested. After four consecutive election wins, Dunstan's administration began to falter in 1978 following his dismissal of Police Commissioner Harold Salisbury, as controversy broke out over whether he had improperly interfered with a judicial investigation. In addition, policy problems and unemployment began to mount, as well as unsubstantiated rumours of corruption and personal impropriety. The strain on Dunstan was increased by the death of his wife. His resignation from the premiership and politics in 1979 was abrupt after collapsing due to ill health, but he lived for another 20 years, remaining a vocal and outspoken campaigner for progressive social policy.