Frank Stewart

Frank Stewart (20 February 1923 – 16 April 1979) was an Australian politician and rugby league footballer.

Stewart was born in the Sydney suburb of Belmore and educated at St Joseph's school, Belmore and St Mary's Cathedral College, Sydney. He served in the Second Australian Imperial Force in New Guinea with the 39th Transport Platoon in 1944 and 1945 and was eventually promoted to sergeant. He played first-grade rugby league for the Canterbury Bulldogs from 1948 to 1950. He married Maureen Neagle Smith in August 1952.cite web
first=David
last=Clune
title =Stewart, Francis Eugene (1923 - 1979)
publisher =Australian National University
work=Australian Dictionary of Biography
url =http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A160374b.htm
accessdate = 2007-06-05 ]

Political career

Stewart joined the Australian Labor Party in 1942 and was elected as the federal member for Lang in 1953 and belonged to the right-wing Catholic faction of the party and was widely considered a "grouper". When the Whitlam government was elected in 1972, he became Minister in charge of Tourist Activities. Stewart was a strong opponent of abortion and the no-fault divorce reform passed in 1975. As Vice-President of the Executive Council, in 1975, he presided over the meeting that revoked Rex Connor's authority to raise overseas funds. The Sydney Morning Herald later published allegations that he was so concerned about Connor dealings with Khemlani that he leaked information to the opposition on the Loans Affair.

After the fall of the Whitlam government, which was precipitated by the Loans Affair, Stewart moved to the backbench. When Lang was abolished prior to the 1977 election, he transferred to Grayndler.

He died in Long Jetty of myocardial infarction while playing squash and was survived by his wife, five daughters and one son.

Notes

Persondata
NAME=Stewart, Frank
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Australian politician and rugby league player
DATE OF BIRTH=20 February 1923
PLACE OF BIRTH=Belmore, New South Wales,
DATE OF DEATH=16 April 1979
PLACE OF DEATH=Long Jetty, New South Wales