Biography - Arthur Gietzelt
Hon Arthur Thomas Gietzelt AO
28.12.1920 - 5.1.2014
Arthur Gietzelt was an influential visionary who fought his entire life for the public good and the betterment of Australian society. He advocated for progressive politics at local and national levels and made a significant contribution to the welfare of his local surrounds, and indeed, the country.
He was born in San Francisco, California on 28 December 1920 and spent his childhood in Newtown, Enfield and Sans Souci in Sydney. He attended Hurstville High School and left school at age 15 to find work to help support the family during the Depression.
He enlisted in the Army in 1941 and went to New Guinea with his brother Ray in 1943 and 1944, as part of 9th Field Company, R.A.E. Their job was to build a road over the Owen Stanley Ranges to supply the front line in the north of New Guinea. After his discharge from the Army in 1946, he served three years on the State Executive of the Returned Soldiers League.
He married his wife Dawn on 1 September 1949, and moved into the North Caringbah house he had built with an army mate. First son Lee was born in 1951, daughter Dale in 1954, and second son Adam joined the family in 1971.
In 1955 he joined the influential Combined ALP Unions and Branches Steering Committee which led the campaign against the Santamaria Industrial Groups. By 1960 Arthur had become its Secretary.
He was first elected to the Sutherland Shire Council in 1956 and remained a Councillor until 1971.He served nine terms as Shire President (Mayor) from 1961-63 and 1966-71, where he was instrumental in setting up the Land Projects Committee, whereby Council acquired land, developed it themselves then sold the finished product at auction. The proceeds from these sales paid for much of the public infrastructure in the Sutherland Shire today, at no cost to ratepayers.
Arthur played a lead role in establishing the Sutherland District Trade Union Club. He was a foundation board member and was given the honour of life membership in 1996.
In 1967 he was elected to the executive of the NSW Local Government Association and remained there until 1971.
In the late 1960s he was at the forefront of the fight that stopped the Gorton and Askin governments from building a second airport in the Towra Point wetlands, near Kurnell.
Under Arthur’s leadership, Sutherland Shire Council was the first Australian public authority to ban a racially-selected South African sporting team, when Council prevented a surf lifesaving team from competing in an international carnival at North Cronulla Beach.
Arthur and his family were the victims of an attempted political assassination in 1971, when their house was bombed with 17 sticks of gelignite. A double layer of bricks was the only thing that saved their lives.
He was elected to the Senate in 1970 and resigned from Council in 1971.
He was a member of the National Executive of the ALP from 1971, rising to Junior Vice-President in 1983 and Senior Vice-President in 1986.
In 1975 the Federal Labor Cabinet resolved to issue export permits for sand mining on Fraser Island. Arthur led the backbench revolt opposing this. With the support of Bob Hawke and the ACTU, these permits were revoked and Fraser Island remains a pristine World Heritage area today.
He became Shadow Minister for Agriculture in 1976, and later, Shadow Minister for Consumer and Administrative Affairs.
Arthur was the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs from 1983-87 in the first two Hawke Labor Governments, during which time he instigated the Agent Orange Royal Commission; recognised the role of Indigenous Australians who patrolled the northern coastline of Australia in WW2; was a strong supporter of the Vietnam Veterans’ Association; introduced home care services to veterans; and simplified disparate veterans’ welfare entitlements under the new Veterans’ Entitlement Act 1986. He retired from public duties in 1989.
He was awarded the Order of Australia for services to Local Government and Parliament in 1992, and a Centenary Medal in 2001 for service to the community through the ALP and the trade union movement. He was granted Life Membership of the ALP in 1994.
Arthur is survived by his wife Dawn, his children, Lee, Dale and Adam and their spouses, his grandchildren, Tom, Jarrah and Skye, and his sister, Fay.
28.12.1920 - 5.1.2014
Arthur Gietzelt was an influential visionary who fought his entire life for the public good and the betterment of Australian society. He advocated for progressive politics at local and national levels and made a significant contribution to the welfare of his local surrounds, and indeed, the country.
He was born in San Francisco, California on 28 December 1920 and spent his childhood in Newtown, Enfield and Sans Souci in Sydney. He attended Hurstville High School and left school at age 15 to find work to help support the family during the Depression.
He enlisted in the Army in 1941 and went to New Guinea with his brother Ray in 1943 and 1944, as part of 9th Field Company, R.A.E. Their job was to build a road over the Owen Stanley Ranges to supply the front line in the north of New Guinea. After his discharge from the Army in 1946, he served three years on the State Executive of the Returned Soldiers League.
He married his wife Dawn on 1 September 1949, and moved into the North Caringbah house he had built with an army mate. First son Lee was born in 1951, daughter Dale in 1954, and second son Adam joined the family in 1971.
In 1955 he joined the influential Combined ALP Unions and Branches Steering Committee which led the campaign against the Santamaria Industrial Groups. By 1960 Arthur had become its Secretary.
He was first elected to the Sutherland Shire Council in 1956 and remained a Councillor until 1971.He served nine terms as Shire President (Mayor) from 1961-63 and 1966-71, where he was instrumental in setting up the Land Projects Committee, whereby Council acquired land, developed it themselves then sold the finished product at auction. The proceeds from these sales paid for much of the public infrastructure in the Sutherland Shire today, at no cost to ratepayers.
Arthur played a lead role in establishing the Sutherland District Trade Union Club. He was a foundation board member and was given the honour of life membership in 1996.
In 1967 he was elected to the executive of the NSW Local Government Association and remained there until 1971.
In the late 1960s he was at the forefront of the fight that stopped the Gorton and Askin governments from building a second airport in the Towra Point wetlands, near Kurnell.
Under Arthur’s leadership, Sutherland Shire Council was the first Australian public authority to ban a racially-selected South African sporting team, when Council prevented a surf lifesaving team from competing in an international carnival at North Cronulla Beach.
Arthur and his family were the victims of an attempted political assassination in 1971, when their house was bombed with 17 sticks of gelignite. A double layer of bricks was the only thing that saved their lives.
He was elected to the Senate in 1970 and resigned from Council in 1971.
He was a member of the National Executive of the ALP from 1971, rising to Junior Vice-President in 1983 and Senior Vice-President in 1986.
In 1975 the Federal Labor Cabinet resolved to issue export permits for sand mining on Fraser Island. Arthur led the backbench revolt opposing this. With the support of Bob Hawke and the ACTU, these permits were revoked and Fraser Island remains a pristine World Heritage area today.
He became Shadow Minister for Agriculture in 1976, and later, Shadow Minister for Consumer and Administrative Affairs.
Arthur was the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs from 1983-87 in the first two Hawke Labor Governments, during which time he instigated the Agent Orange Royal Commission; recognised the role of Indigenous Australians who patrolled the northern coastline of Australia in WW2; was a strong supporter of the Vietnam Veterans’ Association; introduced home care services to veterans; and simplified disparate veterans’ welfare entitlements under the new Veterans’ Entitlement Act 1986. He retired from public duties in 1989.
He was awarded the Order of Australia for services to Local Government and Parliament in 1992, and a Centenary Medal in 2001 for service to the community through the ALP and the trade union movement. He was granted Life Membership of the ALP in 1994.
Arthur is survived by his wife Dawn, his children, Lee, Dale and Adam and their spouses, his grandchildren, Tom, Jarrah and Skye, and his sister, Fay.