38:
489:
in June 1974 he declared: "the first duty of
Government is to recognise and comprehend the world as it actually is, not as we might conceive or wish it to be. That is a cardinal principle of the way this Government has approached foreign policy. Australia, if it is to serve national interests in an
484:
Whitlam relinquished the position of
Minister for Foreign Affairs to him on 30 November 1973 and in this period he had the major responsibility of implementing the Whitlam government's, ambitious new foreign policy directions, which included improving relations with Asia. For Willesee, this meant
528:
There is no doubt that Gough felt East Timor should be incorporated within
Indonesia. I just believed we should have left the decision to the East Timorese, without any suggestions or trying to lead them to Indonesia. That was the difference between myself and
481:(which followed the "two-man Ministry" from 5 to 19 December 1972). As Special Minister of State he endorsed the establishment of a computerised library information system to connect national, state and university libraries, which has continued to evolve.
589:
In my acquaintance with him—and I know I speak for those of my party and the
National Party who dealt with him when he was a member of parliament—he was a friendly, decent, courteous and forthright man, whom we respected across the political
610:
Don was a great human being, a man of immense integrity. He was much loved by his staff, a passionate Labor man who never forgot the effects of the Great
Depression. He never walked past a homeless kid without digging deep into his
457:
when he was 21 and was elected as a senator for
Western Australia in 1950 at the age of 33, taking office as the Senate's youngest member. He worked with Whitlam to reform the Labor Party prior to the
1117:
466:
he was a "... key assistant to Gough
Whitlam as he set about the task of restructuring the Labor Party ... and made an intelligent, brilliant rabble fit for government."
1132:
824:
784:
744:
701:
929:
406:
165:
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1112:
1142:
486:
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1069:
874:
1137:
502:
498:
438:
402:
1007:
980:
474:
103:
49:
820:
546:
During the 1970s
Willesee worked for the United States of America in what a historian has called "a discreet relationship".
510:
664:
838:
798:
758:
715:
490:
effective manner, can no longer afford to impose on international events interpretations at variance with the facts."
574:, Geraldine, Don junior and Peter. Through Terry, he was the biological paternal grandfather of author and cyclist
540:
459:
493:
This approach translated into action in various ways, on 26 February 1973, Willesee led the push to recognise the
494:
888:
582:
430:
234:
477:, Minister assisting the Prime Minister and Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs in the
381:(14 April 1916 – 9 September 2003) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the
953:
893:
470:
398:
107:
442:
441:. He eventually became state secretary of this organisation. He later worked as a telegraphist in
418:
274:
834:
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754:
711:
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478:
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in the same state. He left school at 14 (his father and brother had lost their jobs during the
1040:
454:
382:
304:
1107:
1102:
575:
342:
37:
8:
638:
485:
Australia taking a more pragmatic approach to international affairs; in a speech to the
394:
1044:
873:
Coventry, C. J., "The
Eloquence of Robert J Hawke: United States informer, 1973-79,"
429:, was a state parliamentarian. Willesee was educated at state and convent schools at
390:
386:
294:
211:
207:
421:, to Ethel May (née Flinders) and William Robert Willesee, who were originally from
434:
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1017:
571:
358:
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25:
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939:
567:
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506:
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in March 1975 following recognition of the GDR in 1973, as well as a new
463:
973:
521:
142:
437:), to work as a postal clerk in Carnarvon, and immediately joined the
559:
517:
290:
829:
789:
749:
706:
566:, survived by his wife Gwen, and their six children, Colleen,
1118:
Australian Labor Party members of the
Parliament of Australia
863:(Press release). Department of Foreign Affairs. 15 June 1974.
636:
578:. He was the last surviving member of the 1950-1955 Senate.
469:
Following the 1972 election, Willesee was appointed as
1133:
Members of the Australian Senate for Western Australia
665:"Australia's forgotten foreign minister: Don Willesee"
393:
from 1950 to 1975. He held ministerial office in the
861:"Foreign Minister outlines agenda for the Seventies"
643:
The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate
439:
Australian Union of Postal Clerks and Telegraphists
1094:
487:Australian Institute of International Affairs
224:22 February 1950 – 11 November 1975
120:19 December 1972 – 30 November 1973
825:"Condolences: Willesee, Hon. Donald Robert"
785:"Condolences: Willesee, Hon. Donald Robert"
745:"Condolences: Willesee, Hon. Donald Robert"
702:"Condolences: Willesee, Hon. Donald Robert"
62:6 November 1973 – 11 November 1975
875:Australian Journal of Politics and History
36:
445:. In 1940 he married Gwendoline Clarke.
178:17 August 1966 – 8 February 1967
1123:Australian ministers for Foreign Affairs
886:
819:
539:He did not stand for re-election at the
497:, and directed the establishment of the
981:Vice-President of the Executive Council
779:
671:. Australian Strategic Policy Institute
662:
475:Vice-President of the Executive Council
104:Vice-President of the Executive Council
1095:
930:Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
407:Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
166:Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
1113:1975 Australian constitutional crisis
739:
639:"WILLESEE, Donald Robert (1916–2003)"
524:and is quoted as having said in 1975:
1143:People from Derby, Western Australia
887:Stephens, Tony (10 September 2003).
735:
733:
696:
692:
690:
688:
686:
1148:20th-century Australian politicians
1128:Members of the Cabinet of Australia
630:
448:
13:
880:
14:
1159:
813:
773:
730:
683:
16:Australian politician (1916–2003)
1138:Members of the Australian Senate
1076:Earliest serving living Senator
889:"Labor star Willesee dies at 87"
541:1975 double dissolution election
513:, North Korea on 30 April 1975.
663:Edwards, Peter (29 July 2016).
405:(1973–1975). He also served as
323:
867:
853:
656:
495:Democratic Republic of Vietnam
1:
412:
1008:Minister for Foreign Affairs
403:Minister for Foreign Affairs
50:Minister for Foreign Affairs
7:
499:Australian Embassy in Hanoi
10:
1164:
1081:
1074:
1066:
1061:
1051:
1037:
1029:
1024:
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1005:
997:
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978:
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954:Special Minister of State
951:
946:
936:
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894:The Sydney Morning Herald
471:Special Minister of State
399:Special Minister of State
372:
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136:
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108:Special Minister of State
102:
90:
78:
66:
55:
48:
44:
35:
23:
1025:Party political offices
623:
604:leader of the opposition
549:
516:Willesee was opposed to
505:was also established in
419:Derby, Western Australia
275:Derby, Western Australia
835:Parliament of Australia
795:Parliament of Australia
755:Parliament of Australia
712:Parliament of Australia
479:second Whitlam Ministry
1041:Australian Labor Party
621:
600:
537:
503:Embassy in East Berlin
455:Australian Labor Party
385:(ALP) and served as a
383:Australian Labor Party
379:Donald Robert Willesee
823:(10 September 2003).
783:(10 September 2003).
743:(10 September 2003).
700:(10 September 2003).
608:
587:
526:
425:. His older brother,
417:Willesee was born in
562:, two weeks after a
511:Embassy in Pyongyang
501:in July 1973. A new
453:Willesee joined the
409:from 1966 to 1967.
915:Political offices
877:, 67:1 (2021), 69.
581:At his death, the
556:Joondalup Hospital
395:Whitlam government
1091:
1090:
1082:Succeeded by
1052:Succeeded by
1015:Succeeded by
988:Succeeded by
961:Succeeded by
937:Succeeded by
602:According to the
554:Willesee died in
391:Western Australia
376:
375:
316:Gwendoline Clarke
295:Western Australia
212:Western Australia
1155:
1070:Sir Keith Wilson
1067:Preceded by
1062:Honorary titles
1030:Preceded by
998:Preceded by
971:Preceded by
920:Preceded by
912:
911:
906:
905:
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846:
837:. Archived from
817:
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797:. Archived from
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771:
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766:
757:. Archived from
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728:
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723:
714:. Archived from
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681:
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660:
654:
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637:Oliver, Bobbie.
634:
619:
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449:Political career
435:Great Depression
401:(1972–1973) and
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284:9 September 2003
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257:Personal details
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1085:Nancy Buttfield
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520:'s invasion of
462:. According to
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423:South Australia
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345:(granddaughter)
341:
329:
326: 1940)
321:
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301:Political party
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235:Robert Clothier
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1039:Leader of the
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1018:Andrew Peacock
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841:on 24 May 2011
821:Anderson, John
812:
801:on 24 May 2011
772:
761:on 24 May 2011
729:
718:on 24 May 2011
682:
669:The Strategist
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583:Prime Minister
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97:Andrew Peacock
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68:Prime Minister
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26:The Honourable
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1055:Lionel Murphy
1047:
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1019:
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1001:Gough Whitlam
996:
992:
991:Frank Stewart
983:
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940:Lionel Murphy
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606:at the time,
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476:
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467:
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460:1972 election
456:
446:
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432:
428:
427:Bill Willesee
424:
420:
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371:
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363:
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338:Bill Willesee
336:
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272:14 April 1916
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201:Lionel Murphy
199:
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175:
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155:Frank Stewart
153:
147:
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135:
132:
131:Gough Whitlam
129:
123:
117:
112:
109:
105:
101:
98:
95:
89:
86:
85:Gough Whitlam
83:
77:
74:
73:Gough Whitlam
71:
65:
59:
54:
51:
47:
43:
39:
34:
27:
22:
19:
1075:
1038:
1033:Nick McKenna
1006:
979:
964:Lionel Bowen
952:
947:
928:
923:Nick McKenna
900:22 September
898:. Retrieved
892:
882:
869:
855:
845:22 September
843:. Retrieved
839:the original
828:
815:
805:22 September
803:. Retrieved
799:the original
788:
781:Beazley, Kim
775:
765:22 September
763:. Retrieved
759:the original
748:
741:Crean, Simon
722:22 September
720:. Retrieved
716:the original
705:
698:John, Howard
673:. Retrieved
668:
658:
646:. Retrieved
642:
632:
609:
601:
588:
580:
564:heart attack
553:
545:
538:
534:Don Willesee
527:
515:
507:East Germany
492:
483:
468:
452:
416:
378:
377:
368:Postal clerk
286:(2003-09-09)
247:Ruth Coleman
242:Succeeded by
219:
196:Succeeded by
189:Nick McKenna
173:
159:Lionel Bowen
150:Succeeded by
115:
92:Succeeded by
57:
30:Don Willesee
18:
1108:2003 deaths
1103:1916 births
617:Simon Crean
596:John Howard
464:Kim Beazley
230:Preceded by
184:Preceded by
138:Preceded by
80:Preceded by
1097:Categories
1079:1987–2003
1049:1966–1967
1012:1973–1975
985:1972–1973
974:Alan Hulme
958:1972–1973
934:1966–1967
576:Janet Shaw
522:East Timor
413:Early life
365:Occupation
343:Janet Shaw
268:1916-04-14
143:Alan Hulme
948:New title
560:Joondalup
518:Indonesia
431:Carnarvon
340:(brother)
334:Relations
291:Joondalup
220:In office
174:In office
116:In office
58:In office
614:—
611:pockets.
593:—
532:—
353:6 incl.
350:Children
1043:in the
830:Hansard
790:Hansard
750:Hansard
707:Hansard
675:8 March
648:8 March
590:divide.
387:Senator
328:
320:
208:Senator
1045:Senate
585:said:
529:Gough.
311:Spouse
624:Notes
572:Terry
550:Death
443:Perth
359:Terry
322:(
318:
305:Labor
902:2007
847:2007
807:2007
767:2007
724:2007
677:2018
650:2018
568:Mike
389:for
357:and
355:Mike
281:Died
262:Born
210:for
397:as
1099::
891:.
833:.
827:.
793:.
787:.
753:.
747:.
732:^
710:.
704:.
685:^
667:.
641:.
570:,
558:,
543:.
473:,
324:m.
293:,
904:.
849:.
809:.
769:.
726:.
679:.
652:.
270:)
266:(
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