TRIBUTE TO MR RONALD ALFRED ST CLAIR BREWER, A FORMER MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
Page: 3108
Ms HODGKINSON (Burrinjuck) [5.55 p.m.]: I wish to pay tribute and homage to the former Country Party member and former member for Goulburn, Ronald Alfred St Clair Brewer, a marvellous man and treasure to our local area. Ron was born on 8 April 1921 and passed away on 16 June 2003. He was in hospital for several weeks before he passed away, and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit him on several occasions. It was a sad time for his family and his many friends. Ron Brewer passed away at the age of 82. He served the residents of the Goulburn district for 19 years after first being elected to the New South Wales State Parliament in 1965. As I looked through the Hansard records I discovered that many of the issues Ron raised about the local area in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s as a member of Parliament are issues that I raise in this place today: roads, noxious weeds and other agricultural issues, health, hospitals and the school system. In 1974 Ron Brewer resigned his State Parliament position to contest the Federal seat of Eden-Monaro but was defeated by only 136 votes. He was re-elected to the State Parliament at a by-election shortly afterwards, and continued as the Goulburn representative until 1984.
Ron Brewer was born in Gunning in 1921. He attended public schools in Gunning and Goulburn, and later attended Naremburn Junior Technical High School. He had a varied military career, serving with the 7th Light Horse Regiment, the Royal Australian Air Force and the Second Australian Imperial Forces [AIF] 11th Small Ships Company. It was in the AIF that Ron Brewer was promoted to Warrant Officer Class 1 before being discharged in 1946. Ron was one of those gentlemen who had an honourable military career. That simply added to the strength of his character in this place, as is reflected in his parliamentary speeches.
In his time as a member of the Parliament Ron Brewer served as the Country Party's railways spokesman. He was also shadow Minister for Local Government and Roads. He also spent many years as the captain of the Marulan Bush Fire Brigade, and he was secretary and president of the local Parents and Citizens Association. Ron was happily married to Dorothy for about 50 years, and they had six children. I am a good friend of all his children—Rosemary, James, George, Emily, Julie and Peter—and their respective spouses and children. Ron was a wonderful grandfather and was fortunate to have many wonderful grandchildren. In fact, in a sense we were almost related. Ron Brewer was the father-in-law of my sister-in-law, Ella Brewer; he was my husband's sister's father-in-law.
Ron Brewer was the quintessential Country Party gentleman. With his expertise in the wool industry, Ron Brewer had the distinction of having one of the best farms in the Marulan and Goulburn district. He consistently broke records for extra superfine wool prices, and stud breeders around the nation paid high prices for his Merino sheep. Ron always took a keen interest in hand spinning, and he won many awards for this craft. He instructed many people in the craft of spinning wool, and I am grateful to have been one of those. I attended one of his classes way back in the early 1990s, and he was just marvellous at that craft.
As I said, Ron served his nation well in the Armed Forces and, similarly, he served New South Wales well as the member for Goulburn. Ron was a great mentor to me in the pursuit of my goal, since 1996, of representing the people of the Goulburn district, and he was always a great source of advice since I achieved that goal in 1999. Ron Brewer's advice to me, even in the last weeks of his life, was, "Katrina, be a good local member first. Look after the local community, and you'll be a good member of Parliament." That advice stays with me as I undertake my responsibilities in the community.
Ron Brewer also served with honour in local government, being the mayor of Mulwaree shire until he was elected to the New South Wales Parliament. Many in the wool industry mourn the loss of Ron Brewer. But Ron's legacy is the industry knowledge that he has instilled in others. Ron recently wrote a book entitled Memoirs. I encourage honourable members to get hold of a copy when the book is eventually published and read about the life of this remarkable gentleman and his wonderful contribution to our community.