STATE LIBRARY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA 15 AUG 2005 J S BATTYE LIBRARY OF WEST AUSTRALIAN HISTORY Oral History Collection ~ W.A. & THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENTARY ORAL HISTORY PROJECT Transcript of an interview with WILLIAM ROBERT WITHERS b. 1931 Access Research: Open Publication: Written permission of author required Reference number OH3430 Date of Interview 28 October 2004 Interviewer Ron Chapman Duration 4 x 60 minute cassette tapes Copyright Parliament of Western Australia & Library Board of Western Australia T he Library Board of w A 1111111 ~311 ~1111111111~111~'~ 1102235830~1"111111~1111~1111~111 1rn1~ 111111 Introduction This is an interview with William Robert Withers for the Parliamentary Oral History Collection and the J.S. Battye Library of West Australian History. Bill Withers was born in Sydney on 8 August 1931 , and educated at Kogarah Primary School and Sydney Technical High School. In 1948 he joined the Royal Australian Air Force as an engineering apprentice. He subsequently obtained qualifications in air navigation, and during the early 1950s served in the Pacific and Malaya. In 1957 he accepted an appointment as a commissioned officer with the Aircraft Research and Development Unit for CSIRO, and in November that year navigated the first light aircraft delivery crossing of the Pacific. Although he enjoyed his work with the CSIRO, Bill became eager for new challenges, and in late 1963 he and his wife Judith decided to move to Kununurra, Western Australia, after entering into a business partnership prompted by the expanding Ord River Irrigation Scheme. Between 1964 and 1971 Bill established several businesses in Kununurra, including a general store, service station, jewellers, and a newsagency. During this period he also became increasingly involved in community affairs, and from 1965 to 1971 served as Deputy Shire President for the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley. Bill was elected President of the newly established Kununurra Chamber of Commerce, became a Consultative Councillor for the Kimberley, and the inaugural Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Committee for Tourism. In 1969 he was appointed to the Reserves Advisory Council as representative for the north of Western Australia. In September 1970 Bill decided to accept 1endorsement as the Liberal Party candidate for North Province after joining the Party only four days earlier. In May 1971 he became MLC for the seat on the resignation of Frank Wise. His maiden speech emphasised the specific problems and challenges faced by people living in remote areas of the State. Bill Withers' parliamentary career provides an insight into the logistical difficulties and frustrations faced by a conscientious politician who is striving to provide an adequate level of represe-ntation for an electorate that is physically distanced from the seat of government. The 1981 Electoral Act Amendment Bill , which increased the size of the Kimberley electorate, convinced Bill that he could no longer repre:sent his electorate effectively, and this prompted his resignation from Parliament. During the interview, Bill provides observations on the political motivations surrounding the boundary change, and his relations with key figures. The interview was recorded by Ron Chapman on 28 October 2004 on 4 x 60 minute cassette tapes. NOTE TO READER Readers of this oral history memoir should bear in mind that it is a verbatim transcript of the spoken word and reflects the informal, conversational style that is inherent in such historical sources. The Parliament of Western Australia and the Battye Library are not res[ponsible for the factual accuracy of the memoir, nor for the views therein; these are for the reader to judge. Bold type face indicates a difference between transcript and tape as a result of corrections made to the transcript only, usually at the request of the person interviewed. [ ) are used for insertions, not in the original tape. FULL CAPITALS in the text indicate a word or words emphasised by the person interviewed. Table of Contents Withers Page No Tape One Side A Early years in Sydney, Education , Air Force 1953 Western 1 Australia Joining the Air Force at 13. Skills and Training. Artistic skills, 2 Monetary training, CSIRO CSIRO- Radio Physics 1957-1964 3 Appointment as Research officer - RG Casey - Cloud Seed inq 4 Highlights of career in CSIRO - 5 Research into clouds, thunder liqhtninq and impact on aircraft Navigation of first flight of light aircraft across the Pacific. 6 Development of billiard ball theorv. Rio Tinto 1957 Leaving CSIRO - invention of Distance Measurinq Equipment 7 Move to Kununurra 1964 8 Tape One Side B First impressions of Kununurra - People - Business ventures 10 Difficulties and frustrations of business ventures 11 Interdepartmental Committee for Kununurra Conflicting building requirements of ICK and Wyndham -East 12 Kimberley. Unfaiir costs- qovernment charoes Involvement in community activities- Chamber of Commerce Local 13 Government Difficulties with promotion of Tourism in Distirict - Alan Ridge 14 Wyndham East Kimberley Shire Council Bill Grandison - Shire President. Aboriginal Housing - Formation 15 of Kimberley buildinq society. Kununurra - Community Spirit. Mick Kimpton, Oliver Bros.Revell 16 Brothers Lameraux -1966-68 Tape Two Side A Entry into Politics - Motivation- Frank W ise, Ian Oliver Jack 18 Rhatigan retiring from Labour Party. Sir Charles Court and Alan Ridge Alan RidQe and aQreement to Join Liberal Partv for North Province 19 Communication in the electorate 21 Move to Perth - absence of parliamentarv clerical support - 22 Maiden Speech 1971 - main issues- Education, electricity costs, 23 inequalities for Aboriqines etc Tape Two Side B Difficulties in remote electorate- costs of airfares - personal costs 25 time and money Perth Technical School - enrol for Art. Familv support 27 Scholarship to study remote area development overseas 1975 28 Pakistan sugar mills - hardboard . Pakistan - cotton research USSR - cotton developments and remote area allowances China - Visit and suggestions on Tourism Brochure 30 1977 Move to Perth - practical demonstrations 32 Packsaddle Plains - Tropical Farm -Ord River 33 Tape Three Side A Objectives for Tropical Farm Ord River. Mangoes. Build houses 34 cheaper than qovernment. Orqanic survival unit. 1 Table of Contents Withers Page No Sale of Farm in 2002. Air schedule factors. Resignation from 35 Parliamentary branch of Liberal Party Changes to Electoral boundaries. Platform 7 of Labour Party. 36 Liberal Party expulsion. Sir Charles Court Bill Hassell and boundary chanqes. 37 Resiqnation 1982 Reflections on career - highlights. Airfare funding electricity 40 charges. Unrealistic insurance charges. Garden island. Aboriginal Police Aid scheme. Housing desiQn for tropics etc Tape Three Side B Career frustrations: condemnation of:- Aboriginal issues - 42 apartheid separate leQislation. Crown land Qrants. Pavroll Tax Parliamentary Colleagues. Peter Jones - Bill Hassell - Ray 43 O'Connor. Andrew Mensaros Opirnions on Peter Dowding and Ernie Bridge. Water from the Ord 44 River. Dick Old and Coalition Parl.iamentary democracy in Western Australia 45 Life after parliament 46 Kimberley changes - community facilities. Ongoing issues for 47 Aboriginal people. Metropolitan needs for water. Inequitable tax system. Bureaucracy and chanqe. Obtaininq title of 'Honourable' 49 Tape Four Side A Electorate after resignation. Future needs for Pilbara and 50 Kimberley area. Potential of these regions to develop and maintain huge populations and industry. Current expansion patt1erns reviewed Apartheid policies of Western Australian qovernment 51 Attachment I Handy Hints from an Old Man to a Young Person 2 My name is Ron Chapman. I am a post-graduate research student at Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia. Today is Thursday, 28 October 2004 and I am carrying out an oral history interview with Bill Withers at his home at 40 Canning Highway, Victoria Park, Perth. This interview will comprise part of an oral history project that seeks to record the recollections of former members of Western Australia's Parliament. RC First of all, Bill, I would like to thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview. WITHERS It is my pleasure, Ron. RC Thanks Bill. I'd just like to start by asking if you could tell us something about where you were born, your date of birth and your family history and ties to Western Australia. WITHERS Firstly, I was born on 8 August 1931 in Sydney. I went to school at Sydney Technical High School; that's the high school. I went to Kogarah Primary Boys School. My ties to Western Australia didn't start until 1953, towards the end of 1952 actually. I came over here to the Air Force. I met my wife who was a nurse training over here, so that was our first contact with Western Australia. We went away and came back much later in 1964. RC Okay, fine. Could you just provide me with some details about your family political background to start the interview? WITHERS I wasn't interested in politics at all; it's just that I was asked by both major parties to join them. By that time I was up in Kununurra and I'd had quite an eclectic career. I joined the Liberal Party and became a politician. RC We'll be coming on to that later. Going back to your family background, your education, where were you educated, Bill? WITHERS Firstly, at Kogarah Primary School but then at Sydney Technical High School. My family background was rather strange in some respects in that my father was initially a butcher and then a proprietor of a guesthouse and a fisherman and then he became a professional gambler. RC Really? It sounds interesting. Do you want to comment further on that? WITHERS Not really, except that I think that anybody who really goes out and bets on horses and dogs has got to be soft in the head! RC At this early stage in your life, Bill, your childhood, reflecting back, what do you see as your influences from that time on your future career? WITHERS I think the major thing that I learned as a boy was survival - that is, survival in the bush, survival on the street - and just how to enjoy life.