Tuesday 6th February 2018 –
Hon. Stuart Richard McDonald AM
Mr WALSH (Murray Plains) (15:50:33) — Recently I attended a service to celebrate the life of Stuart Richard McDonald AM. Stuart was born in Rochester and attended Timmering East Primary School Echuca High School and University High School before completing a bachelor of science with honours and then a masters majoring in chemistry and metallurgy. He was heading to England to do his PhD when his father took ill and he returned to Timmering to run the family property. His interest in the welfare of farmers led to his involvement in the Australian Primary Producers Union and the Victorian Farmers Union.
With Deputy Prime Minister ‘Black Jack’ McEwen as a neighbour and a mentor Stuart entered the Victorian Legislative Council in 1967 and served until 1979 when a redistribution abolished his seat. Stuart continued his role in public life as state and then federal president of the National Party chair of the Rural Finance Corporation for 12 years and with many years of service on the Rochester hospital board including being made a life governor twice. In 2003 Stuart was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to agribusiness and the Victorian Parliament a definite person of merit for that award. Vale Stuart Richard McDonald AM.