GIETZELT, Arthur Thomas (1920-2014)

Australian Politician and Senator

Arthur Thomas Gietzelt was born on 28 December, 1920, in San Francisco, California, USA.  He was the first child of Australians Arthur Anton Gietzelt and his wife, Ida nee Stoward, who had married earlier the same year before travelling to California.  He returned to Sydney in August,1922 with his parents and aunt, Martha Rosetta Gietzelt. His brother, Ray, was born in Sydney shortly after on 29 September, 1922.

 After living briefly in Mackay, Queensland, the family settled in Sans Souci in the St. George area of Sydney and his father set up a tyre business in Newtown.  During the Great Depression, the business failed and the family suffered financial hardship until, after various ventures, his father had some success setting up a small chemical company, Getz Products.  The family struggles would later affect Arthur’s decision to enter politics.

Arthur Gietzelt was educated at Hurstville Boys High School and, during WWII, served in the Army in New Guinea from 1941-1946.  In 1949, he married Dawn Olive Haslam, a librarian, and soon set up home in Caringbah in the Sutherland Shire.  They would have three children.

With an interest in welfare and social justice, he joined the Labor Party and ran for election to Sutherland Shire Council.  He served on the council for 15 years including a record 9 as Shire President (now known as Mayor).  As the Shire’s longest serving President his achievements were many.  He was responsible for foreshore environmental measures which gave residents greater access to the Shire’s waterways.  He also established important public services such as the library, baby health centres and swimming pools.  He stopped the Federal Government putting an airport at Towra Point, a migratory bird sanctuary.  After getting scientific data on noise levels, he went around shopping centres with a megaphone showing people what was in store for them. Gietzelt was regarded by many staff members of the Council as ‘the most astute and innovative of all councillors and with the highest integrity’.

From its formation in1954 Gietzelt was a member of the Labor Left steering committee set up to fight the Labor Right Grouper Movement. The Movement was set up in Victoria, influenced by the Catholic Church and B A Santamaria, to fight Communist influences in the ALP particularly in New South Wales.  During the 1960s, 70s and early 80s, he was a faction leader on the Labor Left.  When Gough Whitlam contested Werriwa in 1952, Arthur Gietzelt was his local campaign manager. In 1971, Arthur Gietzelt was elected to the Senate , where he served until February 1989.  He served two term as Minister for Veterans Affairs in the Bob Hawke Labor Government holding that position until 1987.  He was joint Father of the senate from 1987 until his departure from parliament.

Just after being elected to the Senate and while still council president, he was the target of a bombing when 17 sticks of gelignite were detonated on the front porch of his home in Kitchener Road, Caringbah.  He and his wife Dawn were sleeping in an adjoining bedroom but escaped injury.  It was suspected that the attack related to Gietzelt’s role, in the Sutherland Council of imposing the first anti-apartheid ban in Australia, against a South African team competing in a surf carnival at Cronulla.  A local builder, who had to demolish a block of flats at Cronulla for non-compliance with requirements, was also suspected.

In 1992, Arthur Gietzelt was made an Officer of the Order of Australia ‘for service to the Australian Parliament and to local government’ and, in 1994 he was awarded life membership of the ALP.  In 2001, he was awarded a Centenary Medal. 

 

Gietzelt had a distinguished public life, dedicated to progressive social, economic and political causes.  Many times, Arthur Gietzelt had to vigorously deny that he was an active member of the Communist Party.  Questions were again raised after his death and denied by his family.

 

Arthur Gietzelt died on 5 January 2014, aged 93, and was cremated at Woronora Cemetery.  Dawn Olive Gietzelt died on 29 September 2015 and was also cremated at Woronora Cemetery.

 

 

View the entry in the database for GIETZELT, Arthur Thomas (1920-2014) and family. Click on his name at the heading of this page.

 

References:

Wikipedia

NSW BDM

Queensland BDM

St. George and Sutherland Shire Leader

Sydney Morning Herald

The Australian – Troy Bramston

Australian War Memorial

Sutherland Shire Council

Australian and New Zealand, Obituary Index, 2004-2017

Tribune

Woronora Cemetery