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Frank Stewart

Francis Eugene Stewart (20 February 1923 – 16 April 1979) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and served as Minister for Tourism and Recreation in the Whitlam government from 1973 to 1975. He was a member of the House of Representatives representing Lang from 1953 to 1977 and subsequently Grayndler from 1977 until his death in 1979.

For other people named Frank Stewart, see Frank Stewart (disambiguation).

The Honourable
Frank Stewart

Gough Whitlam

Peter Howson

Reg Withers

Dan Mulcahy

Seat abolished

Tony Whitlam

Leo McLeay

(1923-02-20)20 February 1923
Belmore, New South Wales

16 April 1979(1979-04-16) (aged 56)
Long Jetty, New South Wales

Australian

Australian Labor Party

Maureen Neagle Smith

Kevin Stewart

Soldier

Second AIF

1944, 1945

Sergeant

39th Transport Platoon

Early life and army career[edit]

Stewart was born in the Sydney suburb of Belmore and educated at St Joseph's School, Belmore and St Mary's Cathedral College, Sydney. Before World War II, he was a public servant in the New South Wales Department of Transport.[1] In the war, he served in the Second Australian Imperial Force in New Guinea with the 39th Transport Platoon in 1944 and 1945 and was eventually promoted to sergeant. Prior to his election to parliament, he played first grade rugby league for Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs between 1948 and 1950. He married Maureen Neagle Smith in August 1952.[2]

Rugby league[edit]

Patrick Francis Stewart, the father of both Kevin and Frank Stewart, was the founding president of the Canterbury Bankstown Leagues Club. The Stewart family have been long-term supporters of the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs and Frank played first-grade rugby league for the Bulldogs from 1948 to 1950. In recognition of this support, the grandstand at Belmore Sports Ground (the former home ground of the club) is named the "Stewart Stand" after Patrick, Frank, and Kevin Stewart.


Following an incident where Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs football club was stripped of all points in the National Rugby League competition for breach of the salary cap, Kevin Stewart was appointed chairman of the board in 2002 in an attempt to restore the club's reputation.