Partner Stephen Cheng
Queer Places:
104 George St, Norwood SA 5067, Australia
15 Clara St, Norwood SA 5067, Australia
Don's Table, 136 The Parade, Norwood SA 5067, Australia
Don's Table II, 87 Kensington Rd, Norwood SA 5067, Australia
Donald Allan Dunstan AC QC (21 September 1926 – 6 February 1999) was an Australian politician.
In 1972 he wore a pair of shorts, short, pink and worn, on the steps of Parliament House.
It was quite the sartorial statement, especially for the small city of Adelaide – a place which had recently "grown up" and transformed from an ostensibly large country town to a city with a sophisticated arts scene that was embracing cultural diversity and thriving under historic democratic reforms, all under Dunstan’s leadership.
Don Dunstan was premier of South Australia for two terms spanning 1967 to 1979, totalling almost a decade in office. A staunch social reformist, the Labor candidate's advocacy for equality and compassion across all sectors of the community made him a radical political figure in a conservative town.
And that's the way he wanted it. Because this white male from a middle-class family was there to open minds by representing something Adelaide severely lacked in its public arena: acceptance of diversity.
On that day in 1972, Dunstan proudly wore his pink shorts in honour of democracy and everything he fought for. He was aware it would attract attention and was determined to be seen. Apparently, Dunstan’s minders had been trying to shield the premier from being photographed by the press. But at around 4pm, Dunstan snuck out and posed in all his pink glory.
News footage of the time was sadly in black and white, and doesn't do justice to the moment. But everyone at the time knew its significance. The charismatic and confident Dunstan had always been a flamboyant dresser, embracing '70s florals and safaris suits in preference of traditional politician's attire. But as a white, middle-aged man (the stereotype of a conservative) – the premier no less – the wearing of such unconventional attire to work was his ultimate salute to diversity.
The pink shorts came to represent Dunstan's political legacy, and have been used to promote everything from one of his biographies to a musical about his life.
The shorts were bequeathed to Dunstan’s widowed partner,
Stephen Cheng, who donated them for display when they were this year elevated to icon status in Adelaide's new Centre for Democracy. The Centre was opened to celebrate South Australia’s legislative pioneering history – SA was the first colony to grant women the vote and allow them to stand for Parliament (1895), have female police officers (1915), establish a public housing trust (1936), introduce the first of its kind Prohibition of Discrimination Act (1966) and legalise abortion (1970).
Donald Allan Dunstan was born in Fiji and later practised law there. He was deeply committed to social justice, cultural diversity, democracy, human rights and respect for Indigenous people. Dunstan was responsible for the state being the first to decriminalise homosexuality in Australia, earning him hero status in Adelaide's gay community.
He also drove legislative reforms on land rights, anti-discrimination laws and environmental protection. He was instrumental in the elimination of the White Australia Policy. Other examples of his social reforms included the introduction of legislation for consumer protection, the abolition of capital punishment and child protection reforms.
As premier, Dunstan overhauled the drinking laws that closed pubs at 6pm, and because of his love of food and wine – he later opened his own restaurant, Don’s Table – he encouraged the emergence of a new restaurant culture that set Adelaide on the path to having the reputation of a food destination it does today.
Dunstan was also a passionate patron of the arts and was responsible for cultivating a thriving live theatre scene. The Dunstan Playhouse is one of Adelaide’s largest theatre venues and was named to honour his contribution to the performing arts.
Whilst living in Norwood and studying at university, Dunstan met his first wife, Gretel Elsasser, whose Jewish family had fled Nazi Germany to Australia. They married in 1949, and moved to Fiji.[4] They returned to Adelaide in 1951 and settled in George Street, Norwood, with their young daughter, Bronwen. The family was forced to live in squalor for a number of years while Dunstan established his legal practice; during this time, they took in boarders as a source of extra income.[4][12] Gretel later gave birth to two sons, Andrew and Paul.[2]
In 1972, Dunstan separated from his wife and moved into a small flat in Kent Town, adjacent to Norwood. The family home was sold as two of the children were already studying in university. In 1974, the couple were finally divorced. Dunstan notes this period as being initially a "very bleak and lonely" time for him.[4][169] In absence of his family, he made new friends and acquaintances. Friends living nearby would come to his apartment for conversation and good food – cooking was Dunstan's hobby. Dunstan bought another house in 1974, partially financed from a then-unpublished cookbook. In 1976, Don Dunstan's Cookbook was published – the first cookbook released by a serving Australian leader.[170] More generally, Dunstan promoted a revolution in fine dining in the state.[99] Encouraged by Dunstan's enthusiasm for multiculturalism, many new restaurants were opened by proprietors and the diversity of cuisine increased. He also promoted the viticulture industry through his patronage of wine festivals.[91]
In 1973, Adele Koh, a Malaysian journalist formerly living in Singapore, was appointed to work for Dunstan. She had been expelled by the Singaporean Government of Lee Kuan Yew for criticising its policies. The newspaper she had been working for, the Singapore Herald, was shut down by the government and she then moved to Australia.[2][4] The two began a relationship in 1974, and married in 1976 in a small ceremony at Dunstan's residence.[171] Dunstan was much older than Adele, who was in her 30s.[2][4] She was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer in May 1978, and died in October after Dunstan had cared for her at her bedside for months. Her death seriously affected him and his own health began to suffer.[172]
Although Dunstan never publicly commented on his sexuality, it has been said that he "lived as a sexually liberated bisexual man".[173] In 1986, he met his future partner, Stephen Cheng, a post-graduate science student then in his twenties.[174] Together, they opened a restaurant called "Don's Table" in 1994.[4] He lived with Cheng in their Norwood home for the rest of his life. Cheng nursed Dunstan through lung cancer until his death, and Dunstan bequeathed their home to Cheng for life.[174]
In 1993, Dunstan was diagnosed with an aggressive throat cancer and then an inoperable lung cancer, which led to his death on 6 February 1999. Dunstan was not a smoker but was long exposed to passive smoking.[175] A public memorial service was held on 9 February at the Adelaide Festival Centre as a tribute to Dunstan's love of the arts. In attendance were former Labor Prime Ministers Gough Whitlam and Bob Hawke, Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley, Premier John Olsen, and State Opposition Leader Mike Rann. Thousands more gathered outside the centre in Elder Park along the banks of the River Torrens.[176] State flags were flown at half-mast and the memorial service was televised live.
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