On 15th November 2006 the senior sergeant was in Canberra to attend a Conference of the National Counter Terrorism Committee on behalf of the New South Wales Police Force in his capacity as Police Technical Unit National Capability Advisor. He collapsed and passed away at his accommodation while preparing to attend the conference.
The senior sergeant was born in 1962 and was sworn in as a probationary constable on 26th October 1984. At the time of his death he was attached to the State Technical Investigation Branch. He is listed in the official New South Wales Police Honour Roll.
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Warren BRAMBLE
| 07/01/2017
Warren BRAMBLE
Warren is the brother of Sgt Elwyn BRAMBLE # 12973 who died on 20 November 2016
New South Wales Police Force
Regd. # 12521
Redfern Police Academy Class 110
Rank: Commenced Training at Redfern Police Academy on Monday 20 February 1967 ( aged 21 years, 2 months, 25 days )
Probationary Constable – appointed 3 April 1967 ( aged 21 years, 4 months, 8 days )
Constable – appointed 3 April 1968 ( North East District )
Constable 1st Class – appointed 3 April 1972
Senior Constable – appointed 3 April 1976
Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed 18 April 1983 ( Seniority date was 4 January 1983 )
Stations: Revesby & Bankstown ( 19 Division )(ProCst )(3 April 1967 – Jan 1968 ), Divisional Motor cyclist ( 19 Division )( Jan 1968 – ? ), STP – Traffic Branch ( Jan 1968 – ? )( North East District ), ?, Wallsend ( 1970’s ), Toronto HWP, Newcastle HWP, Gosford HWP ( 1980’s )
Service: From 20 February 1967to? ? ? = ? years Service
Awards: National Medal – granted 22 April 1983 ( SenCon )
1st Clasp to National Medal – granted 30 April 1993 ( Sgt )
Born: Monday 26 November 1945
Died on: Monday 12 December 2016 during the morning
Age: 71 years, 0 months, 16 days
Cause: Heart attack
Funeral date: Monday 19 December 2016 @ noon
Funeral location: Manning Great Lakes Memorial Gardens, 183 Pampoolah Road, Pampoolah. Near Old Bar
Buried at: ?
Memorial at: ?
Gosford HWP March 1984 L to R – Sgt Warren Bramble # 12521, S/Con Mick Brown # 13825, Con 1/C Larry Cook # 19151, Con 1/C John McCulloch # 18558, Con 1/C Glen Hilton # 17707, S/Con Dave Knowles # 16575 and S/Con Bill Eggins # 15271. Pic taken at the new Gosford Police Station
WARREN is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance *NEED MORE INFO
Funeral location:
FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.
Can you find out information about my dad, ray smith.
Joined in the 50 rejoined in the 60s left around 1964-5.
Played for St George and Newtown jets.
I know he worked in Sutherland highway, bikes, divers unit and at Newtown.
I don’t know who to go to find this out. Would be grateful.
Two wives five daughters.
He became a farmer from 79-92.
Died 8/3/92 heart disease heart attack.
Buried 13/3/92. His ashes are scattered in the Lachlan river.
Owen J. JENNINGS
| 07/01/2017
Owen J. JENNINGS
late of Brisbane, Qld
aka OJ
New South Wales Police Force
Redfern Police Academy Class # 158C
Probationary Constable Regd. # 92092
Regd. # 18068
Rank: Commenced Training at Redfern Police Academy on Monday 23 January 1978 ( aged 20 years & 15 days )
Probationary Constable – appointed 3 April 1978 ( aged 20 years, 2 months, 26 days )
Does NOT appear in the 1988 Stud Book.
Final Rank = ?
Stations: ?, Gladesville ( 1980s ), Albury,
Service: From? ? pre April 1978 to? ? pre 1988? = ? years Service
Awards: No find on It’s An Honour
Born: Wednesday 8 January 1958
Died on: Wednesday 9 November 2016
Age: 58 years, 10 months, 1 day
Cause: Heart attack
Funeral date: ?TBA
Funeral location: ?TBA
Buried at: ?TBA
Memorial at: ?
Class 158C – Redfern Police Academy Back Row: R.S. HANSEN, T. HAYWARD, P.A. HARRIS, D.W. HODSON, ALLAN R. GROGAN, P.F.J. HERRING, K.R. HAIGH, MARTIN P. KILLEN # 17965 ( son of FRANK ), M.W. KEENE, P.J. HAYNE Middle Row: W.E. ( WAYNE ) JOHNSON, G.L. GRUMLEY, OWEN I. JENNINGS ( RIP ), T.R. HILL, S.S. HORDEN, B.J. HAYLOCK, P.M. HOPPER, C.R. GREENTREE, J. JOBSON Front Row: P.R.( DUTCHY ) HOLLAND, David L. JOACHIM ( R.I.P. ), R.C. HOWARD, T.R. HANSON, L.J. DAVEY, M. HUMPHRIES, L.I. JONES, A.J. HAMILSTON, P.A. KENNEDY, B.J. GRIMALDI
Eternal safe riding
OWEN is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance *NEED MORE INFO
Funeral location: ?TBA
FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.
********VALE OWEN JENNINGS BLA******
This is a modified post from another FB Page
and penned by Michael Turek Nation VP Blue Liners Australia
It is with the heaviest heart that I inform the group that Blue Liners Australia Member Owen Jennings passed away last night. Owen was staying at a motel in Albury in anticipation of meeting the rest of us for breakfast tomorrow morning prior to our 2 day ride over the Vic Alps to Dartmouth via Lakes Entrance.
Last night Owen experienced chest pains and dialled triple zero. When the ambulance arrived he was in cardiac arrest and they were unable to save him.
Thoughts, prayers and sincere condolences to all his family and friends at this very sad time.
As soon as I am advised of funeral details I will pass them on.
Apologies to the few I tried to contact personally without success before posting here.
RIP mate
Jeffrey William John BROWN
| 07/01/2017
Jeffrey William John BROWN
aka Jeff, Browny
New South Wales Police Force
Academy Class 225 of 1987
Regd. # 23562
Rank: Probationary Constable – attested 27 March 1987
Constable – appointed 27 March 1988
Senior Constable – retirement
Stations: ?, Central Police Station – 1987
Traffic Branch –
City of Sydney 1990 – 1994
Kings Cross – General Duties 1996 – 1997
Darlinghurst 1997 – 1997
South Region Dog Squad ( State Protection Unit ) 1997 – 2000
In 2000 the regional dog units were combined into the one NSW Police Dog Squad with HQ being at Menai.
NSW Police Dog Squad, Menai 2000 – 2011. Dog 17
*
14 years with the Dog Squad, 1997 – 2011.
His mate ‘Shadow’ 1997 – 2003.
His mate ‘Buzz’ 2003 – 2009
Discharged, medically unfit, from the Dog Squad and New South Wales Police Force, September 2011.
Service: From pre 27 March 1987to 16 September 2011=24+years Service
Awards: National Police Service Medal
National Medal
NSW Police Distinguished & Ethical Medal with 20 year Clasp
Commissioners Unit Citation for Macquarie Fields Riot
Does NOT appear on Australian Honours system
Born: Wednesday 27 April 1966
Died on: Monday 31 October 2016 – a.m.
Age: 50 years, 6 months, 4 days
Cause: Heart attack at home
Funeral date: Friday 11 November 2016 @ 9.45am
Funeral location: Hurstville Entertainment Centre, 16 MacMahon St, Hurstville, NSW
Full Medals to be worn. Funeral will finish at 11.30am. “Debrief” will be held at Cronulla Leagues Club – downstairs. 461 Captain Cook Dr, Woolooware. Buy your own food and drinks.
Buried at: ?TBA
Memorial at: ?
Jeff and his partner Amy. Jeff texted this photo last night to a few friends. He and Amy were engaged on Saturday 29 October 2016 and he is looking the happiest he has looked for a long time. Jeff, you will be sorely missed by many, many people. Close family, extended family, police family and the hundreds of others whose faces you always brought a smile to. Cheers buddy.
Jeff on the Wall to Wall Ride of Remembrance
Jeff and his mate ‘Shadow’
JEFF is NOT mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance *NEED MORE INFO
Funeral location:
FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.
Our deepest condolences to the family, fiancée and son, William ( only 2 years old ) on the loss of Browny. Condolences also to Ashleigh ( 27 old ), Browny’s daughter from his first marriage and also to his granddaughter – Natty ( Natasha ) – daughter to Ashleigh. There has been nothing but praise for this man and who he was and what he stood for during his time with NSWPF.
5 May 2017
FUND RAISER
Patch made up in memory of a great man, father and police officer. All proceeds go to Jeff’s Fiancé Amy and young son William. Patch made up in memory of a great man, father and police officer. $22 per patch includes postage. Orders through Roger Mayer. rumdog1@bigpond.net.au Thank you for your support. I like to think the brotherhood is still out there and we look after those that looked after us.
Jeff Brown with PD Shadow ( front left )
Sudden death: Couple’s happiness snatched away in a heartbeat
LIA HARRIS, CRIME REPORTER, The Sunday Telegraph
Amy Turbill’s world came crashing down when fiancé Jeff Brown died. Picture: Supplied
IT was meant to be the happiest weekend of their lives — a surprise engagement followed by a celebration with family and friends.
But by the next day Jeff Brown was dead, leaving behind a devastated Amy Turbill and the couple’s two-year-old son William.
“In 48 hours I went from thinking we were going to be planning a wedding to planning his funeral. It was surreal,” Ms Turbill, 38, said.
“All the dreams you have for each other are suddenly gone.”
Celebrating William’s first birthday.
Jeff, Amy and William in Fiji.
Mr Brown, a decorated and well-respected former NSW police officer, died suddenly in his sleep from heart failure in the early hours of October 31, less than two days after proposing to his partner on a surprise getaway on the NSW south coast.
The pair had been staying at a Bannisters Beach resort at Mollymook when Mr Brown popped the question beside the pool, presenting his overwhelmed fiancee with a spectacular diamond engagement ring.
“He took me away for the weekend and wouldn’t tell me where we were going,” Ms Turbill said. “He never did things in halves, so of course the ring is huge.”
The 50-year-old, known as “Browny” to his mates, retired from the force for medical reasons in 2011 after 25 years as a police officer, including 16 years as a general purpose dog squad officer, where he was on the front line of the Cronulla and Macquarie Fields riots in 2005.
Jeff Brown was on the front line at the Macquarie Fields riots. Picture: Noel Kessel
Ms Turbill, also a former NSW police officer who met her fiancee on the job, said he was “larger than life”.
“He was so brave. You have to be brave in the dog squad but he was the first person to stand up and be in front,” she said.
“So many people have said to me the Macquarie Field riots was one of the scariest things they went through, but when he stood in front of them, they never felt safer, because he was there. His proudest achievement was his dogs.
“He trained them so well and cared for them so much.”
Jeff Brown spent 16 years in Dog Squad.
Ms Turbill said Mr Brown had two police dogs throughout his career, including veteran dog Buzz, who retired with his handler and still lives at their Engadine home.
Before Mr Brown’s early retirement he had also trained a new dog named Chuck, which went on to help track down double murderer Malcolm Naden with his new handler Luke Warburton in 2012.
But Ms Turbill said when he was off duty, Mr Brown was just a loveable larrikin, a keen surfer, an avid sports fan and a devoted father to their young son and Mr Brown’s 27-year-old daughter Ashleigh.
“He was such a special person, everyone who met him just gravitated towards him,” Ms Turbill said. “He had such a generous spirit and such a zest for life. And a wicked sense of humour.
“It blew my mind how many people he was genuinely friends with. There were close to 400 people at the funeral. I was always so proud to be with him.”
Despite the pair meeting at work in 2002 and forming a close friendship, they did not start dating until just over four years ago, before having their son in 2014.
They had planned to move to a property in Port Macquarie early next year before planning the wedding.
“He used to tease that it took him 10 years to get me to say yes to a date,” she said. “We had an amazing love. An intense love. A once-in-a-lifetime love. One that will last my lifetime.’
Passing of serving officer, South Brisbane District
QPS Media on Oct 15, 2016 @ 6:30pm
It is with much sadness and great regret that the Queensland Police Service can confirm the death Acting Chief Superintendent Paul Ziebarth from South Brisbane District.
Acting Chief Superintendent Ziebarth passed away unexpectedly earlier today. He was not on duty at the time.
Acting Chief Superintendent Ziebarth was a well respected officer who dedicated his life to serving the community and had over thirty-one years of distinguished service to the people of Queensland.
The condolences of the entire police family are with the Acting Chief Superintendent’s family and loved ones at this sad time.
‘Very well-known and very well-respected’: Acting Superintendent Paul Ziebarth.
THE Queensland Police Service is mourning one of its own after one of the state’s top cops died unexpectedly on Saturday.
Acting Chief Superintendent Paul Ziebarth is believed to have suffered a massive heart attack at a Brisbane go-karting track yesterday morning and could not be revived.
Colleagues said Supt Ziebarth, aged in his early 50s, had complained of feeling unwell in recent weeks.
The career cop had spent more than 30 years in the Queensland Police Service.
He was serving as acting Chief Superintendent for the South Brisbane police district after a career which included stints as officer-in-charge of the Gold Coast police district, commanding events including Schoolies.
He is the second senior South Brisbane police officer to die suddenly of a heart attack this year. Inspector Rod Kemp died in February while on his way to his own retirement lunch.
Assistant Commissioner Brian Codd said Supt Ziebarth’s death was a great tragedy for his family and the QPS.
“He was very well-known and very well-respected in the QPS,’’ Mr Codd said.
It is with much sadness and great regret that the Queensland Police Service can confirm the death of Acting Chief Superintendent Paul Ziebarth from South Brisbane District.
Acting Chief Superintendent Ziebarth passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, 15th October 2016. He was not on duty at the time.
He joined the Queensland Police Service in 1984 and was a well respected officer who dedicated his life to serving the community. He was a foundation member of the Public Safety Response Team and oversaw numerous significant events including Schoolies and the Gold Coast Motor Race. Acting Chief Superintendent Ziebarth had over thirty-one years of distinguished service to the people of Queensland.
The condolences of the entire police family are with the Acting Chief Superintendent’s family and loved ones at this sad time.
One of the Queensland Police Service’s top officers has died.
Acting Chief Superintendent Paul Ziebarth from the South Brisbane District died from natural causes while off-duty on Saturday.
It is believed Acting Chief Superintendent Ziebarth, who was aged in his early 50s, died from a massive heart attack at a Brisbane go-karting track.
In a statement, Queensland Police said “Acting Chief Superintendent Ziebarth was a well respected officer who dedicated his life to serving the community and had over thirty-one years of distinguished service to the people of Queensland.”
“The condolences of the entire police family are with the Acting Chief Superintendent’s family and loved ones at this sad time.”
During his three decades of service, Acting Chief Superintendent Ziebarth had commanded several major police operations including Schoolies and the Gold Coast Motor Race.
In his role as Acting Chief Superintendent, Paul Ziebarth was three ranks below Commissioner Ian Stewart.
Acting Superintendent Paul Zeibarth suddenly passed away this afternoon.
Sometimes through my community work i come across people who are not afraid to think outside the square and more importantly willing to address tough issues with empathy.
Paul was one such man. An example of this was a program he introduced few years ago where he organised convicts of carjacking to go through a certificate course in Automotive and had them fix the cars of people who they stole from.
He was working with Islamic council of Queensland to organise a similar program for the youth who have had drug or other crime issues.
Our condolences to his family and loved ones. It’s a huge loss to Queensland police service and all our communities.
Gold Coast police district Superintendent Paul Ziebarth says crime has dropped 20 per cent in the past decade
Greg Stolz
The Courier-Mail
June 24, 201312:00AM
GOLD Coast crime is falling and Glitter Strip residents can sleep safe at night, senior police insist.
They also say police are “all over the bikies like a seagull on a hot chip”.
“The reality is sometimes different from the perception,” Gold Coast police district Superintendent Paul Ziebarth said. “Over the last 10 years, there’s been roughly a 20 per cent drop in crime across the board.
“While there is always going to be more crime than we’d like, the reality is that crime in many categories is less than half of what it was 10 years ago.
“People can feel safe in their beds.”
While overall crime in the South Eastern police region increased 11 per cent in 2011-12 against a state average of 6 per cent, the Gold Coast district recorded only a 1 per cent rise.
Senior police pointed out that most major crimes on the Coast, including the recent bikie incidents, were quickly solved.
“We’re locking up a lot of people, particularly for serious crime,” Chief Superintendent Steve Hollands said.
Since its formation in the wake of the 2011 slaying of police officer Damian Leeding, the Coast’s Major and Organised Crime Squad had arrested 320 offenders on 1026 charges, seized more than $1.2 million in cash and criminal assets, smashed 16 drug labs and taken dozens of guns off the streets.
Another taskforce targeting repeat property crime offenders had arrested 463 people on 2157 charges.
Since January last year, more than 400 bikies had been arrested on almost 1100 charges.
This week, police arrested nine Finks over the June 8 Coolangatta brawl and nabbed another 16 members in a traffic blitz targeting the gang’s Molendinar clubhouse.
“We can’t stop these groups from setting up here but we can certainly make it uncomfortable for them,” another Coast police superintendent, Ben Hanbidge, said.
New initiatives including a 15-member ‘mobile deployment squad’ to target crime hot spots would further boost the fight against Coast crime, the top cops said.
“There’s a lot of ill-informed comment from people who want to denigrate the Gold Coast image but it’s still a great, safe place to live,” Supt Ziebarth said.
This week, Erwin and his best mate, Paul Craggs, had a great time together delivering a boat from Gold Coast to Hamilton Island.
Following Erwin’s return to Coffs Harbour and first bout of chemotherapy, he suffered a massive stroke.
May he forever Rest In Peace.
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Leslie Malcolm AUSTIN
| 07/01/2017
Leslie Malcolm AUSTIN
aka Guts or Les
New South Wales Police Force
“Possibly” from Class 17 from Penrith Police College
Regd. # 5456
Uniform # 367
Rank: Probationary Constable – appointed Monday 13 January 1947 ( aged 21 years, 5 months, 23 days )
Constable – appointed ? ? ?
Constable 1st Class – appointed ? ? ?
Senior Constable – appointed ? ? ?
Sergeant 3rd Class – appointed ? ? ?
Sergeant 2nd Class – appointed 1 April 1968
Final Rank: Sergeant 2nd Class – death
Stations: Five Dock, Petersham, Parramatta STP ( 1949 – ), Hornsby STP ( 1950’s – ), North East District ( 1968 ), Gosford STP & General Duties – death
Service: From? ? pre January 1947to 14 April 1971 =23years Service
Don joined NSWPF twice. 1949 – 1951 & 1952 – 1959.
Prior to joining NSWPF, he was a Cadet journalist, Clerk, Salesman, P.M.G. Lines labourer, Truck Driver then joined NSWPF. He was Presbyterian.
Prior to joining NSWPF, he held the School Intermediate Certificate. He gained his Leaving Certificate – Matriculation Standard after attending evening classes in 1954 whilst in the Police Force.
Upon joining NSWPF pre March 1952, Don was described as being 5′ 9.5″ tall, 12st 4 lb in weight, blue eyes, brown hair with a medium complexion. He was a Native of Manly, NSW, and was Single. He later married on the 20 March 1952.
He held the Bronze Medallion in Life Saving and was Approved as a motor cyclist on the 6 May 1952.
On 21 August 1956 he passed his Constable 1st Class examination.
On 28 August 1959 ( a couple of weeks prior to finishing with NSWPF ) he was “Highly commended on success at being admitted as Barrister-at-Law of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
That entry, made on his NSWPF Service Register, was endorsed C.J.D. C. of P. P59/48661/7194
C.J.D. would be Colin J. DELANEY ( Commissioner of Police ), C. of P. would be Commissioner of Police. P59 ( the year ), 48661 ( file number ? ), 7194 – Don’s Registered #.
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Former judge, corruption fighter Donald Stewart dies aged 87
THE AUSTRALIAN
12:05PM JULY 14, 2016
Donald Stewart, former royal commissioner (Inquiry into Drug Trafficking) and former head of the National Crime Authority.
Donald Stewart, a former judge and corruption fighter, has died at the age of 87.
Mr Stewart, who started his career as a police officer, went on to become a barrister, judge of the NSW District and Supreme Courts, a royal commissioner and the first chairman of the National Crime Authority, a forerunner of the Australian Crime Commission.
His 1981 royal commission into drug trafficking, which had originally been scheduled to run for four years, had its term extended for a year. It led to the arrest of several crime figures.
That royal commission also investigated illegally obtained material known at the time as the “NSW police tapes”, which led to the investigation of former High Court judge Lionel Murphy.
Mr Stewart’s autobiography, Recollections of an Unreasonable Man, was launched in 2007 by former prime minister Bob Hawke who recognised his courage and independence in fighting organised crime.
Mr Hawke had appointed Mr Stewart to chair the National Crime Authority and later appointed him to the position of resource assessment commissioner.
At the launch of Mr Stewart’s autobiography, Mr Hawke had described the former judge as the most impressive man he had encountered in public life.
Just before his retirement from the NCA in 1989, Mr Stewart expressed concern at the continuing level of corruption in society and within the police.
At the launch of his autobiography, the former judge described the abolition of the Resource Assessment Commission as “entirely wrong”.
“I am afraid that people are sticking their heads in the sand and that’s all that will be left — sand — if we keep going the way we are going,” he said.
Donald Stewart, judge and founding chairman of National Crime Authority
Jennifer Cooke
Donald Gerard Stewart, policeman, barrister, judge, royal commissioner, and founding chairman of the National Crime Authority (NCA) helped make history in several fields. It was a feat that even in his “wildest dreams” was not apparent to the young surf lifesaver and rugby fanatic who met the love of his life on Manly Beach.
He died, aged 87, following a cardiac arrest last week.
Acting Judge Donald Stewart at work after losing his feet to gangrene. Photo: Steve N Siewert
Self-described as a “footloose” judge, he returned to work at age 70 “back from the dead” despite the loss of both feet in a medical emergency caused by the intersection of septicaemia with blood clots thrown from an aortic porcine heart valve.
He said at the time he wanted to “show other people with disabilities that even though old, like me, if you really try, you can usually make it”.
Barrister Donald Stewart arrives at the Coroners Court in 1961. Photo: Alan Funnell
The younger child of a menswear shop owner on The Corso and a bookkeeper, young Don grew up in the then insular peninsula of Manly, a product of the Presbyterian ethic of honesty. He became the man of the family at 14 when his father’s heart finally failed in 1942. He was also with his mother when she died aged 83.
Between 1941 and 1946 he attended Sydney Boys High and wrote later that he gave the headmaster, Mr Jas H. Killop, referred to by boys as “the boss”, many an occasion for both justice and mercy on the fatherless boy who maintained he did not start the “unseemly brawl in a rugby match with our rivals Fort Street”, which attracted his first unwanted glare of publicity. “The boss” also forgave his running away from school with a mate from Manly to go mining at Wallerawang, near Lithgow at one point.
Justice Stewart making a National Crime Authority announcement. Photo: SMH News
He left school without passing the Leaving Certificate and after a very short stint as a travelling salesman in country NSW, and no inclination at that point to follow his mother’s suggestion of a career in law, decided to give journalism “a go”.
But after a nepotistic introduction to someone at Consolidated Press, then headed by Sir Frank Packer, he earned a paltry two pounds a week working in the sport section of the Daily and Sunday Telegraph newspapers among iconic sports writing peers including Hugh Dash, Alan Hulls, Keith Robbins and his fellow high school colleague, Phil Tressider.
One day when he was 21, the lifesaver at the North Steyne Surf Live Saving Club happened upon an elfin young woman sitting on the sand tending a seagull with an injured wing. The daughter of a wealthy family from Louisana, 27-year-old Maybelle, had been working with the Red Cross in London and had recently brought out a group of displaced orphans to Sydney after World War II.
It was love at first sight for them both. Stewart married his “southern belle” in 1949 and an inspiring partnership began that would last six decades until her death from Alzheimer’s disease in 2009.
After his pit stop in journalism, Stewart decided to be a police officer but after many experiences in the 1940s and 1950s – and at the urging of Maybelle – he studied law and emerged in 1960 with a law degree. Seven years later he obtained his Master of Laws.
Ten years as a barrister led to his appointment as a District Court judge from 1977 to 1981. But in 1981, amid much controversy and acrimony from the then Chief Justice Sir Laurence Street, Stewart was elevated to Supreme Court judge status to head a royal commission into drug trafficking jointly established by the NSW and federal governments.
This three-year inquiry led to the detailed unmasking of the “Mr Asia” drug syndicate and a ruthless world of murder, corruption and organised crime on a scale never seen before in Australia. Another reference extended the commission’s scope into the dealings of the notorious Nugan Hand Bank and then “The Age Tapes” and its revelations of deep-seated corruption involving the NSW Police Force.
In 1984 he was appointed the inaugural chairman of the National Crime Authority, which resulted in the jailing of several organised crime bosses, chief of whom was the Kings Cross businessman, Abe Saffron, who was sentenced to three years in jail for tax evasion.
For some years Don and Maybelle were the subject of death threats and their home was littered with panic buttons linked to police central command under the then-helm of Andrew Scipione.
Five years heading the often-controversial NCA was enough and Stewart turned his attention to the environment and conservation after being appointed commissioner of Australia’s first ever Resource Assessment Commission, which made recommendations in 1994 aimed at protecting the country’s environment.
For a man who listened to many “tall tales” from defendants and royal commission witnesses before him, his tallest was often recounted by Maybelle about the jagged scar on one wrist. He boasted to her that it was a “war wound”. But she found out later from his mother that he got cut when he accidentally smashed her favourite custard bowl.
They both wanted children but sadly several miscarriages and the stillbirth of a daughter they named Elizabeth ended that dream.
While he could often be seen as difficult when fiercely-held beliefs were challenged or sub-standard arguments didn’t pass the test, he deliberately called his autobiography, published in 2007, Recollections of an Unreasonable Man: From the Beat to the Bench. This was more than a nod to the George Bernard Shaw quote than a self-definition: “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
He gave and inspired great loyalty among many of those who had worked with him in his various guises – even friends from Manly Public School with whom he remained in touch over more than seven decades. One sitting NSW Supreme Court justice spent every Sunday night he was in town, visiting the retired judge for more than two decades.
Stewart has had more than a nodding acquaintance with the intensive care unit of St Vincent’s Hospital over numerous cardiovascular issues and where he spent a week before his death.
He sold his much-loved four-storey, panic button-studded house in Potts Point to former Prime Minister Paul Keating in 1999 after his most serious near-death experience when he was in in intensive care for three weeks after what he termed the “crook chook” chicken sandwich.
He collapsed at his home in September 1998 a few days after eating the sandwich and only eight weeks after receiving his new porcine heart valve. But septicaemia believed to have been caused by the bacterium salmonella typhimurium, apparently from the poorly-cooked chicken, caused most of his major organs to fail. It also lodged in the heart valve which threw off infective clots that lodged in his feet and blocked the blood supply, turning them gangrenous. He survived the ordeal with three weeks in “the dead zone” as he put it, his wife distraught and his obituary half-penned.
He became one of only a handful of people reported worldwide to survive a salmonella-infected artificial aortic valve with a replacement aortic valve and the only one in Australia at that time.
It was a standing joke that he survived only because the obituary was never completed.
He returned to the bench as an acting District Court judge for another four years until 2003 when he was declared “statutorily senile”, as all judges are, at age 75.
He is survived by many staunch friends. His older sister Peggy died last year. A funeral service is expected to be held at Eastern Suburbs Crematorium next week with a separate memorial service in Sydney also next week at a time to be advertised.
Corruption fighter, judge Donald Stewart exposed ‘Mr Asia’ syndicate
The Australian
Over many decades, Donald Stewart devoted his no-nonsense fine mind, understanding of human nature and personal courage to pursuing a “hatred of corruption”.
The man who started out as a young police officer on the streets of post-war Sydney and became a barrister, judge, royal commissioner and inaugural chairman of the National Crime Authority, died yesterday, aged 87.
Stewart was best known as a fighter against organised crime, in particular as head of the 1981 royal commission into drug trafficking that exposed the notorious “Mr Asia” syndicate.
That inquiry helped solve a string of murders, and led to a conviction for the murderer of Griffith anti-drugs campaigner Don Mackay.
The former judge of the NSW District and Supreme courts also headed a royal commission into the Nugan Hand Bank scam. In the mid-1980s, he was the royal commissioner appointed to investigate unauthorised police telephone tapping and the scandal of illegally obtained “NSW police tapes”.
While the phone-tap inquiry kickstarted a much-publicised investigation into former High Court judge Lionel Murphy, its broader impact was to help overturn a police culture of flagrant disregard for rights with the introduction of transparency and police eavesdropping based on proper cause.
In 1984, the Hawke government appointed Stewart the first head of the National Crime Authority, the forerunner of the Australian Crime Commission. Stewart also chaired Bob Hawke’s Resources Assessment Commission.
At the time of releasing his 2007 memoir Recollections of an Unreasonable Man, Stewart remarked on how the NCA under his leadership adopted what it called “The Al Capone Methodology” to prosecute Sydney crime identity Abe Saffron. With the failure of traditional methods to pursue Saffron’s ill-gotten income, in part because of Saffron’s links to NSW police, Stewart oversaw a team of accountants who successfully mounted a case to charge Saffron with tax evasion.
Saffron served two years in jail. He was so bitter towards Stewart that he reportedly solicited a fellow inmate to “kill” the NCA chief, although the man was convicted of another murder before getting the chance.
Stewart grew up in Manly. He was a NSW junior breaststroke champion and surf lifesaver before entering the NSW police force. Repelled by the bribery, theft and forced confessions he witnessed among senior officers, he realised his only way to remain independent and confront such corruption was to leave.
He studied law and became a barrister. In 1977, he was appointed a judge of the NSW District Court, and later the NSW Supreme Court.
Often a contrarian, Stewart believed the charging of police in recent years for their roles in organised crime was not proof of success but that corruption was deep-seated and flourishing. He believed a zero-tolerance policy that criminalised hard drugs was not working, and more consideration should be given to finding medical solutions.
Stewart was devoted to his wife, Maybelle, who predeceased him. The couple had no children, despite their early hopes.
Former Labor prime minister Bob Hawke told The Australian he was sad to hear of “the passing of the very fine man, Justice Donald Stewart”.
He said Stewart’s autobiography, which he had the honour of launching, was “not a terribly apt title for one of the most reasonable and competent men I have ever known”.
Stewart died in Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest last week.
Its still hard to believe you have left us Browny.
You were one of those genuine mates, whom you could count on your hand.
Until we all meet again Pal…
Rest in peace my friend.
Thinking of your loved ones in these testing times.