Former federal minister and Labor stalwart Nick Bolkus dies aged 75
Source: NEOS KOSMOS
Former federal minister, senator and long-time Labor figure Nick Bolkus has died peacefully aged 75, South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has announced.
Nick Bolkus, of Kastellorizian heritage, who was born in Adelaide on July 17, 1950, represented South Australia in the Senate for more than two decades, he served as an adviser to former prime minister Gough Whitlam and served as a minister in both the Hawke and Keating governments.
Of particular significance was his enduring and substantive relationship with the Greek community, as well as his strong interest in issues concerning Hellenism and Greece.
He was also a close friend of Neos Kosmos, and especially of the newspaper’s founder, Dimitris Gogos, with whom he maintained a friendship spanning decades. Together, they worked to advance and resolve issues affecting the Greek community in Australia.
In a statement on Thursday, the South Australian Premier paid tribute to Nick Bolkus as a dedicated public servant whose political life was defined by principle, compassion and a deep commitment to multicultural Australia.
“South Australia has lost a dedicated servant, and the Labor Party has lost one of its great champions,” Malinauskas said.
Nick Bolkus grew up in Adelaide’s West End and became involved in Labor politics at a young age. In 1966, as a teenager, he assisted then premier Don Dunstan’s campaign in Norwood, hand-delivering letters to voters enrolled as Greek — an early sign of what would become a lifetime of political service.
After his family moved to West Beach in the mid-1970s, Nick Bolkus remained active in the local community and was a familiar face along the coastline. He was first elected to the Senate in 1980 and went on to become one of South Australia’s longest-serving senators.
During his parliamentary career, Nick Bolkus pursued reform agendas across a wide range of portfolios, including legal, economic, immigration, environmental and Indigenous affairs. He was appointed Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Multicultural Affairs in 1993, following the re-election of the Keating government.
In that role, he played a key part in shaping modern multicultural policy. He was particularly proud of the decision to allow tens of thousands of Chinese citizens to remain in Australia following the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre — a move widely regarded as an act of moral leadership.
Within the Greek-Australian community, Bolkus was remembered not only as a senior politician, but as a trusted advocate who maintained deep personal ties with community organisations, leaders and media, and who consistently supported issues of concern to Hellenism in Australia.
Photo: Supplied
The Premier said Nick Bolkus was respected across the political divide and remembered as a formidable intellect and generous mentor.
“He was much loved by his family, colleagues and friends,” Malinauskas said.
Nick Bolkus is survived by his wife Mary and his daughters Aria and Mikayla.
The South Australian government extended its condolences to his family and loved ones, honouring his service to the state and the nation.
“May he rest in peace,” the Premier said.
The original article: belongs to NEOS KOSMOS .
