Bill Prest

William George Prest (2 April 1926 – 8 December 2012) was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for the Labor Party in 1976 until 1992, former Gladstone Harbour Board member and once Gladstone mayor.

Bill Prest
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Port Curtis
In office
29 May 1976 – 19 September 1992
Preceded byMartin Hanson
Succeeded bySeat abolished
Personal details
Born
William George Prest

(1926-04-02)2 April 1926
Longreach, Queensland, Australia
Died8 December 2012(2012-12-08) (aged 86)
Gladstone, Queensland, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Political partyLabor
Spouse(s)Patricia Rabbitt
OccupationShearer, Gladstone City Council employee

Prest was born in Longreach, Queensland. In 1970, he stood for local council elections and was elected, he later became Gladstone's deputy mayor in 1975. The Gladstone Port Access Bridge was renamed the Bill Prest bridge in 2010.[1]

In his last term in the Queensland Parliament, Prest caused controversy when he made a racist slur against former state National Party Aboriginal Affairs Minister and future Federal MP Bob Katter when he called him a gin jockey. Prest however was not publicly disciplined and retained his position as whip but the controversy did see him being taken about out of the limelight of public life.[2]

Prest died, aged 86, in Gladstone, Queensland. Robert Schwarten, Liz Cunningham including deputy mayor Matt Burnett and mayor Gail Sellers attended his funeral to pay tribute.

Personal life

Prest is survived by his wife Patricia, son Darryl Prest and daughters Patricia Hick and Liz Fallon.[3][4]

References
  1. "Central Qld farewells ALP stalwart Bill Prest". Yahoo-AU news. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  2. Stevens, B.; Wanna, J.; Griffith University. Centre for Australian Public Sector Management (1993). The Goss Government: Promise and Performance of Labor in Queensland. Macmillan Education Australia. p. 59. ISBN 9780732926229. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  3. "Prest described as "generous man" at funeral". The Observer. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
  4. "Farewell former mayor". The Observer. Archived from the original on 10 June 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2012.
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by
Martin Hanson		 Member for Port Curtis
1976–1992		 Abolished


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