Don Willesee

Who was Don Willesee?

Donald Robert "Don" Willesee was an Australian politician, a member of the Australian Senate for 25 years representing Western Australia, and a Cabinet minister in the Whitlam government.

The Catholic Willesee was born in Derby, Western Australia and educated at state and convent schools at Carnarvon in the same state. He left school at 14, to work as a postal clerk in Carnarvon, and immediately joined the Australian Union of Postal Clerks and Telegraphists. He eventually became state secretary of this organisation. He later worked as a telegraphist in Perth. In 1940 he married Gwendoline Clarke.