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Dubbed the Black Knight, the Lone Ranger, a whiz kid, a lifelong rebel and the enfant terrible of the Australian Labor Party, Pete Steedman (top) has repeatedly stated he just wants to change the world. Nobody can accuse him of not trying to get our troubled geoid to rotate on a different, more equitable axis.
Today, from his close to nature rural abode at hilly Hurstbridge, out of Melbourne , previously owned by celebrated playwright , David Williamson, author of the boisterous political epic, Don’s Party, Steedman , now 69, works the phone and sends out emails , occasionally signing off with Viva La Revolution !
Down the line come details of exceptional political episodes and battles , mention of his first D-Notice (involving a Territory event), a statistic about the number of CIA agents at Pine Gap ( more than 400 at one stage ), and other glimpses of an extraordinary, action-packed life in Australia , Asia and the UK.
He’s taken on media barons , ASIO operatives, bureaucratic manipulators , captains of commerce, helped save London’s historic Piccadilly Circus from developers, played a part in airing the truths about the murderous Northern Ireland conflict and mixed with pimps, prostitutes, professors, priests and assorted irritating right wing pundits.
Down the line come details of exceptional political episodes and battles , mention of his first D-Notice (involving a Territory event), a statistic about the number of CIA agents at Pine Gap ( more than 400 at one stage ), and other glimpses of an extraordinary, action-packed life in Australia , Asia and the UK.
He’s taken on media barons , ASIO operatives, bureaucratic manipulators , captains of commerce, helped save London’s historic Piccadilly Circus from developers, played a part in airing the truths about the murderous Northern Ireland conflict and mixed with pimps, prostitutes, professors, priests and assorted irritating right wing pundits.
Contrary to that famous Uncle Sam poster , Steedman was not wanted in the US when he applied for entry to attend the California Berkeley University. (There must surely be files on him in the security organisations of at least three countries ).
During his time at university , he edited and transformed the Melbourne university magazines Lot's Wife and Farrago into typographically adventurous , highly political, controversial publications , railed against in various quarters . His connection with publishing saw him involved with innovative magazines like Go-Set, Rolling Stone , High Times, Nation Review and Oz , the latter the subject of punitive court action in Australia and the UK.
While the well dressed and groomed multi media personality,Eddie Maguire, is known as “Eddie Everything”, there was a time when long haired Steedman , in a leather jacket, jeans and wearing dark sunglasses , either in a Porsche or astride a motorbike and looking like Marlon Brando in The Wild One , seemed to be everywhere -in the newspapers, with no less than three regular radio spots, on the streets protesting about the war in Vietnam , swapping verbal and physical punches on campus and appearing in federal Hansard, usually being bucketed by right wing politicians.
Capable of taking a big picture view of issues and economic matters, he has compiled well researched reports on subjects of national importance .
Over the years he has been an adviser to numerous Labor ministers, both federal and state, and has seen many secret , confidential and for your eyes only documents, which would have gladdened the heart of Julian Assange. Bob Hawke’s door was always open to Steedman- even though Hazel Hawke reportedly said Pete had a chip on both shoulders.
Steedman’s deep involvement in the Victorian ALP Socialist Left brought him into close contact with the now Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, in her early days in Melbourne . When his wife, Julie Anna Reiter , a former model, (pictured above ),died from leukemia, August 4,2009, Deputy PM Gillard was one of those who paid a tribute at the funeral service.
Although Steedman now drives a stately Bentley and may end up like a shirt advert , a distinguishing patch over one wonky eye like Lord Nelson, his demeanour is not that of a frock- coated, mealy-mouthed , weasel- word- spouting diplomat. Forthright, combative , determined , abrasive to some , with an immense capacity for work , he can shock , inflame and wear down individuals. To those who know , respect , and understand him, he is just being his distinctive self, the one and only Pete Steedman, a passionate believer in a fairer distribution of wealth.
Of Steedman it was said that during his short time in the House of Representatives he achieved more in one year than the average politician does in 10.
Little Darwin first introduced its readers to Steedman in connection with Darwin’s lively independent newspaper, The Star , followed by the special report on the Darwin Newsletter , the newspaper he edited after Cyclone Tracy to provide information, hope and help for thousands of Territorians scattered throughout the nation. In this latest REWIND THE PRESS ! series about the media , we attempt to pack at least three lifetimes of Steedman’s activism- on this planet- into just five parts , maybe more .
It is fitting that we launch this highly condensed dossier on Steedman at a time when playwright David “ Lofty “ Williamson’s sequel to Don’s Party, with a cast including Garry McDonald , called Don Parties On , the action taking part on another election night in August 2010, has hit the boards. Discussing the new play on the ABC, Williamson , an engineering student when Steedman was at uni, deplored the present political brand of Australian politics, saying the major parties were virtually the same , mainly interested in management, with no real policies to cope with the burning issues of the day, except the Greens.
NEXT EDITION . Wild university days in the Vietnam War period during which it was said Steedman should be charged with blasphemy, sedition and also shot!
