Long serving Nationals senator Ron Boswell has died at the age of 85. The senator from Queensland is remembered by many in the LGBTIQA+ communities for his opposition to marriage equality and gay people raising families.
Boswell was first elected to parliament in 1983 promising to be a voice for traditional family vales. He served in parliament for more than three decades before retiring in 2014. He earned the honourary title of ‘Father of the House’ as the senate’s longest serving member.
During debates for marriage equality the senator, who was a vocal opponent of allowing same-sex couples to wed, memorably made a statement in which he made the argument for his opponents.
“Once you legalise something, you cannot discriminate against it.” Senator Boswell told the parliament in 2012.
He also spoke out about gay and lesbian people becoming parents.
“Two mothers or two fathers can’t raise a child properly. Who takes the boy to football? Who tells him what’s right from wrong? What does he do? Go along with mum, or two mums? How does he go camping or fishing? It won’t work, it’s defying nature!” he also told parliament in 2012. He also said the young girls needed their mothers to take them shopping.
Earlier in his career in 2003 he said support for marriage equality would give a signal to the Australian people that heterosexual and homosexual relationships were equal.
“It will send a message to all Australians young and old that mainstream society sees no essential difference between a homosexual and a heterosexual lifestyle, that society not only condones it but is indifferent to the bonds which make the typical family the fundamental unit of our society.
“While we in the National Party do not persecute those who freely enter into a minority lifestyle, we do not want to promote it to our children as an equally valid or acceptable way of life.” Senator Boswell argued.
Boswell left school at fourteen and began working as an office boy in an insurance company. He later became a travelling salesman. He was elected as a senator in 1983, and would be re-elected on six further occasions. He used the slogan “Not pretty, but pretty effective.” in his advertising campaigns, it would also become the title of his 2023 autobiography.
In 1988 he became a member of the Shadow Ministry under John Howard, and remained under Howard’s successor Andrew Peacock, but was dropped in 1990. He returned the Shadow Ministry under John Hewson holding the portfolios for Northern Australia and external territories. When Alexander Downer became opposition leader Boswell was shifted to Consumer Affairs.
He quit the shadow cabinet in 1994 when he and five other conservative senators crossed the floor to vote against the Human Rights (Sexual Conduct Act) 1994. The legislation from the Keating Labor government prohibited any laws that arbitrarily interfere with the sexual conduct of adults in privat, and was a response to Tasmania retaining their state laws that criminalised homosexuality.
In 1990 he became the leader of the Nationals in the senate, a position he retained for the next 17 years. He was an outspoken critic of Pauline Hanson and her One Nation party, and described beating Hanson for a senate place at the 2001 election as one of his greatest achievements. He also spoke out against far-right groups and racism.
Following his passing there has been praise for his parliamentary service from Liberal and National colleagues.
Nationals leader David Littleproud paid tribute to Boswell as a “giant of our great cause, and a lifelong fighter for families, small business and regional and rural Australia”.
“Above all though, Ron Boswell was a powerful champion for the everyday small businesspeople, farmers, fishers and their families,” Littleproud said.
Current opposition leader Sussan Ley said Senator Boswell would be remembered for his “blunt honesty”.
“Ron was a straight talker who brought real world experience to Canberra. He stood up to, and stood in the way of, fringe politicians peddling fringe politics.”
Western Australian senator Michaelia Cash described Boswell as a “true statesman”.
“A true statesman, Ron never lost sight of those he served. He was a steadfast advocate for small businesses, farmers, manufacturers and for families.” Senator Cash said.
