Tom Stephens

Thomas Gregory Stephens (born 15 November 1951 in Sydney, NSW. Australia. Youngest son to John Joseph and Ellen Genevieve Stephens six children; five sons and one daughter.The family were living at the time on the Hawkesbury River at Brooklyn. Tom was educated by the Sisters of Mercy at their convent school in Parkes, NSW; then at Campbelltown NSW by the Good Samaratin Sisters before his secondary schooling at St Gregory's Marist Brothers Agricultural College Campbelltown. After completing his secondary schooling, Tom entered St Colomba's Seminary in Springwood where he commenced studies for the Catholic Priesthood. After undertaking studies for a BA at the ANU, Tom continued on to Theology Studies at Manly's St Patrick's College but did not complete those studies for priesthood. Tom had been working closely with Aboriginal people in Redfern, assisting Father Ted Kennedy and Aboriginal leader Mrs {"Mum") Shirely Smith. This work led Tom to the Kimberley region of WA where he became closely involved with many indigenous communities across the region and was centrally involved in establishing the Kimberley Land Council in 1978. Tom became a West Australian state parliamentarian at age 31; he served as an Australian Labor Party member of the Parliament of Western Australia from 1982 to 2013; serving first in the Legislative Council from 1982 to 2004, and then in the Legislative Assembly from 2005 until his retirement on 9 March 2013. Tom served first as a minister, albeit briefly, in the Lawrence Labor Government from 1992 to 1993 and then in the Gallop government from 2001 to 2004.