Thomas Campion Trewin

  Noted events in his life were:

• source. Doug Hooper who notes: He served as a Private in the 22nd Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps of the Australian Army during World War II. In July 1961 he was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly representing Benalla and remained in Parliament until February 1982.
Career: Devenish farmer; before parl. president Vic. Clydesdale Horse Society, v-president NE district council Wheat and Woolgrowers' Association and president Devenish branch, president Devenish Rural Fire Brigade; member Benalla High and Technical School Councils; member Vic. Institute of Colleges council 1966-1981; president Benalla Football Club 1964; president Benalla Cricket Association 1958- ; v-president Benalla Agricultural and Pastoral Society, Vic. Country Cricket League, Benalla Racing club; president Benalla Lions; Rotarian; Freemason; Church of England church warden and synod representative.

The following speech made by Joan Kirner, the Premier of Victoria, appears in the Victorian Parliamentary Hansard.

11 August 1992 ASSEMBLY

DEATH OF THOMAS CAMPION TREWIN, ESQUIRE
Ms KIRNER (Premier) -- I move:
That this House expresses its sincere sorrow at the death of Thomas Campion Trewin, Esquire, and places on record its acknowledgment of the valuable services rendered by him to the Parliament and the people of Victoria as member of the Legislative Assembly for the electoral district of Benalla from 1961 to 1982.

Tom Trewin was the local member for Benalla from 1961 until his retirement in 1982. Over those 21 years Tom was an extremely hardworking and popular representative of the National Party. In fact, you could say of him what the honourable member for Gippsland East said earlier about Clive Stoneham: he was a National Party member whom everybody liked. He passed away on 14 July, aged 77 years -- still lively, still interested and still making those links with people that he was making over his years in Parliament.

Tom Trewin was born at Benalla in 1914 to a father who was a farmer and a schoolteacher mother. The Trewin family has farmed in the Goorambat-Devenish district for more than 100 years. Before following the family tradition of farming he was educated at Goorambat State School and Benalla High School. He married May in 1940.

Before entering Parliament Tom, like many dedicated local members, had served the community over some years through a variety of local and sporting organisations. Tom maintained his strong support for those organisations throughout his Parliamentary career. He was a Rotarian and Vice-President of the Benalla Agricultural and Pastoral Society.

Tom Trewin was also vice-president of the north-eastern district council of the Victorian Wheat and Woolgrowers Association and president of the Devenish branch. He was president of the Devenish rural fire brigade, a member of the Benalla high and technical school councils and a member of the Victorian Institute of Colleges from 1966 to 1981.

I did not know Clive Stoneham well but I first met Tom through his school associations in the 1970s and we immediately struck a chord as people who cared about local State schools in both the country and the city. I could always rely on him and draper shop proprietor Nell Osmotherley to keep improvements to north-eastern schools in my sights and to help lobby the then Liberal government for improvements in rural education.

I understand that Tom was passionate about his cricket and having played the game as a young man he continued that consuming interest as President of the Benalla and District Cricket Association, a position he held for more than 20 years. I understand, incidentally, that a lot of batsmen were pleased when he moved into administration and they no longer had to face his bowling!

Tom also served on the executive of the Victorian Country Cricket League from 1965 and was appointed vice-president in 1976. He was referred to as Benalla's Mr Cricket. In 1984 life membership of the league was bestowed upon him. In 1964 he was President of the Benalla Football Club.
Having read that, I wonder how he had the energy to be what he was in Parliament! He was actually given energy by his links with his community.

Between 1967 and 1982 Tom was the National Party's inaugural spokesperson on agriculture. He sat on numerous committees during his time here, including the House Committee, those committees dealing with public accounts, public works, the meat industry and statute law revision. He was a Temporary Chairperson of Committees from 1964 to 1982.

I shall reflect on his Parliamentary career: he was particularly proud of his achievement in having water storages constructed throughout north-east Victoria and of his efforts to implement duplication of the Hume Highway. He was proud to be associated with legislation to establish the wheat stabilisation scheme and to improve systems for wool and livestock marketing.

He was an indefatigable member for Benalla. Stories abound of his availability to attend three or four functions in one evening because he did not want to let people down.
His concern for his constituents was demonstrated by a statement made by a former National Party colleague at Mr Trewin's retirement dinner when he said, He managed to build fellowship around the job of being a politician. He did not accept anything told to him but fossicked around for the true facts .
It would be remiss of me not to mention a passionate hobby of Tom's, namely, the breeding and showing of Clydesdale horses. He became an authority on those beautiful animals.
I also make special mention of Tom's wife, May. Spouses and families of members of Parliament are often called upon to provide extraordinary levels of support to enable them to carry out their demanding jobs effectively. Many who knew the Trewin family would testify to May's tremendous support of Tom during his years in public life.

On behalf of my government and the people of Victoria I express my personal sympathy to May and also to her sons, Graeme ad Brian, and to her daughter, Colleen, and their families. I was pleased to know Tom Trewin; he made a great contribution to Victoria.

Thomas married Eliza May on 23 Mar 1940. (Eliza May was born circa 1915.)