Tributes to the Honourable Jocelyn Newman AO

Director of the Australian War Memorial Dr Brendan Nelson joined in with tributes to the former Memorial Council Member the Honourable Jocelyn Newman AO, who passed away last weekend at the age of 80, after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease. 

After a long career in federal politics, Mrs Newman was appointed as a council member in 2002, and served for the following seven years.

“Jocelyn Newman is one of the most courageous people I’ve come across, and in my line of work I’ve seen courage. This is a woman who set aside the death of her husband and her own health concerns to dedicate herself to fighting for others,” Dr Nelson said.

“After all of that, she felt that she had a contribution to make to the Australian War Memorial, which she most certainly did for a significant period. This country has lost a great woman, and we should celebrate her life. Our deepest respects go to Campbell Newman and the broader family.”

Esteemed journalist and historian Les Carlyon AC, currently serving as Memorial Council Member, said Mrs Newman was a hardworking and much-liked member of the council.

“She had an exceptional knowledge of military history and the place of the Memorial in Australian life,” he said.

“She was always conscious of the privations suffered by the families of service people, and a strong advocate for government measures that would allow more children from distant states to visit the Memorial.”

Mrs Newman was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2005 for services to the community through her contributions to government policies on social security reform, as an advocate for women's issues, particularly in the health and welfare areas, and as a supporter of local organisations in Tasmania.