The Honourable Thomas "Tom" Lancelot Lewis AO

I was saddened to learn of the death on April 25 of former NSW Premier Tom Lewis.

Born in 1922, Mr Lewis served as Premier between 1975 and 1976. He represented Wollondilly in the NSW Parliament for more than 20 years until his retirement in 1978.

During his public life, Mr Lewis made important contributions to conservation and the environment, most particularly as the founder of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of NSW. Despite his South Australian origins and home in Wollondilly, Mr Lewis had a particular affinity for the environment and landscape of the Western Division of NSW.

In 2000, he was awarded the Order of Australia, in recognition of his services to the Parliament, to the environment, and to the community.

Unfortunately I never met Mr Lewis, who had been ill for a number of years, but I acknowledge with thanks his service to the Liberal Party, to the nation during his war service with the AIF, and to NSW as its Premier.

On behalf of the Government and the people of NSW, I offer my deepest condolences to Mr Lewis’s wife Yutta, to his children Mark and Jon, his stepchildren Phillip and Michelle, and to his grandchildren Tom, Amelia, April, Holly, Lucy, Molly and Annie.

I am pleased to announce Tom Lewis will be honoured with a State Funeral later in May.