page_title: James Webster (Australian politician)
section_title: Politics
hierarchical_section_title: James Webster (Australian politician) / Politics
caption_attribution_description: English: Australian politician James Webster
context_page_description: James Joseph Webster is a former Australian politician. He was a Senator for Victoria from 1964 to 1980, representing the National Country Party. He served as Minister for Science and Science and the Environment in the Fraser Government. He left politics to become High Commissioner to New Zealand, serving from 1980 to 1983.
context_section_description: Webster joined the Young Country Party in 1940. He was a member of the party's Federal Council (1960–1964) and served as state president of the Victorian Country Party (1963–1964). At the 1955 state election he stood unsuccessfully in the seat of Broadmeadows.
  Webster was appointed to the Senate in December 1964, filling a casual vacancy caused by the death of Harrie Wade. He was re-elected in 1966, 1967, 1974, and 1975. Webster was an "active backbencher" and served on a variety of Senate committees. His views were "in many respects, those of a rural socialist", and he supported government subsidies and tax incentives for rural industries. He was also in favour of public funding of the Australian film industry, supporting the establishment of the Australian Film Development Corporation, the Australian Film and Television School, and the Australian Film Commission.
  In December 1975, Webster was appointed Minister for Science in the Fraser Government. He was also given the environment portfolio in 1978, becoming Minister for Science and the Environment.
  In 1979, Webster announced that responsibility for whaling would be moved from the Department of Primary Industry to his own department. He subsequently said that the government  would seek to end illegal "pirate" whaling and was "firmly committed to a policy of vigorous and active protection of whales". During his tenure Australia and Seychelles successfully lobbied the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to introduce the Indian Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
  In 1975, his constitutional eligibility to sit in the Senate was questioned, prompting the Parliament to introduce the Common Informers (Parliamentary Disqualifications) Act 1975, although ultimately the High Court found that he was not ineligible and he continued to serve until his retirement in 1980.
caption: Webster in 1965
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