Ron Edwards

Ronald Frederick Edwards (born 2 July 1945) is a retired Australian politician. Born in Perth, Western Australia, he was educated at the University of Western Australia and the University of Sydney, after which he became a lecturer in economics and industrial relations. In 1983, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for Stirling, defeating the sitting member, Liberal minister Ian Viner. Edwards held Stirling until his defeat by Liberal candidate Eoin Cameron in 1993.

Early life Edwards was born on 2 July 1945 in West Midland, Western Australia. He was the second of two children born to Daphne and Norman Frederick Edwards; his father was an engine driver. He was educated at Governor Stirling Senior High School, going on to complete a Bachelor of Education at the University of Western Australia in 1966.

In 1966, Edwards moved to Canberra to become an administrative trainee with the Public Service Board. He then moved to Sydney where he was a research officer with the Department of Labour and National Service from 1967 to 1970. He later taught economics and industrial relations at Sydney Technical College and was then head of social sciences at the New South Wales Department of Technical Education. In 1976, Edwards returned to Western Australia and settled in the suburb of Trigg. He became a lecturer in economics and industrial relations at the Churchlands College of Advanced Education, also completing a Master of Education degree at the University of Sydney by correspondence in 1983. He retained Stirling at three subsequent elections, although it remained a marginal seat throughout his tenure.

Edwards lost his seat to the Liberal candidate Eoin Cameron at the 1993 election; in WA seats that election Labor had suffered badly in swings toward the Coalition, despite a nationwide swing to the ALP. Leo McLeay, the incumbent ALP speaker, had resigned his post shortly before the election and it was speculated that Edwards would have succeeded as speaker had he not been defeated. an educational not-for-profit founded in 1995.

He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2026 Australia Day Honours for "significant service to the environment, and to the community".