Quick Facts
Biography
Stephen Patrick Hutchins (22 April 1956 – 24 November 2017) was an Australian politician and a member of the Australian Senate for the state of New South Wales (NSW) between October 1998 and June 2011, representing the Australian Labor Party.
Early life and career
Hutchins was born in Sydney. He worked as a forklift driver and waste collector before attending the University of Sydney, where he graduated in arts, and then Harvard University, where he was part of the university's trade union education programme. He was an official with the Transport Workers' Union from 1980 and was Federal President of the union from 1993 to 1998. He was a member of the Australian Council of Trade Unions Executive from 1996 to 1998.
On 14 October 1998 Hutchins was elected as a senator for New South Wales. He was elected again in 2004 but defeated in 2010, his term ending in 2011.
Family and personal life
His first marriage was to NSW State Member for Mulgoa, Diane Beamer. His second marriage was to Natalie Sykes.
Hutchins died on 24 November 2017, aged 61 in his home in the NSW Blue Mountains, surrounded by family, after a long battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife, Natalie and six children, Lauren, Michael, Julia and twins Madeleine and Georgia from his first marriage and son, Xavier, whom he shared with Natalie. He was a devoted grandfather of 6.