TRIBUTES have flowed for former Fremantle councillor and citizen of the year June Hutchison, who died last week aged 96.

Ms Hutchison and her late husband David were at the heart of Fremantle’s civic life for decades, sitting on countless committees and providing considered advice to a generation of politicians.

Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge said Ms Hutchison had made an “extraordinary contribution” as an active citizen, volunteer and community campaigner and was a role model for many.

• June Hutchison has diede aged 96. Photo by Steve Grant

Mentor

“She was a valued, passionate and proud member of our community.

“She gave so much of her time to so many groups and causes, and her opinions were greatly respected,” Ms Fitzhardinge said, adding her counsel was always “fair, firm and very determined”.

Ms Hutchison was born in the Great Southern sheep town of Tambellup in 1927 and moved to Fremantle 50 years ago.

Ms Fitzhardinge said she had an immediate impact on the city, which had just learned it was to host the next America’s Cup and was about to undergo its biggest transformation in a century. Within three years Ms Hutchison had been elected to council and soon after was nominated chair of the planning and development committee.

It was during her time on council that committee meetings were finally opened to the public. Transparency was one of her hallmarks and years later she was one of the key players who ushered in the city’s groundbreaking precinct system, taking the role of convenor of the South City Precinct for several years.

“A teacher and librarian, June served as president of the School Library Association and chair of both the Fremantle Library Advisory Committee and the Fremantle Arts Centre Press as it was then,” Ms Fitzhardinge said.

“She was a strong advocate for local heritage and was a member if the Fremantle History Society for many years.

“She was passionate about social inclusion, social justice and progressive change, co-founding the Fremantle Justice Group in 1993.”

Ms Hutchison was named Fremantle Citizen of the Year in 1999.

by STEVE GRANT