Ern Crimes was a lifelong political activist who declared on the eve of his 100th birthday last year: “Wherever I can I will spread the gospel of socialism. I will do it, right to the end.”

When the end came, after a brief final illness, he was farewelled by family, old union friends and political colleagues, including South Australian Premier Mike Rann and Attorney-General Michael Atkinson, at Enfield Memorial Park on January 21.

His father, a British union official, brought the family to Adelaide in 1913 when Ern was five and the boy began his political career at Hindmarsh Primary School, campaigning against World War I conscription.

He left Woodville High School to take up secretarial duties and became president of the commercial section of the Federated Clerks’ Union, working closely with legendary secretary Harry Krantz. Later, he was an industrial officer with the Australian Workers’ Union, where he developed strong ties with Labor power-broker Clyde Cameron, and then was appointed secretary of the Gas Employees’ Union, a job he loved because of his contact with working people.

He was a regular speaker at the Labor ring in Botanic Park and wrote a column on foreign affairs for the ALP newspaper, The Workers’ Weekly Herald, before becoming managing editor from 1949 to 1985. Initially it was a full-time job and the state ALP secretary, Jim Toohey, would take the hat around Parliament House to supplement Ern’s tiny salary.

Ern served as the member for Spence in the South Australian Parliament from 1970 to 1975. He was no favourite of Premier Don Dunstan, who earlier had had him suspended from the ALP for 12 months for allegedly consorting with Communists. Although a great admirer of the Soviet Union, which he visited, Ern insisted that he was never more than a “real socialist” who sought the proper ordering of the country’s resources through democratic means to serve people rather than profits.

Anticipating Dunstan and his pink shorts, Ern and his colleague Reg Groth created a furore by wearing brightly colored shirts into Parliament.

A snap election cut short Ern’s second term and cost him his parliamentary pension but his colleagues appointed him to the State Savings Bank board against Dunstan’s wishes. Ern’s experience on the board sharpened his disapproval of how banks created credit, which he believed should be a function of government used for national development.

Over the years Ern served as president and secretary of the May Day Committee, president of the Labor Day Committee, SA president of the Australia-Soviet Friendship Society, member of the ALP state executive, member of the Trades and Labor Council executive and president of the Retired Union Members’ Association.

He left the ALP when Bob Hawke – once an ally - privatized the Commonwealth Bank. But he never stopped listening to parliamentary broadcasts and predicted early on that Kevin Rudd would lead Labor to victory in 2007.

Among his favourite politicians were Ben Chifley, Clyde Cameron and Jim Cairns.

Because of fading eyesight, he had to give up driving his car at 88 but continued with household duties almost to the end, caring for his wife Lucy in the Croydon home where they lived for some 70 years.

A gentle, loquacious, courteous man, he was a great film buff and a reviewer for radio station 5KA. He played the violin in a musical group in his younger days and was a member of the West Torrens Football Club. An omnivorous reader, he was an admirer of the American socialist writer Upton Sinclair, with whom he used to correspond.

His parting words to me were: “Keep the flag flying – and it’s red.”

He is survived by Lucy, son Paul, daughter Denise, grandchildren Adrian, Angela, Natalie and Emily, and great-grandchildren Sarah and Gemma.

NOTE: For Phil Robins' interview with Ern Crimes to mark his 100th birthday, visit: http://eherald.alp.org.au/articles/0507/maghistory15-01.php