Former Labor senator and minister Peter Walsh has died in Perth aged 80.
Mr Walsh was elected to the Senate in 1974 and served as energy minister for a year before holding the finance portfolio from 1984 to 1990.
He retired from politics in 1993.
Labor leader Bill Shorten said Mr Walsh was a "distinguished son of the West" and a dedicated servant of the nation.
"Like so many Australians who know the hard work and hardships of farming, Walsh was a straight shooter with a strong grasp of the vernacular and a healthy dose of common sense," he said.
Mr Shorten said the former finance minister had helped open up Australia's economy and lay the foundations for decades of prosperity.
"Labor gives thanks for Peter Walsh's life of service and we offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. May he rest in peace."
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Mr Walsh had been a distinguished minister and a "substantive political figure".
"He is remembered as one of the architects of Australia's era of economic reform," he said.
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said Mr Walsh set the example for his successors in the portfolio.
"His 1995 book, Confessions of a Failed Finance Minister, remains the compelling manual of choice for any finance minister today," he said.
Share
