Michael Tooth was a mentor, then a friend.
He was president of NSW Farmers when I first got to know him. Before settling in Armidale, he spent some time in Moree and for a time was a part owner of the Moree Champion.
Michael was a key player in the formation of the NSW Livestock and Grain Producers Association (LGPA). This was the first name of what became NSW Farmers. Michael was a key player in the formation and the renaming. He followed the initial presidents of Michael Davidson, Milton Taylor and Harold Balcomb.
It was during his term as president that the building at 56 Young Street was sold for redevelopment. This transaction, of which Michael was the driver, led to the financial stability of the organisation right through to the present day.
Michael’s best work was done in the background and in direct lobbying on behalf of farmers. He was a very skilled director of strategy. It was largely his efforts that led to a period where NSW Farmers had a six month continual presence at the old Parliament House in Canberra to lobby the then Labor backbenchers on issues of importance to agriculture.
Michael, along with Michael Davidson, was a key driver to get the state farming bodies to support the concept of the National Farmers Federation (NFF). He then became a vice president of NFF and a founding member of the Farmers Fighting Fund. His stewardship was important in the successful resolution of a number of industrial disputes, particularly in the shearing and abattoir sector.
Michael was one of the people who encouraged NFF and Rick Farley to develop a co-operative relationship with the Australian Conservation Foundation. From this co-operation came the funding for local Landcare conservation groups.
Lesser known was his membership of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Advisory Committee. He was responsible for ensuring that statistics were collected from farmers to ensure that government policy in relation to farming was based on solid information.
Also not widely known was his lobbying of the banks who in this period, which were closing many country branches, but not branches in the city. At one drinks session he pointed out to a bank that they had three branches within about 100 metres of the NSW Farmers headquarters but none in a number of towns he named. This did not lead to opening country branches, but it did lead to closing the overabundance of some city branches and no doubt helped the development of non-branch services.
Michael had a close association with the leaders of The Land newspaper, particularly members and representatives of the Fairfax family. The synergy of this relationship was good for the farming community.
Michael maintained an interest in NSW Farmers well past his retirement from active service. He was particularly interested in the investment strategy. From time to time he was very critical of some of the decisions made. He felt a personal connection with the financial security of the organisation because he had so much to do with setting up this foundation.
In my own case, Michael took a personal interest in my progression through NSW Farmers, then NFF. He would often ring and discuss various policy positions and actions that he thought might be beneficial to farmers. He also suggested positions that I might seek or where he thought I might be of benefit.
Michael often made memorable statements. Two I remember are: “if we reduced the size of the NSW Farmers Council all we would do is overload the high performers”; and, “we need to be very careful that we do not oppose wage increases for farm workers such that we reduce the pool of the highly competent people we need in agriculture”.
Post our time at NSW Farmers I made a point of visiting Michael when I visited Armidale. We had a number of good evenings discussing the world in general.
In the forty five years since I first met Michael, I have not met another person who I would claim was more astute, more accommodating or more stimulating about farmer or Australian political affairs.
Michael Tooth passed away last week. He will be farewelled at a service to be held in the Sutton Forrest All Saints Anglican Church from 11am on Wednesday, October 15, 2025.
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