(VOVworld) – The State funeral of Tom Uren, former leader of Australia’s Labor Party, took place on Wednesday in Sydney, Australia. Mr. Uren died on January 26 at the age of 93.

Tom Uren (Photo: AAP)

He was one of the first Labor MPs to question Australia's support for the war in Vietnam. Uren took part in Vietnam’s struggle for peace and independence beginning in 1962. In the period of 1972 to 1975, Mr. Uren joined other politicians of the ruling Labor Party to lobby the Australian government to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam.  During his tenure in the posts of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban and Regional Development, Tom Uren strongly criticized the US war in Vietnam and took part in the anti-war movement. In 1978, Tom Uren first visited Hanoi at the invitation of the Vietnamese government. From 1978 to 1985, as Minister for Territories and Local government, Tom Uren, together with former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and Deputy Prime Minister Jim Cairn, campaigned to prevent any resolutions that were detrimental to Vietnam, already suffering from sanctions by the West.

Mr. Uren was also President of the Australia-Vietnam Friendship Association to boost bilateral ties. He and his family raised money to support poor Vietnamese children.