That he probably caused political correctness to become a term in the Australian vernacular as much as anyone else would be an unfair reflection on a sincere man.

I doubt very much whether he was a bigot in any form at all - in fact I am sure that it was just the opposite.

It almost certainly arose because his period of influence spanned such a period that what was standard phraseology when he started out morphed into the unacceptable towards the end of his reign.

Arthur called every other male "pal" - with the intonation that came with it clearly indicating whether it was delivered with affection or something less respectful. If it was preceded by "listen", then almost certainly it was the latter.

He came from an era when a rule was a rule. There was an expectation that everyone should conform and behave in accordance with the norms of the time.

But there were perhaps no two better examples that times were changing than when as the Australian team's chef-de-mission Arthur found himself in hot water at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada.

After struggling with the introduction of events for para-athletes, he then so memorably chastised Cathy Freeman for taking both the national and Aboriginal flags on her laps of honour.

But when Arthur took on his first major Games team role, as assistant general manager in Perth in 1962, the event still had the British Empire as the dominant message in its title.

He was a traditionalist and operated accordingly.

He and his rock - wife Peggy - ran the Australian Commonwealth Games Association for decades from an office near their home in Sydney's Double Bay.

They were a formidable combination and ensured that Australian teams went to every Games well supported and funded. But it was always to be in accordance with the terms that had been laid down.

For 1990 with the Games nearby in Auckland during our summer, a larger team size than usual of 75 was so agreed for athletics. But following hugely successful trials in Sydney in early December the previous year, the selection panel of which I was part nominated 90.

Arthur said it could not be done and requested that we put the athletes in order of merit so that the last 15 could be deleted.

We refused and presented it alphabetically. The stand-off ended up as a matter on the floor of Federal Parliament, with then-sports minister Graham Richardson appointing the Australian Olympic Committee's John Coates to mediate a resolution.

That went down like a lead balloon with Arthur but when he lost out, he accepted the decision with good grace. As a result, Australia won two extra gold medals through Andrew Lloyd's famous victory in the 5000 metres and the women's 4x100m which featured the debut of a 16 year-old Freeman.

He bore no grudge and we enjoyed an excellent working relationship thereafter.

Arthur was a straight shooter and a practical man.

On one occasion at a South Pacific Mini Games in Tonga, he invited fellow athletics official Clive Lee and me to join him at a session of the boxing. When we arrived he ushered us into front row seats and then out of the blue informed us that we were to be the jury of appeal for the evening's competition.

No matter that neither of us knew anything about the rules of Arthur's sport - he assured us that he would inform us in advance of our decision if we needed to take one. That was his way of ensuring the rules were applied correctly.

Above all, Arthur Tunstall wanted Australians to participate in sport - a bedrock pillar of Australian society in the era in which he grew up. For the best he ensured they had higher opportunities.

There are myriad stories of young boxers, from all sorts of backgrounds, unable to fund their way to state or national events, suddenly finding their levies paid by a mystery donor. For this reason alone Arthur Tunstall is recalled as a fine Australian.