Francis Eugene Stewart was born on 20 February 1923 in Belmore, NSW. He was educated at St Joseph's Convent School, Belmore;  Christian Brothers High School and St Mary's Basilica, Sydney.  In 1939 he joined the NSW Public Service as a Clerical Officer in the Department of Government Transport.  During this period he was Branch Secretary of the Australian Transport Officers' Association. 

During the Second World War from 29 December 1941 to 11 December 1945 Stewart served in the AIF as a Sergeant in the 39 Transport Platoon.  Stewart came of a Labor Party family and was active in the Party as Secretary of the Belmore Branch;  the State Electoral Council and then the Federal Electoral Council. 

In August 1953 Stewart won preselection for the Labor Seat of Lang, on the death of Mr Dan Mulcahy, and was elected to the House of
Representatives.  On 22 February 1959 he became a member of the Standing Committee on Printing remaining on the Committee until 26 September 1969.  From 1962 to 1964 he was a member of the Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary and Government Publications.

Stewart, was elected to the Opposition Executive as Shadow Minister for Fuel and National Resources from 1969 to 1972.  When the Labor Government came to power on 19 December, Stewart became Minister of Tourism and Recreation.  On 30 November 1973, on the resignation of Senator Willesee, Stewart became Vice President of the Executive Council and Minister assisting the Treasurer.  From 6 to 26 April 1973 Stewart was acting Special Minister of State in the absence of Senator Willesee.   As Minister of Tourism and Recreation Stewart initiated the Tourist Ministers' Council and the Recreation Ministers' Council and he was Chairman of both.  He was also elected Vice President of the Pacific Area Travel Association for 1973 to 1974 at the Conference of the Association which he attended in  February 1973.

During his Parliamentary service Stewart had attended the 49th  Conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (1960), and was a member of the June-July 1964 Parliamentary Delegation to South Asia and the July 1967 Delegation to South-East Asia.

After the dismissal of the Whitlam Government in December 1975 Stewart was a back bencher in the Opposition.  In 1977 he contested the new seat of Grayndler which was roughly based on his old seat of Lang and won.  Stewart subsequently died in office on 16 April 1979.

Agency associated with person unregistered

1973-11 Nov 1975: Tourist Ministers' Council - Chairman
?               : Recreation Ministers' Council - Chairman