Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Cities and Urban Infrastructure) | Hansard source

I certainly didn't meet Michael Beahan on a beach in Bali. I met him after his parliamentary service had ended, when he was going about the work that the member for Melbourne touched upon in his community, and more broadly in Melbourne. I will return to that in a minute. I think his public life is something that is worth touching upon, as was done in the chamber and has been done here by other speakers.

As someone who came to this country as a migrant, like so many, he built a life for himself as a tradesman and as a teacher and made an extraordinary contribution to my political party—his political party—as reforming state secretary of the Western Australian branch and then in this place as a senator for Western Australia, where he made a very significant contribution in the things he did in his time in the other place, most notably as President. People have touched upon the living imprint of his desire to see this building accurately reflect the country and all of it as it is, not simply to see it frozen in time. I think that's something that all visitors to this place appreciate, and it's something that I do, too, cherishing the notion of this building as something belonging to every Australian.

Michael also made a significant contribution in his committee work and in the way he went about his work as a senator. He was always a strong Labor partisan but went about his work without rancour and in a collaborative spirit. When I met Michael, it was those qualities that were most immediately apparent.

Many people who serve this country and their party in public life are not seen so often in community life after that comes to an end, but I think Michael Beahan must have been as active in that latter stage of his life as at any other time. He made an extraordinary contribution to community, and I echo every sentiment expressed by the member for Melbourne about both the important role of neighbourhood houses and the role that Michael Beahan played in sustaining the great movement that enables neighbourhood houses to do the great work they do in so many communities around my city and around our country.

Michael also continued to serve the party he loved, and which I love. I know that the members of the Brunswick branch in particular, but also Labor members across Melbourne and Victoria as well as back in the west, will be thinking of the extraordinary imprint he had on our movement, knowing that that imprint will endure. It was remarked in the chamber by the Leader of the Labor Party that his very image conveyed kindness. I think that's true. His personal qualities were remarkable, and it is those that I will be thinking of as I also think of his family and all those who loved him and are missing him. Vale, Michael Beahan.

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