Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

on indulgence—My friend and the friend of many on this side of the chamber, Tim Picton, passed away yesterday following a violent incident in Perth on 27 December. Tim Picton was just 36 years old. He was highly respected across politics. He had worked for the South Australian government, the Victorian government and the federal government, but he really found his niche as the secretary of the Western Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party. He led the campaign in 2021 that saw Mark McGowan win almost every seat in that state. He was the campaign director for me in 2022 in Western Australia that saw Labor win four additional seats in Western Australia and three Senate spots for the first time in a very, very long period of time.

Tim Picton was not only very effective as a political operator; as a human being he was remarkable. He was full of joy. He loved his wife, Priya. His beautiful daughter, Charlotte, was the apple of his eye. I want Charlotte to know just how loved her dad was—also his parents, Fiona and Michael; his brother, Chris, who is a minister in the South Australian government; his sister, Johanna; and all of his family and friends in the Labor family across the board. He also worked in the private sector for MinRes and was on the executive of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy Western Australia. He was respected right across the state and right across the political spectrum. Due to his background of working in three states, as well as in Canberra, he was very well known. I have no doubt that one day he would have sat on this front bench at least had his life not been cut so short by that act of violence on 27 December. May Tim Picton rest in eternal peace. May his family, who have gone through such a terrible time, with him in hospital since the 27 December incident from which he never recovered, get some solace by just how loved Tim was.

See this speech in context