Andrew Charlton (Parramatta, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

It's with a heavy heart that I rise today to remember the life of the beloved pastor Graeme Fitzgerald. Graeme grew up in Panania, near Revesby. As a young man, he was an avid athlete. He played cricket and rugby for his local team and, after leaving school, he became a landscaper. Graeme's love for the outdoors stayed with him his entire life. In 2014 Graeme took over Reach Church in Parramatta from Pastor Gary Dench. Gary had founded the church in 1991 with his partner, Joyce. They met every week at a community hall in Wentworthville. Gary and Joyce, who still attend the church to this day, believed in the transformational power of religion. They were guided by the values of faith and acceptance, and with these values they built the foundations for an active and vibrant faith community.

Graeme worked tirelessly to grow the church in the years that followed. It found strength not just in numbers but in diversity. More than 30 nationalities are represented amongst its 400 members. Reach Church also supports missions in the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India and Africa. Under their Lifelinks program, Reach Church supports people in need across Western Sydney. Every Monday, parishioners deliver groceries and food to refugees, people with disabilities and seniors. Under Graeme, Lifelinks also supported those impacted by the 2019 bushfires and the 2022 floods.

Graeme was well known by those around him for his hard work and dedication to his church and his community. He healed the broken-hearted and he bound up their wounds. Graeme didn't leave his legacy to those around him; he left his legacy within them.

After a battle, Graeme passed on 19 June 2024. He's survived by his wife and fellow pastor, Mandy; and his three children, Jesse, Hannah and Billy.