Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last week my community lost a generous and beloved member of the Yarra Ranges, Ray Yates. Ray was truly immersed in community life. Some called him Mr Monbulk; others knew him as Mr Yates from Monbulk Primary School, where he taught from 1970s until 2014, retiring aged 74. He spent 28 years of that time as Principal of Monbulk Primary School and a total of 54 years in education. Many Monbulk locals had Mr Yates as their principal and their children's principal.

He left a legacy, impacting so many lives and so many generations of the Monbulk community. His impact was so profound the Age ran an article on his retirement. It sums up his persona well. It reads:

On Wednesday he stopped mid-interview to help a weeping preppy, strolling with him through the school he built; a school that was downtrodden when he arrived in 1974 but is now a robust institution and a point of community pride.

…      …   …

Arriving at school at 7am, he won't go home until after 6pm. Even then, Mr Yates never really goes away. After hours, the main phone number to the school is patched to his mobile phone.

I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to visit Monbulk Primary School. It was wonderful to see the children and the thriving school that is an ongoing and everlasting legacy to Ray Yates.

Ray also served as a shire councillor for 21 years and as the Mayor of the Shire of Lilydale. He was a Justice of the Peace, a foundational member of the Monbulk and District Community Working Group, secretary and treasurer of the Sylvan Glades Retirement Village and a longstanding trustee of the Yarra Ranges Regional Museum. He was instrumental in establishing Japara Community House, was closely associated with Monbulk RSL and served as the president of Monbulk Rotary. Ray envisaged that having a community bank in Monbulk would generate opportunities for the entire community. He joined in 2012, serving as director, and he was instrumental in shaping the legacy of the bank which gives back so generously to our community to this day. He was board member and CEO of the Dandenong Ranges Music Council from 2011 to 2025, and he also supported the Kilsyth Youth Club and preschools and assisted local sporting clubs.

Ray was a true champion of our community. He wasn't just a member of our towns; he was an architect of community life as we know it. His devoted public service touched every layer of community life. His legacy will live on in every organisation that he touched and in the strength that he left them in; in the connections that he helped forge; and in the countless lives that he improved. I was fortunate to get to know Ray over the last 3½ years as the member for Casey. Ray was a great source of advice. You could see the pride he had in the community. I remember a speech that he delivered on Australia Day, at an Australia Day breakfast in Monbulk, talking about opportunity and what it means to be Australian. You could see that principle come out in him and in the lessons that he taught us all that day. Ray gave so much back to our community. I want to extend my condolences to Ray's wife, Catherine; his family, friends and loved ones; and all those in our community who were privileged to know him. On Monday, we will gather to celebrate, mourn and pay tribute to Ray Yates. Thank you, Ray, for making our community a better place. Rest in peace.

As we hit the final sitting day for the year, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year—here in parliament, and in my community of Casey. To the CFA volunteers I say: stay safe this summer. There are dangers, but we know you're well trained and you're well prepared. I want to thank all the community groups who have given so much to our community, particularly the food banks—who are going to be needed more than ever this summer—and our retail, tourism and agriculture workers, who don't get a break over summer. I want to pay tribute to you. I hope everyone does get a chance to rest, recover and spend some time with their families. I will finish by saying 'I love you' to my beautiful wife Rachel on our 15th wedding anniversary. It's poetic that I am up here in parliament. I could not serve our community in Casey without her and her support. I appreciate everything she's done for me and for the community of Casey.

Ben Small (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's got to be some runs on the board!