Pat Conroy (Shortland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Industry) | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I rise to pay tribute to a dear friend, trusted colleague and lifelong Labor activist, Nick Mowbray. Nick's passing has come as a profound shock to so many of us who knew him, worked alongside him and had the privilege of calling him a friend. On behalf of the people of Shortland and the wider Labor family, I extend my deepest condolences to his parents, Gerard Mowbray and Gai Keegan; his sisters, Sarah Mowbray and Alex Kenny; his brothers-in-law, Michael and Joe; and his much-loved nieces and nephews, Bobby, Lyla, Florence and Hillary.

Nick dedicated much of his life to the causes and values of the Australian Labor Party. His involvement began when he was a student, following work experience with the then member for Wallsend, John Mills. He joined the Labor Party as a teenager in 2000 and, from that point on, remained a committed and active participant in our movement. I first came to know Nick through our work with Greg Combet. From the beginning, he combined sharp political instincts with a genuine commitment to improving people's lives. He understood that politics was not about personalities or titles. It was about delivering outcomes for working people and the communities we represent.

When I was elected to parliament in 2013, Nick joined my office, and, for the next 11 years, he was my senior adviser, trusted confidant and one of the most capable people I've ever worked with. He helped shape campaigns, policies and speeches. He provided honest and often funny advice, thoughtful counsel and unwavering support. Whether helping a constituent navigate government services, advocating for local projects or developing policy solutions, Nick approached every task with intelligence, empathy and determination.

Beyond his professional achievements, Nick's greatest contribution was to the Labor movement itself. He served as secretary of the Cardiff-Elermore Vale branch and as secretary for both Charlton and Shortland FECs for many years. He represented our region at state conferences for two decades and played a role in countless campaigns for Labor candidates, including John Mills, Sonia Hornery, Yasmin Catley, Jodie Harrison, Greg Combet and myself. Nick was always a person who turned up. He was the first to volunteer and the last to leave. He believed in doing the work and supporting others.

There's something difficult about standing in this chamber today. For more than a decade, Nick helped write many of the speeches I've delivered in this parliament. He had a gift for finding the right words and understood the values that should guide everything we do in public life. For more than a decade, Nick helped write many of my speeches that I delivered in this parliament. He had a gift of finding the right words and understood the values that should guide everything we do in public life. Today I rise to deliver a speech that Nick did not write. Instead, I rise to speak about him and to thank him for his friendship, his service and his unwavering commitment to our movement and our community. Above all, we remember a loving son, brother, uncle and friend, whose kindness touched countless lives. Nick made our movement stronger and our community better. He will be deeply missed. Vale Nick Mowbray.