Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today in the Senate with a very heavy heart to mark the sudden and heartbreaking passing of a friend and staff member of mine, James Edward Mentor, last month. What I share today is drawn from the eulogy that I delivered at his funeral, words spoken among his friends and family in honour of a life lived with passion, loyalty and purpose. Jimmy was a cherished mate, a loyal companion, a beloved colleague and a real patriot of the Labor cause. To many of us in Victoria, he was like family. His sudden passing has left a very deep void in our hearts and in our movement.

I first met him in the Australian Labor Party just over 19 years ago. We were both members of Young Labor and worked casual roles outside of school. He was a deli assistant at Safeway Middle Camberwell and a very proud union member of the SDA. Jimmy joined the Canterbury branch of the ALP in 2005 and quickly took on several executive roles, including secretary of his branch and the Kooyong FEA, and was elected a delegate to the Victorian Labor state conference. While I wasn't as deeply involved in student politics at the time, I did, however, enjoy the stories that Jimmy and many other Labor Unity luminaries would share over a late night coffee or spaghetti carbonara at the La Notte restaurant on Lygon Street in Carlton, about the battles, mainly against our comrades in the Socialist Left. One thing became very clear from early on: James was a person that I and many others could call, proudly, a friend.

In 2009, Jimmy was elected senior vice-president of Australian Young Labor. Some will recall an evening briefing here at Parliament House in Canberra where a New South Wales convener laid down the three Ps of what it meant to be a member of the Right—progressive, principled and pragmatic—insisting that we bind together and that it's important that we stay together. Jimmy, however, without missing a beat, responded, 'Yeah, nah, I'm from Victoria, and we don't bind.' As you can imagine, the room burst into laughter. Jimmy had a presence that could light up a room without demanding attention. He had a rare gift: making you feel seen, heard and important just by being himself.

He was the very first person that I employed when I was appointed as a senator of Victoria on 6 March 2019. After leaving in 2023 to work with Responsible Wagering Australia, he returned to my office at the start of this year to assist me with the federal election. Jimmy was more than a political ally; he was family. He deeply believed in the labour movement, not as an abstract cause, but as a living, breathing mission to uplift working people, to create fairness and to drive collective action. He lived those values every single day.

While completing his arts degree at Monash University, Jimmy served as president of the Monash Labor association, education officer at the Monash Student Association and welfare officer at the National Union of Students. He travelled overseas in 2009 as part of a study tour to Israel with the Australian-Israel and Jewish Affairs Council—AIJAC—fellowship program. James was a staunch supporter of the State of Israel and the United States's alliance with Australia, even when those views weren't always shared with comrades in the movement.

After finishing at NUS, and his degree in politics, Jimmy worked for former senator Jacinta Collins, first as an electorate officer, then as an assistant adviser focusing on disability in schools. He later held roles at the Catholic education office in Melbourne and worked for several state MPs, including as an adviser to the then Victorian deputy premier and education minister.

Outside of work, James had two great loves: sport and history. Watching a game with him was an experience full of passion and sharp commentary. When the match ended, he'd switch seamlessly to a deep conversation about politics, history, or some random stats. Whether it was the AFL, cricket, soccer or rugby, Jimmy was always fully invested. Being part of the Rugby Club of Victoria gave him a chance to give back to a sport that brought him so much fulfilment. He would have had strong words about last weekend's Wallabies-Lions match at the MCG. No doubt, he'd still be fuming about the clear penalty that was not awarded to Australia in those dying minutes. I can just hear him saying, 'If that's not a penalty, what is?' And then there was Aussie Rules footy. A passionate Collingwood supporter through and through, you could spot him on game day with his Magpies scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. He was in his element at the MCG, often with a beer in hand at the Frank Grey Smith Bar in the MCC members reserve, riding every bump and cheering every goal. And, whilst James wasn't always known for his punctuality in my office, when it came to sport, he was always there early, scarf on and ready.

During the COVID pandemic, when so many of us felt isolated, we took regular walks during lockdown as we lived nearby. It became a ritual. True to form, Jimmy turned those walks into a journey through time, sharing the rich history of the local area as we wandered the streets of Hawthorn and its surrounds. He'd point out how Hawthorn Creek, now a drain, was once a natural waterway prone to flooding, or he'd show me the old inner circle or Kew train lines. Around this time, James and I became regulars at the Hawthorn RSL, a place where we quickly grew from visitor to valued member. He embraced the subbranch and its members as though he'd been there for many, many years. For Jimmy, it was never about obligation; it was about genuine care for the veterans and the comradery it fostered. From serving on the Melbourne Rebels Rugby Union government subcommittee, to serving as a personal tax advisory group member for the ATO, a Centrelink national student services group member, a City of Melbourne youth safety committee member and Victorian youth convener for the Australian Republic Movement, James gave his all, bringing passion and integrity to every single role.

It didn't matter if you were a veteran, a senior staff member or an intern, he treated everyone with the same respect. He was a mentor, not just in name but in action. His sudden passing in June is a heartbreaking reminder of how fragile life can be and how quickly someone, at the age of 38, with so much potential and full of promise, can be taken from us so soon. It was a moment of deep sorrow, but a privilege, to be by his side holding his hand in hospital as he left this world. I hope he knew how deeply he was loved, as was evident at his funeral.

To the friend who made burdens feel lighter, to the colleague who always had our back, to the mentor who lifted others quietly and humbly, and to the passionate believer in fairness who inspired us all to act boldly and love deeply—you are a man who loved history, who loved sport and who loved deep conversation and a beer with friends. Thank you for your unwavering support, old mate. We miss you, we love you and we'll never forget you. May you rest in peace, my mate. Vale, Jim.