Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

It's with the greatest sadness that I make this contribution to the Senate this afternoon in remembrance of one of my former staff, a colleague, a party stalwart, a business leader and, most importantly, a lost friend, Mr Tim Picton. Over these past weeks, much has been rightly celebrated about this loving young father, charismatic leader and brilliant strategist, taken from this world all too soon. Instead, in this short contribution, I honour and remember the intelligent, bright-eyed, ambitious and passionate young man who joined my staff over 16 years ago.

In providing some photos to his family, I realised that Tim had only been 19 years of age when he first started working for me. He always seemed much older—how do they describe it?—an old head on a young body. Having first started his professional journey where so many talented campaign leaders begin, under the tutelage of Amanda Rishworth, Tim joined my electorate team in 2009. As the 2010 election approached, and Labor battled Tony Abbott's opposition, it was the young Tim Picton who drove the campaign in the blue-ribbon seat of Boothby, which Labor now holds, forcing the Liberals to scramble on the defensive.

He worked for me across the Gillard government, joining my small team of advisers when I was made the parliamentary secretary for water. In that time, my duties took us both to Uluru, to celebrate the anniversary of its return to the traditional owners, and later to Samoa, where we managed to climb up to the grave of author Robert Louis Stephenson. Both are cherished memories.

In 2012 he joined the ranks of the South Australian state government, recruiting his own replacement to my electorate team, Mr Ben Rillo, who's now my chief of staff. He'll be around the place here somewhere. I'm told that the first piece of advice Tim gave to his young replacement was, 'Don wants us to build relationships across the building, even if that means you're late and hungover on a Thursday of a sitting week.' I'm not sure that was the instruction I'd given to Tim, but apparently that's what he reported to others.

In 2014 he met his future wife, Priya Brown, where all great relationships start: campaigning for the South Australian branch of the Labor Party. With a move to Melbourne, and joining the Victorian government, Tim and Priya became great friends with my daughter Tess and her partner, Jono. On hearing of Tim's condition, Tess and Jono were amongst the close friends that travelled to Perth to assist where they could and read to Tim a message from both me and my wife. His eyes opened when that happened.

After yet another successful election, I was one of many who convinced him to move to Perth, his wife Priya's hometown, and take up the mantle of the WA Labor secretary. In addition to all of his achievements, he ran the McGowan campaign to deliver the best result Labor had ever had in Western Australia. But he bragged of a bigger achievement: his daughter, Charlotte, who completed the young family four years ago. There was no competitor in his mind to Charlotte, and we could all see this on his face whenever they were together. There are some beautiful photographs of them together.

Tim's passing is nothing short of a senseless tragedy. Tim achieved so much in his short life but had so much more to give—to our movement, to his family and to this country. That won't happen now, and I personally feel so deeply sad about that. We stayed in touch for all the years since he started working for me, and it's so sad that there will be no more calls, no more texts—generally late at night—and no more long lunches. I want to make special mention of Mr Chris Ellison and the MinRes team, who were there and who have continued to be supportive of Priya and Charlotte in these past weeks.

Tomorrow Tim's daughter, Charlotte, attends her first day of kindy in Perth. Years from now I hope she reads the contribution in this place and knows how much her father meant to us all and, importantly, how much she meant to him. May Tim Picton rest in eternal peace.