Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Time is still being measured in weeks since the passing of one of our own, Tim Picton. The shock, the senselessness and the injustice continue to burn within everyone who knew him and who loved him. Tim's loss is devastating for no-one more than his daughter, Charlotte, for Priya and for his close family. It is for my dear friends Chris—Tim's brother—and Chris's wife, Connie, for Tim's parents, Michael and Fiona; for his nieces and nephew; for his sister, Jo; and for his extended family, all of whom are in the deepest of grief and who will forever mourn his loss.

This is a grief felt, too, by many, many mates across Australia including those senators in this chamber tonight and many working in this building. It would be nice if the Hansard could show how many of his friends have come from offices across the building to be here to see this condolence speech. I acknowledge all of you in here tonight as well.

Tim made an extraordinary contribution to the Labor movement. In South Australia he was actually a bit of a hero to young and to old. He had an incredible pathway from his roles in South Australian Young Labor into the halls of parliament on the campaigns of some of our biggest figures in South Australia. I know he remains an inspiration to so many in Young Labor still and to so many in our movement.

He was a campaign extraordinaire—so much so that the east coast simply couldn't win without him and nor could the west. He played a key role in the successes of Premier Andrews and then Premier McGowan after him, and South Australia is mighty proud. Tim was so deeply admired across our party as a brilliant strategist, and it is the absolute truest thing to say that he was one of the greatest national political talents of my generation and our generation here.

He had so much more to give, and he had so much more to give his daughter, his greatest joy and his proudest achievement, Charlotte. Charlotte was the apple of his eye, and Tim's brother, Chris, compared watching Tim with Charlotte to watching Bandit with Bluey—total presence and total joy. I know Tim was an absolutely wonderful uncle and godfather too, so to little Anna, to Alex and to Clara: I am so sorry for your loss as well. I know personally how much you loved your uncle.

When I think of Tim, I'm going to remember him as he was the last time I spent some time with him. He was looking shockingly handsome and super relaxed, wearing an absolutely beautiful suit that I couldn't help but touch and feel the thread count of. He was holding court in a group of incredibly powerful people with a big cheeky smile, being a total star. I know Tim's legacy will live on in the lives he has changed for the better, through the contribution he made to our movement, through the way all of his friends will remember and honour him and through his family—in his brother, Chris, especially, who fights, as Tim did, for working Australians every single day and in his precious daughter, Charlotte. Tim, may you rest in eternal peace.