Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to 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.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise tonight to pay tribute to Tim Picton. Tim was a beloved father, husband, brother and son to his wife, Priya; his daughter, Charlotte; his parents, Fiona and Michael; his sister, Jo; his brother, Chris; his grandmother, Ruth; his parents-in-law, Shavita and Murray; his sisters-in-law, Connie and Natara; and his nieces and nephew, Anna, Clara and Alex. It's a heartbroken family, but beyond that heartbroken family is a heartbroken Labor family.

Tim Picton left his mark around the nation on our movement. He showed enormous promise as the president of Young Labor in South Australia. He worked, as Don said, in the offices of my cabinet colleagues, Amanda Rishworth and then Don himself. He was part of Dan Andrews's election campaign in Victoria and then worked in his government. Then, as the state secretary of Western Australian Labor, he directed the campaign for one of the biggest landslides in Australian history, delivering the re-election of Mark McGowan in 2021. It was a famous victory, a victory that transformed the political landscape in Western Australia, the kind of victory that bears legends. And he went on to drive a strategy tailored to Western Australia in the 2022 federal election that was central to our success, with a gain of four seats in Perth. But he was just getting started. He was 36, and we all knew he was destined for even greater success. A world of opportunities lay ahead of him, and Tim had shown an ability to achieve whatever he set his mind to.

I had the privilege of working with Tim on many occasions. We were often on the same strategy caucus, and I'd see him when I was in Perth. He always brimmed with energy and enthusiasm. He networked relentlessly. He knew who everyone was and he made sure you talked to the right people. What was clear was this: he always had purpose, he always had a plan and he was always determined to win. But he did know that winning is a collective task for Labor people; it is never a solitary pursuit. It is a very special thing, a meaningful thing, to be in the political trenches with your comrades and to come through battle and hardship together—the connection, the loyalty, the solidarity it fosters, to struggle together and to succeed together in the contest of ideas. His love of that contest was also a love of the many talented, hardworking and principled people with whom he worked.

The many people in our Labor family are in a state of terrible grief, terrible pain, whether their time with Tim was in Young Labor or campaigns in SA, Victoria or WA. Here in this place I want to share my sincerest condolences with them. There are too many to name them all, but I do want to particularly recognise Senator Whitaker, who worked with Tim, and also my South Australian colleagues, to whom my heart goes out, Minister Rishworth and the whole Farrell family. Senator Farrell spoke very movingly a moment ago. I know this has been very deeply affecting for him, Nimfa and Tess, who were very close to Tim. I also want to recognise Senator Farrell's chief of staff, one of the most highly esteemed people in this place, who has been close to Tim and Priya for many years, along with many other friends of Tim, who are grieving—Andrew, Jonathan, David, Hannah, David, Robbie, Mark, Mikaela, Simone and many more.

It is always hard to lose someone. It is hard to lose a friend and a comrade in such harrowing and senseless circumstances. It is a profound and devastating shock. So I extend my personal sympathies to all my friends and colleagues who are grieving. And to Tim's family: my deepest condolences for your immeasurable loss. But perhaps most of all, all our hearts break for young Charlotte, the love of Tim's life, who turned four while her father was in the Royal Perth Hospital ICU. As Don spoke about, the Prime Minister wrote a letter to Charlotte so that when she is older she will know what she meant to Tim and what he did for our party and our country.

At the memorial in Perth, Tim's sister, Jo, said that Tim's essence was 'there from the very beginning'. She said:

Two and a half weeks early and in typical Tim style, he came in a dramatic rush despite being scheduled for a caesarean. … always doing things his own way, in his own time—

that restlessness, that eagerness to make things happen that has helped shape our nation.

We will never know what this extraordinary man would have done with a longer life, but anyone who knew him knows that his legacy and his legend were just beginning. Rest in peace, Tim Picton.

Ellie Whiteaker (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's an honour to speak tonight about my friend and our comrade Tim Picton. When I first heard that Tim Picton was going to be the next state secretary of WA Labor I was a little wary; I'll be honest. I thought, 'Here we go: another bloke from the east coast Right coming to WA to tell us what to do!' Tim would have stopped me here and insisted that he was not from the east coast; he was a South Australian—and he would have wanted that clarified in the Hansard. But, as far as I was concerned, he wasn't from WA, and I really didn't want to like him. But it took all of about five minutes for him to win me over, because that was Tim. He could easily win just about anyone over. It's one of the things that made him so successful—in government, in campaigning and in the private sector.

Tim's sharp intellect, his strategic brain and his unending commitment to Labor values made him a brilliant state secretary and an exceptional campaign director. Tim was meticulous. He would spend days writing campaign ads. He'd obsess over them and he'd tweak them and he'd tweak them again and he'd tweak them again. His best work was what we referred to in the party office as the Mark McGowan movie trailer. It was really long—much longer than it needed to be and much longer than a campaign ad should be. It gave everyone who watched it goosebumps, which is pretty weird for a campaign ad. It was meant for the campaign launch, but Tim insisted that we just 'chuck it up online and see how it goes', despite our protests that it was far too long and far too soppy. But of course it ended up being our best-performing ad in the campaign.

I've been trying to find some pictures of us all together, the team on election night in 2021 and 2022. We took so many, but Tim is barely in any of them, because he was still at the computer in the tally room obsessing over the numbers and hoping we'd get just one more seat over the line. Tim was one of the hardest-working people I've ever worked with. He never stopped. My time working with Tim were some of the best years of my career. I learnt a lot from him, and we achieved a lot together. There's so much to be proud of: the record-breaking state election win in 2021, followed by another record-breaking federal election win in 2022.

But I was most proud of our team—the teamwork, the camaraderie, the friendship. Tim led a team that worked hard and campaigned hard and, most importantly, a team that looked after each other. You don't always get that in politics, and you certainly don't always get that in a party office. But it was because of Tim's leadership that we still have those friendships. It was his leadership that fired us up every day, kept us going when things were hard and brought us together, regardless of age, faction, role or seniority. We were a close-knit group, and I think I speak for many of us when I say that I hoped we might one day work together again and win another election together. But, now, it wouldn't be the same without Tim. I want to say to all of those members of our team: I know you're all feeling this loss really hard. It is one that will be difficult to come to terms with.

A lot has been said about Tim's potential—rightly so—and what he could have done if his life hadn't been so tragically and cruelly cut short. I really hoped he might have been convinced one day to join us here in this chamber, because, selfishly, I'd have loved to have worked with him again. For our party and for our country, he would have been an asset. But I think it would have taken a bit of strong convincing to get him to enter politics as an elected member. The reality is he could have done anything. He was a highly respected member of the Perth business community, and he would have continued to excel there if that's the path he took.

Beyond his professional life, Tim was a really bloody good friend. He was generous and thoughtful, and he'd tell it to you straight. He was fiercely loyal. When he was stepping down as state secretary, he was very clear with the people around us that he wanted me to take on the job. He didn't have to do that, but it was his loyalty and commitment to bringing up others around him, to backing people in. The other thing about Tim was that he was really good at holding a baby—really good. He'd grab one at any opportunity and he'd usually get them to sleep in a flash.

By any measure, his loss is a loss for our party, for WA and for our country, but, mostly, it's a loss for his family. My heartfelt condolences go to his parents, Fiona and Michael, his brother, Chris, and sister, Johanna, his sisters-in-law and his nieces and nephews, who he loved so dearly. He talked about you in the office a lot. It was obvious that he came from a loving family and that he loved you all back.

To Priya and Charlotte: I'm devastated for you both. Priya, the two of you were formidable together. Charlotte is lucky to have you as her mum and, while she will miss out on so much in losing her dad, she's got a whole lot of love and fight and a stellar example of a loving and successful parent in you.

At Tim's funeral, his family asked for us to leave messages for Charlotte. I thought I'd give my message here and one day Charlotte can read in the Hansard.

To Charlotte: your dad was beaming with pride the day he told me he and your mum were expecting a little girl. He couldn't believe his luck. I think he was born to be a girl dad. He loved to dress up. He loved a good singalong, and he was pretty good at being silly. Anyone who saw the two of you together could see just how much he adored you. You've got a lot of your dad in you, but you've got a lot of your mum, too. And that means you're resilient and you're fierce. You'll go so far and do great things one day. Your dad was a true legend of the Australian Labor Party and a much loved and respected member of the WA Labor family.

I'm a better campaigner, a better political operator and a better senator because of Tim. So, to Tim, thank you. I'll miss you. We'll all miss you.

Varun Ghosh (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to pay tribute to Tim Picton, a devoted Labor organiser, a respected strategist, a generous colleague and friend and, above all, a loving husband to Priya and father to Charlotte. His passing has left a deep void in the Western Australia Labor family and far beyond.

There are many facets to a person's life, particularly a life like Tim's—a life that was long in achievement and cut heartbreakingly short. Tim was a comrade, an occasional legal instructor and, most importantly, a friend. Few individuals have shaped Labor's modern success in Western Australia as profoundly as Tim did during his time as state secretary. He played a pivotal role in delivering the historic 2021 Western Australian state election result—a victory that reshaped the Western Australian political landscape and provided the McGowan government with an unprecedented mandate to govern. That campaign was remarkable not only for the scale of its result but for its discipline, its clarity, the unity that Tim brought to the team and the hard work that he demonstrated.

It reflected his innate understanding of voters, his strong commitment to Labor values and his ability to bring together candidates, volunteers and staff around a shared purpose. The 2021 campaign also demanded steady leadership in uncertain times, a calm hand during a global pandemic—and that was Tim. Tim brought that same commitment to the 2022 federal election, where he played a crucial leadership role in our campaign efforts across Western Australia—a campaign that was central to the national result.

What was particularly notable about both those campaigns was Tim's swift and intimate grasp of the Western Australian mindset and outlook, which may on occasion differ from the outlook of our brothers and sisters in the east. The result was very Western Australian campaigns, reflecting Tim's conviction that election campaigns were ultimately about people.

Those who worked with Tim will remember that his professionalism, his strategic mind and his unflappable nature under pressure were often on display. We will also remember his kindness, for Tim was a mentor to many, particularly young organisers and staff finding their feet in politics. He took the time to explain, to listen and to encourage. He believed very deeply in the Labor movement, not only as a political force but as a community of people who look after each other. Beyond the campaigns and strategy documents, Tim had a fundamental decency. He treated colleagues, volunteers and opponents with respect. Working on legal cases on behalf of the Labor Party with Tim, it was impossible not to be struck by his intelligence, his quick grasp of subject matter, his robust interrogation of advice and his sound judgement, which was particularly impressive, occurring as it did outside his own professional field.

Tim was also a friend, and he had a wonderful capacity for friendship. His warmth, his genuine fondness for people, and his curiosity about their lives and what shaped them made him an incredibly likeable person. From prime ministers to premiers to mates of mates at the front bar at the Wembley Hotel in Perth, we all saw a part of us in him and treasured his affection. Tim's energy was palpable and infectious. He had a singular ability to bring a room to life simply by entering it. We will all miss the Picton bear hug—whether at the pub, a state conference or a formal dinner—performed without inhibition and with genuine excitement.

Tim was a devoted and loving father to Charlotte. Tim spoke of Charlotte often and with such immense pride. Charlotte is only four years old and far too young to comprehend the scale of what has happened, but she will grow up knowing that her father made a significant contribution across the country. He helped shape a better state and nation and he did so with decency, compassion, care and love. Tim's legacy lives on through her and through the countless people whose lives and careers he touched.

There are some words of George Eliot that seem appropriate, and I would like to read them today. Eliot wrote:

O May I join the choir invisible

Of those immortal dead who live again

In minds made better by their presence: live

In pulses stirr'd to generosity,

In deeds of daring rectitude, in scorn

For miserable aims that end with self,

In thoughts sublime that pierce the night like stars,

And with their mild persistence urge man's search

To vaster issues.

So to live is heaven:

To make undying music in the world,

Breathing as beauteous order that controls

With growing sway the growing life of man.

Farewell, Tim. May he rest in peace, and may we honour his memory by continuing the work he believed in so deeply.

Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to 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.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As a mark of respect, I ask senators to join in a moment of silence.

Honourable senators having joined in a moment of silence—

Thank you, Senators.