Mike Kelly (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence Industry and Support) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Berowra for bringing forward this motion. He and I have worked together on issues relating to the prevention of suicide. I think we've both been inspired by the example of Jeremy Spinak. I want to acknowledge the presence of Rhiannon here. Our hearts and thoughts are with you through this time.

It is very hard to speak about Jeremy in five minutes and encapsulate and do justice to the man. It's just not possible. But I do acknowledge and recognise the wonderful speech that Rabbi Kamins gave at the memorial service at Woollahra. He struggled to work his way through that speech, which really, I think, embodied the emotion at this loss that we all felt that day. I personally feel it greatly as well. Jeremy worked with so many people across the spectrum of politics and the spectrum of our lives. That was really what Jeremy was all about: Jeremy was a bridge builder. And no more important work can be done in this world at the present time, with the divisions and rifts and problems that we face, than the work of bridge building. In the Jewish faith there's a wonderful concept, tikkun olam, which is all about healing the world. There was no better embodiment of that principle than Jeremy. He took that obligation personally and strove every day, in every way, to deliver on that central tenet, that commitment. He did it across the spectrum, reaching out to people in faiths where sometimes there have been journeys to progress and get over historical anomalies and impediments. He laboured long and hard in the marriage equality debate and on issues like child protection, and he achieved magnificent outcomes in all of those battles that he fought.

It was mentioned that there was a minute's silence in Gladys Berejiklian's cabinet room, which was a wonderful tribute. But there was also a minute's silence in Michael Daley's New South Wales caucus room, which really illustrates and brings home the concept of Jeremy as a bridge builder in the political sphere. More than in just the political sphere, he was very actively engaged in interfaith and intercultural bridge building. In Sydney, with its wonderful diversity of communities, he embraced and celebrated that diversity. He showed the way forward to inclusion and the way to build understanding. At this time, when we're seeing extreme right-wing elements out there trying to give new life to anti-Semitism—the Nazis who have been responsible for attacks on my own electorate offices—there's never been more important work than dispelling the myths, the misinformation and the propaganda that groups like that are seeking to disseminate. We've seen their active attempts to infiltrate political parties recently. The eternal vigilance that we must exercise in tribute to Jeremy in that space has been brought home more starkly in recent times.

The other side of Jeremy that I want to celebrate, as well as commemorating him today, is his sense of humour. He was such a special person in that respect. He could defuse moments of tension and find that right moment to intervene with a point of wit. In fact, we exchanged text messages quite often during this period. In his last text message to me he joked about being at the 100th anniversary of the board in 2045. He was a very special person. As has been reflected here, he achieved more in 36 years than many people achieve in 100 years. It's incumbent upon us and we will strive to ensure that his young children understand the manner of man that was their father and their right to be proud of him—a pride we all share, having known Jeremy. His example will light our way for all our remaining days. He's physically gone but he will always be with us. Shalom, haver.

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