Steve Georganas (Adelaide, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

On 26 January, the electorate of Adelaide and, indeed, our nation lost a true legend and an angel: Sister Janet Mead passed away, leaving an impressive legacy.

She was born in Adelaide in 1938 and entered the Sisters of Mercy convent at the age of 17. After studying piano at the Adelaide conservatorium, she formed a rock band. In the 1970s, her famous rock masses at St Aloysius College, where she taught, caught the attention of record producers. Members may well remember the result: her 1974 rock version of The Lord's Prayer sold more than two million copies worldwide. Sister Janet was the first Australian artist to have a gold record in the US and was even nominated for a Grammy award, but lost out to Elvis Presley.

While music was one way she used to spread her faith, her life remained firmly dedicated to helping the homeless, the disadvantaged and those who were less privileged. She was an activist in every respect. She protested against the Vietnam War; she was outspoken when it came to injustices, including welfare cuts; she supported the stevedores during the waterfront dispute; and she fought Aboriginal disadvantage, unfair treatment of refugees—the list goes on and on. In 1985 she established the Adelaide Day Centre for Homeless Persons in the middle of the city, which today continues to support the homeless and anyone needing support through a range of vital services. I had the enormous pleasure of seeing her contributions personally through my many visits to the centre, especially during the pandemic. Sister Janet and others at the centre helped people, and the centre became a refuge for so many in need.

Sister Janet was, very deservedly, named 2004 South Australian of the Year in recognition of her work in caring for the homeless. But I believe it was the spirit in which she lived her life that will be her most lasting legacy. Most famously, she said: 'I'm a firm believer in protest songs. I'm a firm believer, also, in protest. When things aren't right, we have the right to sing about them and to speak about them.'

Rest in peace, Sister Janet Mead; you will be sorely missed in Adelaide. I, and all of us, thank her personally for everything she has done for those who are less privileged than we are. Her doors were always open to the homeless—she picked people up from the streets, assisted them, helped them and gave them some dignity. She was a true, true saint. Sister Janet Mead and her work will be remembered through the Adelaide day centre and all those involved in it. I'm very sad that I won't be able to attend the funeral service on Saturday, but she will be remembered forever and a day. (Time expired)

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