Garth Hamilton (Groom, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I'd like to pay tribute to a much-loved member of the Toowoomba community who, sadly, passed away last month, Mr Graham Stephen Burstow. It would take more time than I have here to list every achievement of this talented local photographer and family man, but I'll do my best to condense his highly decorated and well-lived life into these few moments.

Graham started his journey behind the lens at the age of 17, being introduced to photography by his younger brother, Sydney, who had joined the Toowoomba Grammar School's camera club. He honed his talents and over the years was showcased at the National Library of Australia, the State Library of Queensland, the Queensland Art Gallery and, of course, Toowoomba's own Cobb and Co museum. He published several books of his prints and shared his immense knowledge of photography with other like-minded folks through the Toowoomba Photographic Society, of which he was a driving force. In fact, it was a member of this society, Mr Tim Dunn, who thoughtfully collected a history of Graham's life to prepare me for this speech. Part of that history includes a lengthy list of honours spanning from 1960 through to 2017. In 2004 Graham was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his services to photography, a magnificent achievement.

Graham's photos, particularly those of his family, allow us to see a little of life through his eyes. He captured raw moments of everyday life in Queensland that I believe will continue to change the way that we see the world. To finish with some of Graham's own words:

Our world is diverse and ever changing, filled with wonderfully interesting people. Let it touch you. Seek the profound meaning of life.

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