Melissa Parke (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to take this opportunity to remember Laurie Humphreys, a very significant and special resident of the City of Cockburn within my electorate of Fremantle, who passed away from cancer on 8 May 2012. I attended Laurie's funeral at Fremantle Cemetery last week on 15 May along with many of Laurie's family members, including his partner of many years, Frankie, and his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as his many friends, including the member for Swan.

In late 2009 I spoke of Laurie's experience during my contribution to the motion on the national apology to the forgotten Australians. Laurie was sent to Australia as one of many British child migrants in the middle of last century. From that kind of start in life, a childhood of hardship and dislocation, Laurie Humphreys went on to make an enormous contribution to community and public life in Western Australia as an active and successful unionist, a member of the Medina Branch of the ALP in Western Australia, and a long-time and influential Cockburn councillor. Laurie also formed FACT, Forgotten Australians Coming Together, and it was his staunch advocacy for forgotten Australians throughout Western Australia and nationwide that helped to put this miscarriage of justice into the public view.

In his book, A Chip Off What Block: A Child Migrant's Tale, Laurie talked about how extremely blessed he was in his life, despite his upbringing and despite never having had the benefit of a formal education. Laurie grew from a boy who was given very little in the way of love and care to a man who gave so much to his family, his community and to this nation, and I want to pay tribute to him in this place.

Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I also rise to speak about Laurie Humphreys and to add weight to the words of the member for Fremantle. I also attended the funeral last week, with the member for Fremantle and with my wife, and, in the very short time that I have, I would first like to acknowledge the selfless, never-ending work that Laurie did for the forgotten Australians and child migrants from the UK and Malta.

Unfortunately he passed away prior to seeing the naming of the service centre he fought so hard for and which, again, the member for Fremantle and I attended, the day after Laurie's funeral. His work and efforts for FACT, Forgotten Australians Coming Together, will not be forgotten. I am proud to be the patron.

Laurie had a rich life and I will now tell you a little bit about him. It was unfortunate that the member for Fremantle did not have time to get that in, because he did have a rich life and vast experience. In 1953, at the age of 20, Laurie was the secretary of the Northcliffe Branch of the Timber Workers Union. In 1962 he was the president of the Bakers Hill Primary School Parents and Citizens Association. He was also a foundation member of two branches of the Australian Labor Party.

While Laurie attained many positions within the union movement, perhaps some of his major achievements were his 17 years as vice president of the Western Australia branch of the Transport Workers Union, the four years he served on the executive of the Trades and Labor Council of WA, the eight years he served as the Transport Workers Union delegate to the state executive of the ALP, and the fact that he attended every ACTU congress of the Australian Council of Trade Unions from 1972 to 1988. Laurie was a great man, and I wish his family well. (Time expired)