Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for External Territories) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the Sunday before last a group of friends gathered at our house in Alice Springs to remember Phillip Toyne, who had passed away that weekend. Among them was Frannie Coughlan, Phillip's first wife and mother of their boy, Jamie. These friends had all known Phillip since the 1970s when Phillip arrived in Central Australia. After a decade he left, having made a huge impact on the lives of so many. A mate and former housemate said of him:

Vale, my old friend and housemate Phillip Toyne.

Phillip passed away today at the far too young age of 67. Many remember him from his days as head of ACF.

Many don't know that before that he was quite a true legal hero of the Warlpiri Nation (and Pitjantjatjara, Arrernte and quite a few others besides!) and before that a teacher at Haasts Bluff Aboriginal Community.

Indeed, Phillip did make a huge impact on the lives of many—never mind his role as head of the ACF, his role as joint architect of Landcare, along with the then NFF's Rick Farley, who has sadly left us, and his work with Bush Heritage Australia. Sadly and unfortunately, outside of those who do know about his life in Central Australia his work in the Centre is not widely understood and appreciated—his great work with the Pitjantjatjara Council with people such as Yami Lester, Kunmanara Thompson and Kunmanara Baker. Yami Lester said:

He's a great, great fella on land rights for Anangu, a very good friend of Anangu and a good talker.

His role in the development of the Pitjantjatjara Land Rights Act needs to be properly appreciated and in the transfer of the title at Ayers Rock. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the momentous day when Uluru was finally back in the hands of those who have owned it for tens of thousands of years previously.

Phillip was a contributor, a great strategic thinker. He was not without flaws—and I am sure none of us are—as those who knew him well would testify. But his brilliance affected so many. Simon Balderstone said, in a Sydney Morning Heraldarticle by Michael Gordon:

His combination of principle and pragmatism was simply brilliant and mightily effective.

Another good friend Peter Garrett said:

He was smart, politically savvy and highly principled—a rare combination in politics, whether you are inside or outside the tent.

I knew Phillip very well for a period of time when I first started to work in Central Australia. I was working the Pitjantjatjara lands of the north-west of South Australia and Phillip was one of the first professionals that I had engagement with. Indeed, he escorted me through that country on a number of occasions. We spent a lot of time together. I have to say that I was enthused by his knowledge and also his dedication and commitment. He turned out to be a very good advocate. He was sublimely good at understanding the nuances of politics and he achieved outcomes that hitherto would have been seen as unachievable.

I have mentioned the Landcare movement before, but successfully getting the Pitjantjatjara Land Rights Act through the South Australian Parliament and its impact and importance to the people of the north-west of South Australia need to really be properly understood. He was there at the time as a lawyer for the Pitjantjatjara Council, and subsequently there was his work at Uluru. I was at that grand celebration and I hope to be back for the 30th anniversary later this year.

Many Australians have felt sadness in Phillip's passing. He has left a huge footprint on our national landscape. None feel his loss more than his family: his wife, Molly; their boys, Atticus and Aaron; Jamie, his son with Frannie; his brother, Peter; and his family. Our thoughts and love are with you.