Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Rank-and-file members are the lifeblood of the Australian Labor Party. Of those nearly 500 members who faithfully and energetically serve our party, the life members occupy a truly special place. So, when we lose one of their rank, we pause to remember and respect their contribution. Today, I seek to do this for Cecil Henry Hurndell. To people delighted to know the man, he was known as simply as Cec. Cec left us on 21 July—an event that deeply affected many. Softly spoken, modest, good humoured, yet passionate about his beliefs and his politics, Cec left a mark on many. It is why so many rank-and-file members gathered to mourn his passing. They were joined by the present Mayor of Blacktown, Stephen Bali; past mayor Councillor Charlie Lowles and other councillors; my friend and predecessor Roger Price; and former state MP Richard Amery and his successor, Edmond Atalla. And there were friends from times past—former member for Banks Daryl Melham and former state MP Alan Ashton also made their way to the ceremony to pay respects to a true believer. It speaks of the great esteem in which Cec was held. That day, those gathered heard beautiful words from those that loved him deeply.

Among Cec's greatest passions were his family and his extended family in the Labor Party. Intensely interested in politics and its inner workings, he joined our party in 1960. His interest in politics was sparked after hearing the words of a firebrand of the time, Sydney MP Eddie Ward. After moving out of Panania and transferring to Rooty Hill, Cec quickly established himself as a regular attender of branch meetings. An active participant in discussions, he served on the Rooty Hill branch executive for nearly all of the time that he was in that branch.

In 2003—at the annual conference of the New South Wales Labor Party—Cec was awarded life membership, following 40 years of dedicated service. He was proud of this award and wore his life membership badge at all Labor functions. Nephew Geoff Nicholls concluded his eulogy by remarking on how Cec was a great man who put everyone else ahead of himself. This was echoed in his service to the Labor Party and in his consistent raising of issues that affect people in our community. Always striving for a better go and a fairer society, he always saw elected representatives as expressing the will and wish of members—and he made sure he kept us all very well grounded.

I mentioned Cec's membership of the Rooty Hill branch. It meets every second Friday of the month, and Cec would invariably sit in the same spot: on the table that ran parallel to the far wall of the meeting. Some nights, elected representatives would receive a volley of tough questions and you would always have to be quick on your feet. Some nights you would think you were lucky and reckon you could get away with no tough questions, but just as you went to resume your seat you would see a slow arm and a crooked finger raise to get the attention of the chair. It was Cec, primed with a cheeky smile and a lateral question. Physically absent, but vividly present, with fondness and respect, remains Cec Hurndell. Vale one of life's true gems.