Peter Khalil (Wills, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Monday, we lost a giant of the union and labour movement with the passing of David Cragg. David's career and achievements spanned decades. Everything he contributed to our movement and through his enduring legacy could not possibly fit into 90 seconds, but I will do my best to capture what a great man he was. He served at the Australian Workers Union in Victoria from 1991 to 2009 and then became, at Victorian Trades Hall Council, its assistant secretary from 2009 to 2018. Importantly, he developed a deep passion for representing people injured at work and the safety of workers. He advocated fiercely for workers' rights to adequate compensation, and this was an issue that he remained passionate about long after his retirement.

David was also an avid historian of the Labor Party and labour movement. Whether it was through his written words or in an animated account at a union meeting, he told our history with a compassion and fervour that few seldom could. You always walked away from time with David feeling enriched and enlightened with a newfound appreciation for our movement and our party. So many people share my memory of a man who shared his humour, his knowledge and his insights. He was generous with his time. David's contributions to the labour movement were immense. The impact of his work is felt by people across Australia. It is a testament to the incredible person he was. He lived his values with a profound and deep commitment. All of us who knew David—his family, his friends, the entire AWU and labour movement—will miss him very deeply. Vale, David.