John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to associate myself with the remarks that my colleague Senator Hutchins has made about John Russell.  John Russell was a great Labor stalwart. I have to say that I have not always agreed with John. In fact, in the mid-1970s we were inevitably on different sides of many an internal battle in the New South Wales branch of the ALP. But in those days John Russell was very much a worthy factional opponent. While he was that, he was also always a very interesting person. He was bright; he was articulate; he was, at times, serious; he was, at times, funny. He was extraordinarily well read. He was a real thinker. In later years, we became friends. We served together for a number of years on the New South Wales Fabian Society executive—in fact, until his death last week.  His death is a terrible loss to the Fabian Society, a terrible loss to the Australian Labor Party and, of course, to his partner, Rune, and to all his friends.