Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about two Tasmanians, brothers, who both recently passed away, unfortunately, and I would like to formally pass on my condolences to their families. Both brothers contributed so much to the Tasmanian community. I want to acknowledge their contributions and, just as importantly, to acknowledge their wives and families because, without them, they would not have been able to do so much. Ronsley and Graeme Beams were a team, just as Nancye and Alan Beams were a team.

The first of the brothers was Alan Beams, and today I would like to take the opportunity to speak briefly about his life, his achievements and the impact he had on so many Tasmanians. Sadly, he passed away in May this year. Alan Beams was known more fondly by me and so many others as 'Captain'. He was a down-to-earth man who reflected the true Australian spirit. He grew up in Beaconsfield, and from a young age was described by many as a real character and as larger than life, and he was indeed.

Alan was part of a very community-minded family. His brother Graeme Beams, who passed away in January this year, gave 26 years of service to the Launceston City Council. Graeme was elected to the council eight times in his life. He served as an alderman, and as deputy mayor and mayor of the city of Launceston. Current Launceston city mayor, Albert van Zetten, described Graeme well by noting that Graeme Beams always had the interests of the community members at heart. At Graeme's funeral he added, 'I think he's just been so passionate, he's really been wanting to work for people, he's been willing to take on hard issues, and he's just been a strong voice and a strong advocate for many people in the community.' The community pride that both of these brothers had is a testament to their upbringing, their pride in their home town and their insistence that their contribution was worthwhile. Alan will perhaps be remembered most for the invaluable contribution he made to the Tasmanian community as a volunteer with the north-west road trauma support service. The service is a not-for-profit community based organisation comprised of a volunteer committee of people who recognise the need for such a service and who acknowledge the value of the service provided. The service provides the benefit of counsellors who specifically work with those affected by road trauma and who are familiar with common reactions to trauma and loss. Alan's participation in this organisation is a shining example of his caring nature.

I knew Alan from the mid-1980s when I returned to Tasmania and became actively involved again in that branch of the Labor Party. I always found Alan to be a straight talker. He said what he felt and he was not afraid to stand up for what he believed in. In my personal dealings with Alan I found him to be outspoken and not afraid to stand up for what was right. He had a fantastic sense of humour and his practical jokes were infamous across Australia. Senator Sherry is in the chamber now and I am sure that he, too, remembers Alan and his family very fondly. He was a great individual.

I recall a friend once telling me the story of Alan entering a local shop in Devonport on the north-west coast of Tasmania. He told the young girls behind the counter that he was from the head office and that he was so impressed with their service that he wanted them to close up the shop and have the afternoon off. And that is just what they did! Needless to say he had a keen sense of humour.

Alan also made some invaluable contributions to the Labor Party during his time as a member. He was a true legend who contributed to the party through his activities within the community and, as I said, he was someone who was prepared to stand up for what he believed in and to tell elected members and the officials of the party what he thought of any issue. Alan became a member of the Labor Party in 1979 and was an active and loyal member from that time on. In 1997 he was made a life member of the party—an honour bestowed on the most dedicated of members. Alan held a number of branch positions over the years, the most memorable of which was president of the Latrobe branch.

Alan will also be remembered by those who happened upon him on polling days. His contribution to the party on polling days can be described only as legendary. He could make a day of handing out how-to-vote cards into a fun, interesting and enjoyable day rather than a very long and boring one. He worked well with other people and he was a great contact. During most of the time that I knew Alan, I worked for various members and senators, and Alan was a great source of local knowledge. He had great communication skills, a great sense of humour, and at all times—I think Senator Sherry would agree—he was entertaining. He was very dependable. He had a vast variety of career paths through his life, trying his hand at anything from the local milkman to Hydro Tasmania. He had a great rapport with people, he had a great personality and he was a man we knew we could depend on. To his family, Alan will always be remembered as a loving and caring man. To his friends and colleagues, their memories of him will be of a dependable, honest and trustworthy man—just the sort of person you know you can rely on, in good times and bad. This is his legacy, and it is how we shall all remember Alan Beams in the years to come.

I believe it is important that we remember individuals like Alan and Graeme Beams for the contributions that they make, because without these people we would not have the strong communities that we do have. It is important that we acknowledge not just those who have served on local government or who have been elected to the Senate or to the state parliament; we should be acknowledging the true characters of our communities. It is interesting to note that Alan was fondly known as 'Captain' Beams and Graeme was well known as 'Scooter' Beams, because he was always here and always there. Graeme, while he was an alderman and the deputy mayor and Mayor of the Launceston City Council, he was always forthright with his views. He was apolitical; he dealt with all sides of politics, because his interest was in ensuring that he got the best outcomes for the local community. I think that each of us as senators and as individuals would like to be remembered by our communities as people who were able to be depended upon and who were trustworthy and honest. Both Alan and Graeme Beams have touched the lives of so many through their working lives, through their volunteer work and their activities within the Tasmanian community. We can all aspire to achieve such outcomes and to leave behind legacies as those two gentlemen have. Once again, they have left behind families who are still coming terms with their loss. I would like to again acknowledge both families, in particular their wives, Ronsley Beams and Nancye Beams, and thank them for the support they gave their husbands to support and work within our communities.