Page 1410 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 9 May 2017
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MR STEEL (Murrumbidgee) (10.34): I too rise to give my condolences and support to Jayson Hinder’s family. We have lost in Jayson a leader and contributor to our Canberra community. A former Hughes local turned champion of the north, where he lived for most of his life, Jayson served our community in his capacity as an officer of the court, as Chair of the Bendigo Bank, through his involvement in a variety of community groups, including the rugby community, and also as a member of this place, the Legislative Assembly.
I will remember Jayson mostly for his utmost kindness at the time of my own brother’s death, also in a road accident in the desert of a faraway place. The kindness that Jayson showed during that time was something that my family and I appreciated greatly, and we have been reflecting on that this week.
I know that when someone passes away overseas it can be particularly difficult, but the kindness of strangers often makes such a difference. I was touched to hear from ACT Veterans Rugby Union that a local resident of Ludlow, California, upon hearing the tragic story of Jayson’s accident in the desert on the local news, and worrying that he was alone without family nearby to say goodbye, travelled to the scene and placed some flowers where Jayson had passed away.
I will fondly remember Jayson for his sense of humour and camaraderie, particularly as a fellow Labor candidate at the election last year, where I would often bump into him quite late at night on the campaign trail.
Jayson’s family can be proud of his achievements in this place. He will also be remembered here for his commitment to social justice, which he brought to his role as an MLA last term. As members of his party, we will continue to mourn deeply the loss of one of our own and continue to progress work on social justice issues. My thoughts will continue to be with Jayson’s family during this most difficult time.
MR RAMSAY (Ginninderra—Attorney-General, Minister for Regulatory Services, Minister for the Arts and Community Events and Minister for Veterans and Seniors) (10.36): Madam Speaker, alongside my Assembly colleagues today, I rise to pay tribute to Jayson Hinder. Jayson’s contribution to the Assembly and to ACT Labor has been, and will be, spoken of by others. As central as it was to who Jayson is for each of us, it is not the particular area of Jayson’s contribution to the Canberra community that I intend to concentrate on, though I do wish to note that his early death has had a particularly significant impact on those who worked with him in this place and throughout the party: his colleagues, his staff and his co-workers. To each and every one of them I offer my deepest concern and my support.
Jayson Hinder was strongly and deeply committed to making this community a better place. It was in this regard that I first met him, as he volunteered his time for a community project in west Belconnen. It was a project known as the Mower Shed, where people who do not have access to gardening equipment and who could not afford to purchase it could borrow some and could potentially access other forms of support as well.
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