More than 500 people gathered at Melbourne Town Hall on Wednesday for a state memorial service honouring Tim Read, the Victorian Greens MP remembered by colleagues as a man of integrity, compassion and principle.
More than 100 cyclists rode through the city before the service, reflecting the Brunswick MP’s habit of arriving by bicycle at climate rallies and community forums. Friends watching from the roadside said: “That’s what Tim would’ve done.”
Greens leader Ellen Sandell told mourners that Dr Read was known within the party as “Mr Integrity”.
“He was fundamentally decent and he made others want to be decent too,” she said.
Dignitaries, parliamentary colleagues, constituents and members of Dr Read’s family gathered at the Melbourne venue, many wearing green. Victorian Premier Ben Carroll, Deputy Premier Gabrielle Williams, Opposition Leader Jess Wilson and Nationals leader Danny O’Brien were among those who attended.
Dr Read died aged 64 on September 19, surrounded by his family, after a public battle with metastatic skin cancer. The cancer had spread from a melanoma removed six or seven years earlier.
Former Greens MP Samantha Ratnam, who hosted the service, said Dr Read had spent his final weeks at home with his family, receiving visitors and looking out over a garden he was determined to see rebuilt.
Tributes to Tim Read’s public service
Before entering state politics, Dr Read worked as a GP and medical researcher specialising in the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections. He also briefly worked in journalism as a cadet at The Age.
He made political history in 2018 when he became Brunswick’s first non-Labor state representative. In January, he announced his cancer diagnosis and said he would not seek re-election at the November state election.
His son Martin described him as “Brunswick’s dad”, saying his father had been a parent to many people in the community.
“He was a great dad and we have the absolute privilege of being able to share that with everyone else here who has a Tim Read story, because he was a dad to many – he was Brunswick’s dad,” he said.
Martin added that he was sure his father would have expected mourners to travel to the service by bicycle or tram.
Dr Read’s sister Ursula remembered growing up with her older brother in Melbourne and being introduced by him to the music of Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd. She also recalled his intelligence and his determination to make a difference.
“I would tell people, ‘Tim doesn’t want to be a health reporter, he’s going to change the world’,” she said. “I’m greatly comforted that Tim did get his chance to change the world.”
“He would be happy with this legacy.”
Mr Carroll described Dr Read as a man of principle, compassion, intellect and integrity.
“Tim stood for what he believed in and he never sat down,” the premier said. “His advocacy helped make Victoria a better place.”
In parliament, Dr Read was particularly associated with his work on transparency and oversight. He led the Integrity and Oversight Committee, which helped strengthen Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog.
His political advocacy also contributed to reforms including pill testing, the abolition of public drunkenness laws, allowing gay men to donate blood and a statutory ban on solitary confinement in prisons.
“Many of these reforms will not carry his name, but his fingerprints are all over them,” Ms Sandell said.
Dr Read is survived by his wife Angela, children Louisa and Martin, his mother and two sisters. The 90-minute service ended with the Keytones Choir performing Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides and Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’.
