I acknowledge the passing of a remarkable individual and stalwart of the labour movement, James Thomas Carlin Brassil, known to all as Jim. Jim passed away on 2 December 2024 at the age of 94, leaving behind a legacy of unwavering service and dedication. As a life member of the Australian Labor Party, Jim's life was a testament to steadfast service to the betterment of public life. He held many titles and qualifications. First and foremost, he was a proud South Sydney Rabbitohs supporter. He was a member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal, president of the Industrial Relations Society of Australia, president of the parish council at St Patrick's, Mentone, first chairman and CEO of Worksafe Australia, recipient of the Order of Australia in 1989 and, like many notable names that have been through this place, president of NSW Young Labor.

But Jim's impact went far beyond his professional titles. He was a passionate advocate for education and spent more than 20 years teaching science, economics and mathematics across New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria. Most notably, Jim was appointed personal secretary—or, as it is more commonly known today, chief of staff—to then Deputy Prime Minister Lance Barnard in the early days of the Whitlam Government, and loyally served in that position until the Dismissal. In fact, Jim played a pivotal role in perhaps the most memorable moment of the Dismissal. On 11 November 1975, as Prime Minister Gough Whitlam stood on the steps of Old Parliament House and gave the now legendary "Well may we say" speech, it was Jim who made sure those words were heard. He was amongst the scrum of journalists, politicians, staffers and other hangers-on, ensuring the microphone was plugged in and stayed in during the proceedings.

I got to know Jim because he spent the past decade or so at the Tobruk RSL LifeCare facility in Austral in my electorate. Every Tuesday, the residents of Tobruk would catch a minibus to a local Chinese restaurant. That restaurant was in the same shopping complex as the office of Anne Stanley, the Federal member for Werriwa. I was Anne's chief of staff for about four years, and Jim would occasionally pop in on Tuesday for a chat and to compare notes on how working for a Federal MP may or may not have changed over the past five decades or so. If you knew Jim, you knew his many famous stories: the aforementioned working for Lance Barnard; his role on the steps of Old Parliament House during the Dismissal; his days as president of Young Labor; and his many achievements, including the establishment of WorkSafe and banning smoking in the workplace under the Fraser Government.

One of our shared passions was the many tragedies and triumphs of the mighty Bunnies. One of my last chats with Jim was during my preselection for Leppington. It took a few goes to get onto him, and when I did, I discovered why: he had recently moved from Tobruk to the care facility next door, as his health had taken a bad turn. He apologised that he would be unable to vote in the preselection, as he was too unwell, but did wish me all the best. He then proceeded to tell me about the many preselections he had been involved in over his many years in the Labor Party. Jim was always the storyteller.

Jim was the beloved husband of Teresa, and a father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and uncle. I extend my deepest condolences to his family. Jim will be sorely missed. Like many of us in this place, I often get approached by young people who tell me they want to be politicians. When they do, I make it a point to tell them two things. First, being a politician is a tough gig and not everyone is cut out for it. The long hours take you away from family and friends. You lose your anonymity. Random people feel they have the right to call you all kinds of things, especially on social media. Second, there are other ways to contribute to politics and the public good besides being a politician. To boot, you usually get to keep your anonymity and those important moments with family and friends, and it can often pay better. I point to Jim as a perfect example of a person who did not go through the usual path of becoming a politician, but who did work in politics. His legacy shows the immense impact one person can make through politics and public life over the course of many decades. Rest in peace, Jim.