CATRIONA ROWNTREE: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. And welcome to the state funeral service for the Honorable Thomas Tom William Roper. Some of you may recognise my face.
I shared a love of travel surprise, surprise, with Tom. My name is Catriona Rowntree.
Anita, thank you so much for asking me to be the emcee today.
Anita forgot to mention it was a state funeral. Found that out a couple of days later reading it in the paper.
So this will be interesting. As mentioned, it won't surprise you to know that Tom and I shared a love of travel, and my memories of Tom are full of laughter.
I know very little about Tom's former life in politics. So like many of you here today, I look forward to learning about the full and remarkable life of our dear Tom.
As your emcee, of course, I would like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we stand: the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and also to the Elders of the various Aboriginal
communities who are joining us here today. I would also like to acknowledge Anita, Tom's wife, his children, who I've spotted throughout the audience Peter, Annabelle, Bronwyn, and their families, including Tom's grandchildren.
Welcome. Welcome to you. In the front row here we have Lily, Mackie, Tom, Tuppence, Primrose, Gabe, Harry and Molly. Tom's sisters who are joining us via Zoom, Cathy and Claire, their families are here with us today as well. Tom's cousins, I believe. Here too are Paul and Naomi and their families.
Cathy has ill health at the moment, I believe. And Anita and Claire are overseas. But as mentioned, there are various people who are joining us via Zoom.
A warm welcome to you. Anita is so grateful to all of you for being here today in this magnificent room. So many of you have travelled such a long way.
My friend Peter Yates, I know that you've flown in from a wedding in Europe. There will be coffee after, I promise.
Loads of coffee after this today. I would, of course, like to pay our respects to our dignitaries who are here today, Brigadier Robert Marsh, representing the Governor-General of Australia, Professor James Agnes, Lieutenant Governor of Victoria, the Honourable Dan Andrews, who joins us, the Premier of Victoria, so lovely to see you here today.
We also have former premiers here today as well, the Honourable John Brumby and Dr Rosemary McKenzie.
The Honourable Jeff Kennett is here with us too. Current and former members of Parliament.
And of course, as I look out, we have so many family, friends and colleagues of Tom joining us here.
To begin formally our service here today, I am honoured to welcome Wurundjeri Elder, Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin to welcome us to Country. Thank you so much, Aunty Joy.
(APPLAUSE)
AUNTY JOY MURPHY WANDIN: I would like to begin today by saying that I wear this coat in with beautiful Aboriginal art designs in memory of a very dear friend and a former boss.
I'm very sad that he's passed. I'm extremely happy to have had the opportunity to work alongside of him. And also my apology from Terry Garwood, who he and I spent...
I think Terry spent maybe a year or something more than myself, but at least two years with Tom.
And he was a man well, well before the time that anyone would have dreamed of such a strong campaigner for us. But of course, we all know that he was a man of word.
He was a man that wanted to change things. He was a man that absolutely valued the environment, the country, and, of course, our connection with Country. So I simply wanna say to you, Tom, it's very fitting that your service is being held this week during National Aboriginal and Islander Week.
And I hope to God you can hear everything that's being said about you or thought about you today.
I haven't seen Tom for a long time, but he will always be with me as one of the greatest campaigners.
And look what he's done. Look what we do today for our community.
Just the presence of being recognised and the way in which people accept us today, the way in which we feel that we're a part of Country that we truly belong here is something that he started and never will be forgotten.
So I want to pay my respects to you and his family. I'd also like to pay my respects to our Ancestors, our Elders, our communities, and thank them for this wonderful opportunity.
As I said earlier, that, you know, it is something that not only Tom campaigned for, but was so strong beside us, walking beside us, helping us get through the government channels, but also to make us feel strong enough along with other special people, special ministers that are here today, that have followed through with him, with his thoughts and so much more with his genuine love for everything that I've mentioned. But I would like to pay our respects to all past Elders and communities that have been with us forever and of course, will be here forever.
Whatever forever is, when you mention thousands of years, it's hardly something that I can even comprehend.
But if it's a lifetime that we both can share and be equitable in and appreciate and respect each other, then we've come a long way. I also would like to say that not only did I work for Tom, but the thing that was really one of the biggest things that happened was his initiation
of Aboriginal and Islander Heritage Protection Act. And of course here in the State of Victoria, Part Two.
I had the privilege of working, travelling around all the communities across Victoria and knowing that I had a firm shoulder to lean on.
And today that's what happens is, is that wonderful protection of not only of us still here today, but of the gathering of the skeletal remains of our people that now have a proper resting place.
It's one of those things in life that we talk about so easily about, you know, what happened to us. But what happened to those who are not here, but what happened to those who suffered the brunt of the impact of colonisation.
I also wanted... I've made some notes because I really feel very emotional.
But the thing for me about Tom - and I think I've already said it, so I'm not gonna worry about my notes - but, you know, my walk in life has been opportunities everywhere.
And I'm so glad that I've had those wonderful opportunities. And one of those is, of course, to welcome you to Country and that through the gift of the manna gum, the beautiful gift that we've all been given.
And a message that not only does it come from the First Nations people, but it is about what we've been given and how we today working together, then we should be able to hopefully give back and also allow a better environment, as Tom wanted and certainly did so much toward that that we give back life to this country, life to all the beautiful insects and animals that deserve it. And then also for an opportunity for others to learn about our culture along the way. I'm gonna take a leaf especially for Tom.
And say thank you again. (SPEAKS IN-LANGUAGE) Tom. Not that I ever called him Tom.
Maybe behind the doors or something. You know, when you're running away and you kind of said, no, come back and do it. I want something different. But always met a smiling face so was never, ever worried about going back into that door. But this life is for you and can't ever thank you enough.
And I know all of our community is exceptionally proud of you. As I said before, we're sorry.
And our journey will always be a struggle.
But there's so many people in this room that have followed on from Tom that I'm very grateful for and had the privilege to work alongside that. Our journey will be a struggle, always challenging because we are the minority. But that's they've joined us in our heart and I thank them very much.
This gift is to welcome you from tops of the trees to the roots of the earth.
And also to say that joining us, we consider that a privilege.
We hope you do and our language is the Woiwurrung.
(SPEAKS IN-LANGUAGE).
You are most welcome to the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri Woiwurrung people.
Thank you. (APPLAUSE)
CATRIONA ROWNTREE: Thank you so much, Aunty Joy. That was beautiful. And you're quite right.
So poignant that we are here in this week in this building. Your words meant so much.
And as I mentioned at the start, we are going to learn so much about almost the duality of this remarkable individual who I only called Tom. You never called him Tom? I only called him Tom. The learning begins. Thank you. It is a privilege that you are here.
Ladies and gentlemen, if I could please ask for you to stand now as we sing our national anthem.
And we have here our wonderful singer, Gouri Singh. Hello.
('AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM' BY GOURI SINGH STARTS)
# Australians all let us rejoice
# For we are young and free
# We've golden soil and wealth for toil
# Our home is girt by sea
# Our land abounds in nature's gifts
# Of beauty, rich and rare
# In history's page let every stage
# Advance Australia fair
# In joyful strains then let us sing
# Advance Australia fair
# Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
# We'll toil with hearts and hands
# To make this Commonwealth of ours
# Renowned of all the lands
# For those who've across the seas
# We've boundless plains to share
# With courage let us all combine
# To advance Australia fair
# In joyful strains then let us sing
# Advance Australia fair #
('AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM' BY GOURI SINGH STOPS)
CATRIONA ROWNTREE: Thank you, Gouri. Beautifully done.
This afternoon, we gather to honor and share our cherished memories of the wonderful Tom William Roper. Throughout today's service, we will hear tributes from the Honorable Daniel Andrews, the Premier of Victoria, the Honorable Robert Fordham, Dr Annabelle Roper, Tom's eldest daughter. We will hear from the Honorable John Thwaites and also Peter Yates as well.
The first tribute to Tom will be from the Premier of Victoria, the Honourable Daniel Andrews MP.
Would you please welcome him to the stage. (APPLAUSE)
DANIEL ANDREWS: Thank you very much. I'm honored to have been asked to read this poem.
'He is gone' by David Harkins.
"You can shed tears that he is gone, or you can smile because he lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that he'll come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all he's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see him, or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday, or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember only that he is gone, or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back.
Or you can do what he'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
Or you can do what he would want."
We are all grateful for a rich and full life of service and integrity.
Vale Tom Roper.
(APPLAUSE)
CATRIONA ROWNTREE: Thank you so much, Premier, for being here and for reading that beautiful poem. Today we are reminded of the significant impact that Tom made as a minister. It is quite clear to all of us that Tom genuinely wanted Victoria to simply be a better place. Everything that he did was motivated not by self-interest or self-gain.
He had a desire to make a difference and that was very apparent in his earlier life.
Now, many of you may know that Tom was actually born in Sydney. That's where he was born and bred.
He went to Sydney Uni, where he found his love of history and an absolute passion that carried him right throughout his life.
And it's something that we'll hear frequently about this afternoon. It was also at Sydney Uni that Tom became involved in politics and also with Indigenous issues. There is no doubt that his early years involved in student politics and activism set him down a path on a career in politics and made him determined to make a difference by implementing robust and progressive policies. We'll hear more about Tom's Drive and the difference that he made from our next speaker, the Honourable Robert Fordham, who was a member of the Cain and Kirner government alongside Tom. Robert first met Tom when they were both young men entering politics for the first time in Victoria in the early 1970s. They were young Labor stars and they contributed to the early groundwork to rebuild Labour and to win the 1982 election.
Would you please welcome the Honourable Robert Fordham?
(APPLAUSE)
ROBERT FORDHAM: It is indeed my privilege to accept this invitation from Anita to present this eulogy regarding our friend,
our colleague, and our comrade, Tom Roper.
My initial link with Tom was through our common involvement beginning about 1971, with the operation of the then infamous Victorian branch of the Australian Labor Party, followed by two decades together in the Victorian Parliament.
But as became the case with many others here today, our relationship ran far deeper than that.
Tom was born in Chatswood in Sydney and 16th of March 1945, the son of Bill and Cath Roper and was named Thomas William. But this very quickly morphed into Tom and has so remained.
As was mentioned a few moments ago, Tom has two sisters, Claire and Cathy, both of which are unable to be with us today as Claire is overseas. And Kathy's health issues do not allow her to travel.
But it's great that they are connected through Zoom.
Bill Roper was a truck driver and his work initially meant that his family spent time in both Sydney and Canberra before they returned to Hunters Hill in Sydney.
And from there Tom undertook his secondary education completed at North Sydney Boys High School.
Not surprisingly, Tom was a gifted student and, like many of our generation, became the first in his family to go to university, where he subsequently graduated from Sydney University with an arts honours degree majoring in history.
Tom became heavily involved in student affairs at university.
And this, of course, was a great period of student activism in Australia.
A key part of the growing tide challenging conservative governments in this country for their failure to address the very evident social needs of a rapidly growing and changing multicultural nation.
A challenge that was brought into particular focus by the Vietnam War and conscription.
In this (INAUDIBLE) it's not surprising that Tom's first job after graduating was within NUAUS, the National Union of Australian University Students.
In 1967, he was appointed as the National Aboriginal Affairs Officer and from 1968 to 70 was the education vice President of that significant union.
The union was headquartered in Melbourne and hence Tom made what became the fateful move that was to last for the rest of his life.
It was during this period that Tom met Marilyn. They subsequently married and had two daughters, Annabelle and Bronwyn, of whom he spoke with great pride throughout his life.
It was also during this period that NUAUS was published a very highly influential book was called 'The Myth of Equality', of which Tom was the author.
Tom depicted in words, pictures and statistics, the growing disparity of opportunity within this nation with particular reference to education in our metropolitan inner suburbs and for migrant and Aboriginal children.
This focus by Tom on equal opportunity and social need was to stay with him throughout his work and his life.
As I mentioned, the late 60s and early 70s were a period of great ferment in Australia.
And at the forefront of that was Gough Whitlam arguing that government should be in the vanguard of responding to the changing needs,
the ever evident changing needs of the nation.
The Labour split of 1955 had left the Labour Party, particularly in Victoria, with a focus on itself, a focus of internal power rather than leading
social change through parliaments. Gough and his growing band of supporters in Victoria turn that tide.
And new, younger, skilled and able candidates started to be pre-selected in winnable seats within the state of Victoria, of which Tom and I were among the first. I was in 1970 and Tom in 1973 in Brunswick.
As we well know, that trickle developed into a momentum.
And in 1976, John Cain, Steve Crabb and David White were elected, followed in 1979, Rob Jolly, Race Mathews and Evan Walker.
This was Tom was the foundation of that pattern and all of which went on to become senior ministers.
Tom was to serve in parliament for 21 years until his retirement in 1994.
Following that first election in 1973, Tom faced the hard grind of years in opposition, with particular responsibility as shadow minister in the health portfolio.
These were tough and frustrating years, but as always, Tom was resilient and resourceful.
And when government finally was achieved in 1982, Tom was like a dog with a bone.
His enthusiasm and energy for the task ahead knew no bounds.
As over the next decade, Tom was always rewarded with a senior portfolio, Health, Transport, Planning and Environment, Aboriginal Affairs and the Treasury, all of which he undertook with great distinction.
As I use those words over the next decade, they flow easily.
Whereas, in fact, it was an extraordinary outcome in the context of that era.
When the breakthrough came through with victory in 1982 after 27 years in opposition, the cynics were, not surprisingly, to the fore with the cry, it won't last, Victoria is the jewel in the Liberal crown. Well, well, it lasted, alright.
It lasted for a decade.
There's no doubt when we reflect on that victory and on that decade that Tom Roper was a major player in that historic outcome and in that wonderful period.
Tom undertook his ministerial responsibilities with determination and prodigious commitment of time and energy. He was forever mindful of social justice.
And as one media tribute as appropriately reported, he never forgot why he went into politics.
And as Caroline Hogg reminded me as we came in today, he was bloody brave, she said, in that health portfolio, given the challenges of the time.
A further tribute was Tom's close friend and colleague, John Harrowfield, has aptly described Tom's approach to life and work in the following way. Tom was driven by a penetrating intellectual curiosity and a restless need to understand the intricacy of an issue.
Now, this, of course, had consequences for those he worked with, both his personal staff and public servants.
He was a fair taskmaster, but very demanding.
After a day of endless meetings, deputations, site visits, ministers were given the infamous black boxes to take home with files and papers requiring attention.
Tom would come back the next day with those files and papers adorned with red ink pointing to further work required or change of direction,
a question, a no, and occasionally a tick.
And then sometimes when he was happy, he'd rub that chin and sigh, splendid.
Similarly, with the ever present and demanding media, woe betide a stupid or ill thought out question. Snappy, Tom, indeed, during this turbulent and hectic period, Tom and Marilyn separated and later divorced.
A difficult time for Tom, and no doubt, Marilyn and his children.
However, that void in Tom's life was addressed and more than filled by his love for the remarkable Anita.
Tom was at the time Minister for Planning and Environment, and Anita was working on environmental issues with an organisation that could be appropriately described as being on the other side of the aisle, the Australian Chamber of Manufacturers. So this was a match made in, frankly, I'm not sure, but a match it certainly was leading to their marriage in 1991, followed by 32 years of undoubted mutual devotion.
I had the good fortune of being asked to make the toast at their wedding and, well, remember the joy evident on that day. Now, living in Melbourne, particularly for those holding public office, required you to be supporting an Australian rules football team.
And following his transition from Sydney to Melbourne and from the North Sydney Bears of what I'll call that other code, Tom quickly became a devoted Carlton supporter.
On the other hand, Anita was an equally devoted Fitzroy supporter.
The solution, Tom became an avid member and supporter of both teams delighted in the resurgence of Fitzroy in the broader Melbourne scene. But I'm not so sure, are you so delighted with what's happening with Carlton at the moment? Wonderful to see this being represented on this casket today.
Tom left a remarkable legacy in each of the portfolios he held.
There are, of course, the great physical monuments which you'll all be familiar with, such as the Monash Medical Centre.
But perhaps the more important monuments are the outcome of his work on policy development and implementation,
ensuring appropriate priorities and needs that they were addressed and that they were met.
As treasurer, his work was particularly challenging.
Australia was in an economic recession and Paul Keating was showing no brotherly affection for the states and in particular Victoria.
This combination meant that Tom had the unenviable task of, shall we say, restraining the enthusiasm of ministerial colleagues and their departments.
The notes of my speech of his wedding in 1991 referred to the simple technique that he had developed in addressing this dilemma. So when meeting with mendicant ministers and backbenchers and associated lobbyists, he would sit there calmly, face them eyeball to eyeball and would say, don't you realise there is no (expletive deleted) money.
Others will elaborate on Tom's life and work following his time in Parliament, but I will make a couple of pertinent references to that period. The first concerns the coming of Peter Morgan into the lives of Tom and Anita in July 2002.
They were living in London. Tom was visiting Australia and went to the football.
Jim Short, who was Australia's High commissioner at the time was also at the game.
They approached Tom and asked him if he could speak to him after the game, which he did.
And he said to Tom, would he be prepared to receive a letter from a woman at his church who believed he was the father of her son.
Tom, as it turns out, and Judith had met 32 years earlier.
And Judith, a Queenslander on her return home, discovered she was pregnant.
Her baby, Peter, was adopted out and Tom was never told of the pregnancy.
Peter was a young man in his early 20s, together with his girlfriend Nikki, now his wife, moved to London.
Even though his adopted parents had raised Peter in an extremely loving family environment, Peter, understandably, wanted to track down his birth parents.
Unknown to Peter, his birth mother Judith had married a Brit, was also living in London.
So when Tom returned to London from the Australian trip, he and Anita discussed the situation and quickly agree that it needed to find out the truth. And after meeting with Judith in London, DNA testing was arranged, which confirmed the relationship. Tom then met Peter for the first time shortly after, of which also did Anita. Anita tells me her response at the meeting, Peter, was, 'why did you waste money on DNA testing?' The family resemblance was obvious.
Anita has added, Peter has been in our lives for 21 years and has brought much joy and enrichment.
Tom and Anita were always amazing hosts for many Australians who visited them, and they were certainly many while I were overseas. I recall a particular dinner my wife Sue and I had with them in London that reflects the occasional zany Tom.
We were taken to a restaurant called, believe it or not, the garlic and shot.
Every course, and there were plenty, but every course featured garlic, and even the dessert was garlic infused ice cream. And every course was accompanied by a shot of matching spirits.
Fortunately, I was walking distance. Tom's affection and commitment to his parliamentary colleagues was further evident in March last year when those members still with us celebrated the 40th anniversary of the historic election of the Labour government in 1982.
As we were putting together arrangements for this event at Parliament House, Tom quickly put up his hand and joined the organising group. And on the day itself, there he was, centre stage together with our sadly and slowly depleted band of warriors.
To Anita, Tom's children, Annabelle, Bronwyn and Peter, and his grandchildren, Lily, Maggie, Primrose, Tuppence, Harry, Gabe and Molly, be assured we understand, and we share your grief and sorrow at this difficult time.
The memorial tributes to Tom over recent days have referred to his legacy, to him being a giant of the Australian Labour Party and Labour governments of being a legend in his time. These tributes are certainly appropriate and the presence of you all here today further attests to that legacy.
He was of the best of his age.
He was not only a student of history, it can now be truly said he made history.
Rest in peace, comrade.
CATRIONA ROWNTREE: Robert, thank you so much for that heartfelt tribute to zany Tom and snappy Tom.
And Peter, what a story. And quite rightly, the resemblance is startling.
What a story, my goodness. I also always knew that Tom was from Sydney, but I didn't know that he grew up five minutes from me in Chatswood.
My goodness, they breed them well on the north shore of Sydney.
It's so important that we listen to and learn from Tom's life as a progressive minister.
But equally, it's just as important that we learn about him as a family member.
Tom just adored his family. Family always came first.
During his early years in Sydney, he grew up surrounded by an extended family of grandparents, aunts, sisters and cousins. I think I would have really liked his aunts, Annie and May.
They provided quiet places for him to study while he was at uni. They typed his thesis and they fed him a constant supply of rock cakes and scones. My kind of people. His sisters, Cathy and Claire, remember a beautiful big brother who looked out for them, who loved sport. And he had a very determined streak and that determination was seen very well when he was around about 12 years old. Tom decided to hitchhike from Sydney to Tenterfield.
He then headed straight to the local police station to tell them he was really hungry. That effort got him on the cover of the Sydney Morning Herald, his earliest recorded foray into the media. I believe, Anita, we've got a photo of that in the Montage coming up soon.
Clearly, he learnt very early the power of the media. Tom's student activism and roles in the National Union of Australian Students led him to move to Melbourne. It was only meant to be for six months.
That was a very long six months. After moving to Melbourne, Tom continued to join many members of his family, including his cousin Paul, at family holidays on the south coast of New South Wales.
He also started his own family and his two daughters were born here in Melbourne.
Would you please welcome, ladies and gentlemen, Dr. Annabelle Roper, Tom's eldest daughter, who would love to pay tribute to her dad.
DR ANNABELLE ROPER: Hello. I'm overwhelmed.
It's an event. There's a lot going on. I was sitting there.
All that was going through in my mind when Robert was talking was Succession. Anyone here who watches Succession will
know the episode I'm talking about. And I just thought I was Shiv, but I'm just, I'm getting a feeling that I'm Roman. So if it goes that way, I'm sorry.
I will try and gather myself. I just wanted to start off with a quote that I found just after dad passed away.
I was reading different articles that have been published. And in 2008, the British Building Magazine interviewed him about the environment. And this was the opening paragraph in the interview, and I just thought it was bang on.
"Tom Roper is not like a British politician.
For a start, the former Australian Environment and Planning minister is open and immediately warm.
Second, he is not adverse to smattering his slow drawl with a healthy dose of colorful language.
Third, he seems like the kind of bloke who's seen the far side of a few tinnies in his time.
It's hard to avoid the sense that he's altogether more, well, Australian than many former cabinet ministers I've met".
And it really struck me that this bloke would have only spent a tiny amount of time with Dad, but it really captured his essence. He could be so harsh, as we were talking about before.
So bloody minded at times. But there was always this underneath sort of, I don't know, happiness.
And not just happiness, he was just always loving life and what was going on.
I just wanted to mention, there's a branch here.
I'll hold it in front of the branch. Just some of the things we did when we were young. He was obviously a passionate Carlton supporter.
And we used to go frequently to the games, either the outer or all the way up in the committee.
He was perfectly comfortable in both. I still remember every Carlton player's number from the 70s.
They still make up my passwords half the time. It's not whatever number it is.
It would be Wayne Harms and there's English and it's still glued into my mind.
So we used to have a wonderful time. And I don't think he ever felt like it was a son or a daughter thing, it was just assumed that we would love support and hence we did. We used to go weekly or every fortnight to the Brunswick, so to the VFL games and that was wonderful. He used to draw the raffle and it was our job to go around at the end when they used to have the banners around the oval tied up.
And we used to have to go and unplug them all. And then you got to kick because you could do whatever you wanted in the 70s.
Things were much better. And he always gave us a lolly every time there was a goal.
It was fantastic. We were a very wheat germ on wholemeal bread and dried apricot sort of family. And so we got a lolly every time there was a goal.
So that was a really added bonus to the footy. But then he took us to a Juventus game, which was soccer.
And the same rule applied, but we didn't know anything about soccer. And there was one goal in the whole match, it was one lolly,
it was not all it's cracked to be. I have hated soccer ever since.
Cricket was the same. His dad, they lived next to Lindsay Hassett who used to play for Australia. And I know that he loved being able to take me over and have these big chats with the three guys and me about positioning and how the teams were going.
And we were so lucky to be able to go to the, do they call it the function, every year for the visiting cricketers at Parliament House. And we were about the only young children at that time that any of the politicians had. So and the cricketers were sometimes quite bored.
So they really like chatting to us. And it was a sort of Joel Garner and Clive Lloyd and I still have the most wonderful autograph book with all those memories in it. But it was the long days that we spent watching test matches and going to the cricket and getting completely sunburnt that I'll just always remember.
We thoroughly enjoyed it even every Boxing Day until last year watching on the screen.
Did lots of other things. Walk Against Want for community abroad as a 25 kilometer walk that used to be held for charity. And it took in all sorts of things.
And we were from Brunswick, which is not Brunswick now. It was very looked down upon, if you like.
It was not a rich place that it was very migrant heavy and it was wonderful.
And the Walk Against Want, they would take us all through Melbourne. I remember the first time it went through Brighton and Toorak.
And it was just, what are these houses? It was a whole different thing to our northern suburbs thing.
But Dad was always just, you live in your electorate, you shop in your electorate and you really belong to it.
And he really did. He'd spoke to everyone on those Walk Against Want, everyone at the football. If we went to Puckle Street in Moonee Ponds, just to go to Coles or somewhere for five minutes, it would take an hour because everyone who wanted to talk to him, he would just stop. And it might be about an issue they had or just to have a chat, but he would always stop and talk much to my boredom sometimes. But he would always stop and talk and go through that.
We did lots of other things over the years, travelled to where he was staying.
By accident, we were in London once together and had a wonderful tour through Hampton Park. Sorry. Hamilton. No, no, what is it? Hampton Court Palace.
And just did all sorts of wonderful things like that. Visiting CNN and New York.
Then he had some very serious health issues, and he came back to Melbourne one day and he took me out to dinner and he was very nervous. And I remember sitting there, and he chosen a Japanese nine course meal.
And as each course came, he got more and more nervous and anxious. And I really thought that he had cancer or something else had happened.
And right halfway, literally finished the fifth course and the sixth one was being brought over. And he just shouted at me.
He had a loud voice. Everyone and he goes, 'you've got a brother'. And I was' a what'!?
And all the people in the surrounding tables like this is interesting. And I thought, I really look. And he had just been working on that and building it up for five courses.
And so he told me about Pete. And I was the same - we did not need a DNA test.
There's a stunning between granddad and my dad. And Pete and (INAUDIBLE) son.
It's a real genetic markers. It's beautiful. After Dad had all these health issues, Anita was incredibly ill and found herself in the ICU.
And I spent those first few days and nights when we didn't know what was going to happen to her with Dad.
And although it was hell, it was just lovely. We really got to talk, spend time together.
He got to just tell me a lot more about Anita that I hadn't known.
And it was just a wonderful, wonderful time. And then it was even more wonderful because Anita got better and then Dad got sick again when I had to. Dad had all health issues over the years and ended up in a wheelchair.
I cannot imagine a more devoted partner than Anita. She physically and emotionally looked after him 24 hours a day and encouraged both of them to still do things to go to a wedding in Italy and have three guys pushing his wheelchair up the little narrow pathways. And certainly, in the last few weeks, the extent of the love and the care that I have seen is, it's just unbelievable.
So I really wanted to thank you for taking care of us. The last thing I wanted to say was just about Dad and my kids.
It surprised that I had kids. It was all a bit of a whoa. I didn't think that was ever gonna happen.
And so he really grasped it. When they came along. He would come to my daughter's footy matches in his wheelchair through the mud at the local suburban grounds. He and my son shared a Hornby train that they used to run together.
And we'd go to the aquarium and we do all sorts of things that we used to do when I was younger as well.
And I think people always talk about grandparents getting another lease on life when the grandchildren come along. But I hadn't realized how much I got. I got to relive my childhood with him to share all those experiences again.
And he was just like a little kid. It was even better than the first time around because he wasn't working 24 hours a day.
So I sort of had a double childhood with him. It was just beautiful and I'm really surprised how sad I am.
And I think we thought he'd just keep going. He did. He'd go and then he'd keep going.
But I love you Dad and thank you. Sorry.
AUDIENCE: (APPLAUSE)
('WE WONT CRY' FEAT PAUL KELLY PLAYS)
# If your burden's too heavy
# Then it's gonna break you # And you might go crashing
# To the ground
# Keep yourself steady # And don't let it take you
# Take you on down # Take you on down
# Well, I'm here beside you # Don't you forget it
# I'm with you walking # Down this road
# Give up what's inside you # You won't regret it
# Together we can lighten this load
# Oh, we won't cry # We won't cry
# Oh, we will lift our spirits high
# Up to the sky
# You did the same for me # When I was in trouble
# I wanted to disappear out of sight
# You wouldn't let me. # (MUSIC STOPS)
('YOU'RE THE VOICE' BY JOHN FARNHAM PLAYS)
# We have the chance to turn the pages over
# We can write what we want to write # We gotta make ends meet, before we get much older
# We're all someone's daughter # We're all someone's son
# How long can we look at each other
# Down the barrel of a gun? # You're the voice, try and understand it
# Make a noise and make it clear
# Oh, whoa # We're not gonna sit in silence # We're not gonna live with fear
# Oh, whoa # This time, we know we all can stand together
# With the power to be powerful # Believing we can make it better
# Ooh, we're all someone's... # (MUSIC STOPS)
CATRIONA ROWNTREE: Annabel, thank you so much. Don't we love a photo montage?
We love a photo montage. Thank you for painting such a vivid picture of your Dad.
Also as a grandfather and father. And I know that it's important to Anita that she also says, thank you so much for all the help that you have given her. Throughout the years.
Whenever Tom has been ill, it has been very, very much appreciated. It's lovely that you're sitting there together.
In 1994, Tom resigned from the Victorian Parliament and it was then that he became increasingly involved in environmental policy, both locally and also, as you know, overseas.
It was at this time that Anita also took up a global sustainability role requiring a relocation to Ottawa. Now, Tom and Anita spent a decade overseas where they lived and worked in Ottawa, in London and New York, maintaining constant contact with their broader family and friends in Australia throughout their regular visits. And one thing they were famous for was always, always providing Vegemite toast. Always.
It was while in New York that Tom was first diagnosed with lymphoma, and it was in the care of professional staff of Cornell Medical Center that he was looked after.
Tom became quite the expert in receiving medical care internationally with teams of experts in New York and various hospitals also in Melbourne.
Anita, as a result of her own medical challenges that we've just slightly touched on was an advocate for Tom when he was a patient, but also became an expert in navigating health systems right around the world. Even with his health challenges, Tom became increasingly involved in environmental and sustainability matters as an honorary board member of the Climate Institute based in Washington and on the board of Green Fleet in Australia and as President of the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council. So to learn more about Tom's years in his later years, would you please welcome his friend and colleague as well, who was also a Deputy Premier and Minister in the Bracks Government. Would you please welcome the Honorable John Thwaites.
AUDIENCE: (APPLAUSE)
JOHN THWAITES: And wasn't it wonderful to see those beaming, smiling faces of Tom?
I'm very honoured to have been asked by Anita to speak a bit about Tom's life after his ministerial career.
There is a story about Tom after he left politics and he was walking down the road one day when someone came up to him and said, "I know you. You used to be Tom Roper." And Tom's replies not recorded, but no doubt he set the record straight. But what's so ironic about that is that Tom would never be a used-to-be.
He would always be Tom Roper, whip-smart, curious, generous and a bit pugnacious. And it's those qualities that contributed to his political career, but also to his post-political career as well. And he did have an incredible impact on the environment and climate change that I want to talk a bit about. But before talking about Tom post politics, I do wanna go back a little bit further to October 1992, after the Kirner government was defeated by Jeff Kennett and Labour was thrust into opposition with only 27 members in the Legislative Assembly.
And I was one of those 27. Tom was appointed the Leader of Opposition business and he really helped Labour survive what was a demoralising period. Tom was an exceptional parliamentarian. He had a more detailed knowledge of parliamentary procedure than anyone I've ever known. And despite being massively outnumbered, we did actually win a few parliamentary battles, largely because Tom knew the rules better than anyone else.
He would sit at that table at the front of Parliament, stroking his chin and focusing intently on the standing orders and the next move he was gonna make against the Kennett government. And I visited Tom at home a few weeks ago and he was in a lot of pain and he could barely talk. But when I talked about these efforts in Parliament, he started stroking his chin and a wry smile crossed his face.
Tom in that period built an esprit de corps in the next generation of Labour MPs that helped us on the long journey back to government and helped in the leadership of John Brumby and Steve Bracks. John Brumby indicates that we weren't always quite as disciplined as Tom required and demanded. John Brumby recalls the time in 1994 when he was leader just after there'd been a failed leadership coup against John. John decided to mend some bridges and took all the socialist left MPs out to dinner while Parliament was sitting.
Unfortunately, they had a few too many drinks and stayed out beyond the 8pm deadline that Tom strictly enforced.
So later that night, Brumby was in Parliament and bumped into Tom and it was a beaming Tom, as you saw in those photos. And Tom came up to him and said he was about to deal with the socialist left. "I've caught them red-handed," Tom said with a huge grin.
"They've gone out for dinner, stayed too late, broken all the attendance rules and would be appropriately disciplined."
Brumby had to fess up and explain that they'd been out with them.
There was a long period of silence and Tom returned to his office, never to raise the issue again.
But John Brumby says that Tom was always brilliant.
From way back in the 70s when he was a role model for many younger people like John who were wanting to join the party.
Steve Bracks, unfortunately, is in Europe today, so can't be here. But he's passed on a message that Tom was a key mover in John Cain's
breakthrough election in 1982 that he was always prepared to take on the tough jobs in government and that he left a legacy that has contributed to successful Labour government since. And Premier Daniel Andrews has said that Tom was a Labour giant who helped make Victoria a better place after leaving Parliament as well.
He never stopped fighting for what is right. Tom's support and mentoring of the next generation of politicians continued after he retired in 1994.
And I remember back in 1999, after the state election, where Labour, under Steve Bracks, did better than we expected and we thought we might have to bring a vote of no confidence in the Kennett government.
And we spent many hours with Tom working up the various motions and procedures that would lead to a vote of no confidence. And I remember Tom bringing all the precedents from the Victorian Parliament back to the 1930s as we practice those, and he also helped us practice Question Time as ministers.
And I think many of us here could tell a story of Tom giving us support and a bit of wise counsel.
Martin Foley said that Tom rang Martin during COVID when Martin was health minister, just to have a chat and to tell Martin that you'll get through this, fine.
It will be OK. And Martin was tremendously grateful to Tom for this at a time when things were very tough.
And there's that generosity of spirit that Tom always had.
Tom had friendships and enjoyed respect on both sides of Parliament.
And although Tom was always Labour, he did take a very bipartisan approach to policy.
Tom was renowned for wanting to debate the policy benefits, not the politics of a proposal.
This meant discussions with a broad range of people, members of all political parties that led to a better outcome for Victoria. The biggest mark Tom made in his post-political career was on the environment and climate change. And as we've heard, Tom and Anita lived overseas in Ottawa, New York and London, where Anita had very significant jobs in global sustainability and the mining industry. But during this period, Tom built up a really strong network of relationships with key leaders and thinkers on the environment and climate change.
Tom became an active board member of the Climate Institute based in Washington DC, but he was particularly proud of the role he played, giving assistance to small island states that were seeking to introduce renewable energy and energy efficiency. And he also became an essential conduit for Australian politicians with critical players in the United States. I often sought Tom's advice on climate change during this
period and including how to get things implemented. And at times Tom's advice could be somewhat pithy.
On one occasion I emailed Tom for some advice on dealing with DFAT and he emailed back simply, DFAT is like pulling teeth.
On returning to Australia. Tom played a leading role in a number of environmental organisations.
He took over as president of ASBEC, the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council from 2009 to 2015.
Romilly Madew, who's here today, served on the council with Tom, and she says his legacy and impact speak for itself.
Australia is recognised as a global leader for sustainable buildings and communities, in no small part due to Tom's leadership. He will be missed.
Tom was also Greenfleet's longest-serving board member, during which time over 10 million trees were planted.
In recent years, Tom has faced many health challenges, as we've heard.
And I'd like to pay tribute to Anita for her incredible resilience and determination to care for Tom through these challenges,
while also continuing her own really important roles, such as being on the board of Melbourne Water.
In recognition of Tom's long-term contribution, Greenfleet is establishing a forest on previously cleared
land in central Victoria on a site called (INAUDIBLE), which means meeting place in the (INAUDIBLE) language. It's gonna help restore an important ecosystem and protect endangered species such as the swift parrot and the quoll.
The forest is gonna be known as Tom's Forest.
Anita has decided to spread Tom's ashes there. Tom's forest will be a fitting living memorial to Tom's wonderful life.
Farewell Tom.
AUDIENCE: (APPLAUSE)
('SWEET CAROLINE' BY NEIL DIAMOND PLAYS)
# Where it began, I can't begin to knowing # But then I know it's growing strong
# Was in the spring # And spring became the summer
# Who'd have believed you'd come along
# Hands, touching hands
# Reaching out, touching me, touching you
# Sweet Caroline
# Good times never seemed so good
# I've been inclined # To believe they never would
# But now I # Look at the night and it don't seem so lonely
# We filled it up with only two
# And when I hurt # Hurting runs off my shoulders
# How can I hurt when holding you
(MUSIC STOPS)
CATRIONA ROWNTREE: It's just me, or is Tom smiling in pretty much every photo in those montages?
John, thank you so much for your tribute. Just to learn about 10 million trees, if that's not legacy enough, thank you so much for mentioning his mentorship. That is certainly something that unites all of us here in this room.
I know that for me, I received so many wonderful words of advice from Tom, who I actually met through our next speaker, who'll be joining us in just a moment. I met through our mutual friend Peter Yates, and we enjoyed many travels and gatherings with both Tom and Anita over the years.
As you can imagine, many stories have been regaled and events replayed over the odd glass of wine and whiskey while they are overseas,
as well as being the providers of Vegemite toast to all of their visitors, Tom and Anita took every single opportunity to showcase important sports arenas such as Madison Square Gardens, Yankee Stadium and Lords.
I know that for Tom and Anita, they absolutely were delighted in the visits from their grandchildren, their nieces and nephews, cousins and children of friends. These visits provided Anita an excuse to ride every single scary ride in every available theme park. Tom looked the other way while Anita was doing that, and Tom was absolutely famous amongst his loved ones for taking them to the Hard Rock Cafe for milkshakes and also to Lourdes for the cricket.
Wouldn't you just love his opinion? At the moment, certainly, in the last 48 hours,
Tom's love of sport is so well known by everybody here. Tom and Anita would also adopt a local team wherever they were living.
The challenge was you had to keep track of what sport and what team. Anita, I really hope I get this right.
In Ottawa, it was the senators and ice hockey, yes. In New York, it was the Knicks and Liberty, both basketball teams.
And of course, in New York, it was the New York Yankees baseball team. I had to double-check that. In Melbourne, of course, oh, that's when things got a little bit challenging.
A little bit complicated because, of course, as you know, Tom and Anita did not share the same team, hence both the Carleton and Fitzroy Stars that are draped over the casket today.
Tom's love of history and his meticulous memory really came to the fore not only in his work but, as we well know, in his travels too. There is a little bit of a story about Tom having a love of correcting facts. I believe it was when Tom was with his adored mother-in-law, Karlene.
They were in Boston on a tour, talking about the history of the Boston Tea Party.
As the tour guide lectured the tour group on the history, a very loud and clear voice piped up,
"That is not right." Yep, you guessed it. It was Tom who then proceeded to correct the guide with the missing details. Tom, of course, so well known for his charm and grace.
Apparently, at the end of the tour, the guide and Tom could be seen chatting away together, and the guide was taking notes of Tom's points.
So many wonderful stories, as you will now hear from our friend Peter Yates, offering the final tribute to Tom, the friend, the historian, and the traveller.
AUDIENCE: (APPLAUSE)
PETER YATES: Good afternoon. On behalf of all the extended Yates family and Tom's many friends gathered here today, may I offer our deepest condolences to Anita and Tom's family?
Anita, it's a great honour to be able to be invited to share some of the fond memories we all have as friends and travel companions.
Tom Roper was our great friend, travel companion, private historian, par excellence.
We will miss him dearly, particularly his charm, companionship, love of travel, wicked wit and of course, encyclopedic knowledge
of European and American history. For the Yates family, our friendship began in Dandenong in 1974. Anita's father was the mayor and my father, Bill, was the Liberal member for the surrounding federal electorate of Holt. Now for Anita's debutante ball, I wonder if anyone even knows what a debutante ball is any longer. But for Anita's debutante ball, a close friend of hers lacked a partner.
And so I was roped in. Dressed in a brown flared velour suit, I lined up behind Anita with her friend to present our debutantes.
Anita's mother, Karlene, was so delighted she still retains the original invitation.
During that time, Anita would regularly join all the Yates at the dinner table to discuss politics, creating a friendship with the family that has remained forever. Roll forward almost 20 years to 1991, and we were delighted to see how happy Anita was announcing her impending marriage to the Honourable Tom Roper, and so began a new family friendship. This friendship extended as we shared collective beach houses in Anglesey, and the friends from Anglesea today, including Peter Bachelor, Jeff Kennett, members of the Anglesea Golf Club and the Anglesea Motor Yacht Club, show how strong the ties are to the community that Tom forged.
On a personal note, Tom was very helpful in my early career.
Known at Macquarie Bank as a sterling young Liberal, I suddenly had as a friend the Treasurer of the State Labor Government.
It gave me plenty of chance to practice my name-dropping skills, and I still believe it somehow assisted winning the role as adviser to the Victorian racing industry and building Macquarie's gaming and media business.
Tom, I know you don't believe in Gods, but if there is one, thank you.
Our travels began together. Our travels together began with a visit to New York.
My son Nick, who's Anita's godson, and I visited him in New York as Anita had decided, Nick should attend a baseball game, and Tom had decided that at age 12, Nick should discover American political history. So, Tom arranged a tour of the founding of the United States,
visiting key places in Philadelphia. The success of that trip gave rise to the idea of a joint cruise along the Rhine, as only Tom could do. Each step was meticulously planned, even ensuring we had a berth on either side of the boat to guarantee the best view for drinks, regardless of which way the boat tied up.
We soon discovered who needed a guide and it was not us - we had Tom. Each town and its role and the Habsburg Empire was covered in such detail as to explain the changing animals emblazoned on the family crests.
Tom and my wife, Susan's shared love of history was entrancing, and Susan was very sorry she could not be here today. But as Tom has wanted to do, he manages to put twists into people's travel plans.
So on the weekend, I was in France for a wedding. On Saturday, I begin a boat cruising on the Danube.
But Tom, you wanted us to be here today. So here we are. As an aside, you may be wondering about some of the music.
I believe the Hildegard music will be played in this service. It has a special meaning for us.
Anita and I still chuckle when remembering high on a hillside near the statue of William III.
Looking down the Rhine, Tom announced, "Susan, I think that's the monastery of Hildegard to Bingham."
Susan lights up cooing, "Oh, Tom, it is. We must go now." I turn to Anita, asking,
"Did you know about the history of gingham? Now, neither of us can forget the hand-wringing and moping.
When Susan and Tom discovered a close 30 minutes earlier and our boat was about to leave.
Today we will enjoy their music. Now, this was quickly followed up with more inscrutable planning for a trip through the Middle East, the major battlefields of the First World War, and a visit to my brother Tom as Consul General to Libya. Alas, the Arab Spring sprung, and the region was a no-go zone.
Without blinking, Tom brought his knowledge of the Ottoman and Roman empires to bear, and we soon found ourselves in Turkey and Jordan.
Tom walking and pointing with his special walking stick, which he called Moses. "Anita, could you pass me, Moses?" Was a frequent request.
Part way through day two, our guide almost gave up. He would make a brief introduction.
Tom would take over and articulate the key moments of the rise and the fall of both empires and the context of these World Heritage icons.
During this trip, we encountered a hiccup on our travel plans. I was carrying a rug purchased in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, and I declared it on the customs form at the Jordan border. Oblivious to the consequences at customs, a kerfuffle broke out.
Fortunately, the rug was cowhide and not a Turkish rug, which is contraband.
After visiting Petra and Wadi Rum on our departure pasture, Tom was abruptly dragged away.
We were deeply concerned for his safety. We discovered that during the rug kerfuffle, his entry visa had not been stamped. He was now an illegal immigrant.
After some anxious time, Tom finally emerged with his usual smile.
He explained the purpose of his visit was history and, of course, had given the customs officials a short discourse on the first battle
of Amman in 1918 and the role of the Anzac Mounted division.
Our next trip was the Silk Road from Beijing along the original route through the Middle East.
With a few months to go, the very serious hiccup unfolded. We received a call from Tom that Anita had suffered a major brain hemorrhage and likely only had a few hours left to live unless there was a miracle, which, of course, there was. We discovered something about resilience and making light of the medically unthinkable. Now, who can forget Anita walking around wearing a helmet painted in Fitzroy colours but with a chunk of a skull in deep freeze?
'Oh, feel free to tap on my helmet as my exposed brain is soaking up the atmosphere', Anita would laugh.
Following a marvellous recovery, our next trip was under planning, but then a second disaster.
Tom, in the words of lifelong friend Kim, not to be outdone by Anita, decided to have his own stroke. With serious impact on his ability to walk and to use his right hand, Susan and I assumed our travel days were over, but no. Tom was manic about physiotherapy and rehab.
Like Anita, he was determined to live long, live life to the fullest.
He charged on determined to live all of his nine lives.
Our Christmas present at home that year was to get him down to Anglesea and get him going up and down stairs.
Difficult at first, but with his grit determination, he got going. So much so he and Anita decided to plan a trip to Croatia, Montenegro, and Slovenia to visit the halcyon years of the Venetian Empire.
Now, this required a new Tom Roper twist, which was to check out each hotel and site that could be accessed by wheelchair. Ploughing down the cobblestone path of Dubrovnik.
Tom urging us on as we applied the brakes, occasionally hitting a cobble, sending him out of his chair.
But it was so much fun. And hey, who needs a gym or a sled exercise when you can push the Honourable Tom Roper for five kilometres a day?
At the beginning of the trip, Tom struggled to get into the front seat of the van. By the end, he almost skipped in and out.
It was the best rehab and manageable. And all along, we learnt about 200 years of innovation and the battle history of the Venetian Empire. Now, we also discovered grape varieties unheard of outside the region and in vast quantities. Every meal began with sparkling wine for four, then moved to red, only for Anita, White, only for Susan, and any colour for Tom and I.
The problem was there were no half bottles. The final trip was the wedding of our daughter Jess to Morris in Lake Como. The town of Tremezzo is beautiful, but wheelchair access were not an architectural concept in Baroque-era Italy. The proceedings began in a tiny wine bar perched above the town with 60 significant steps. None of us can forget the transformation of Tom's wheelchair into a sedan chair as four men, James, that's Katrina's husband, Nick, my son, Jose, and Butch, who's here, Victoria's husband, bore him aloft, firstly up and then later down and somewhat more slowly down the 17-century staircase.
We knew in September when Tom had his lower leg amputated, the travel was over and time might be limited.
But even then, he did not give up, putting in significant effort, getting used to his new prosthesis.
Tom decided that like his famous walking stick, Moses, his prosthesis needed a name.
So a competition was held. Jess, my daughter suggested 'Donald - Donald Stump'.
Now, Tom would be regularly heard calling out Anita, "Where's the Don?"
Two nights before Tom died, Susan, Nick, and I joined Anita to say a final goodbyes.
The cricket was on. Champagne was sipped through a straw, and we each took turns holding his hand as he slipped away into his own extraordinary place in history.
Anita and Tom's family, you've lost a husband, a father, and a grandfather.
We grieve for you. Our state has lost one of its great policy thinkers and deliverers.
We have lost a great friend and grieved deeply at the loss of our special friend, Vale Tom Roper.
('CHANNEL 9 CRICKET' BY BRIAN LAURENCE BENNETT PLAYS)
SPEAKER: Great music choice.
Wonderful music choice, Anita. Peter, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts.
I know that your whole family contributed to that speech. I could hear the voices loud and clear, and it goes without saying on behalf of Anita, thank you so much for flying in today to share such a beautiful tribute about our friend. I know Anita is particularly appreciative to all of you for coming here today. And as we conclude, Anita has asked me that I say a few thank you's on her behalf. The support that Anita has received from family, from friends while Tom has been ill has been unbelievably important to her.
Tom's daughter, Annabelle, has been along the way, side by side, for every important medical decision.
Tom's time in hospital was made so much more bearable thanks to his many cheeky friends.
Apparently, they were able to sneak lobster, oysters, beer, wine, whiskey, and also the racing form past the nursing desk and into his room.
Thank you. Thank you so much to all of you. Now, Tony, thank you so much for sustaining Tom's spirits over the past few years by establishing the very private two-person whisky club, which afforded much competition between Irish and Scotch whiskies.
Megan and Barry, who made sure that Tom's birthday in March was quite the celebration where Tom held court with some of his long-term friends. Thank you so much.
The many friends and colleagues who visited Tom at home in his final days, including two of Tom's early staffers, Maria and Phil who no doubt felt that it was like being back in 1988 again, and Tom corrected every single one of their facts about policy details.
As Peter has reminded us, Anita and Tom's family have lost a husband, a father, and a grandfather.
I know, Anita, you also wanted to make mention, you mentioned to me earlier to say thank you to the hospital staff too, who have really become friends and so compassionate. That was a tribute that it was important for Anita to make.
So you mention the husband, the father, and the grandfather. We all have lost a loyal friend.
The state of Victoria has lost a visionary determined to make a difference.
That brings to a close the formal part of our state funeral.
Anita has asked me to invite all of you downstairs as we raise a toast in the atrium to our beloved Tom.
On behalf of the Roper family, thank you to all of those who've shared tributes.
Thank you to everyone for your attendance here today to honour the memory of Tom Roper.
There will be a private recession and farewell for Tom, and we kindly ask if you could please stay in your seats during that.
The main doors will open after, and we will be ready to welcome you downstairs to the atrium.
Would you please stand? And we wish Tom a final farewell.
Thank you so much.
('TIME TO SAY GOODBYE- CON TE PARTIRE' BY SARAH BRIGHTMAN - IN ITALIAN)
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