Professor Chris Brook
Mr CARBINES (Ivanhoe—Minister for Child Protection and Family Services, Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers) (10:11): I rise to give thanks for the life of Professor Chris Brook. Chris joined as chief medical officer in 1998. He stayed for many years in a variety of positions, including director of public health; director of acute health; executive director of rural and regional health and aged care; executive director of wellbeing, integrated care and ageing; chief advisor on innovation, safety and quality; and state health and medical commander in emergency management. Chris made so many significant contributions to the Victorian public service, to public service and indeed to health care in Victoria—it is impossible to name them all—through advisory committees, statutory roles, authority board positions, countless publications, and population-based preventative health strategies. Chris truly helped improve the lives of millions of Victorians. Some of the formal accolades he received over the years include an honorary life membership of the International Society for Quality in Health Care, the Public Service Medal, the gold medal for lifetime achievement in safety and quality, the National Emergency Medal twice—all of these and so many more, so very well deserved. Of course I have borrowed there from current secretary Euan Wallace’s missive to the department. Many staff both past and present are hurting and sad at Chris’s passing. As someone who worked many years with Chris both as a ministerial adviser but also as staff in the positive ageing unit in the aged care branch a long time ago, he was a great leader, had a huge intellect, and he got the best out of all of us. To CW Brook, vale.