Thursday, 15 August 2024

 Anthony CARBINES (Ivanhoe – Minister for Police, Minister for Crime Prevention, Minister for Racing) (10:16): I acknowledge the service of my parliamentary colleague Jude Perera, the member for Cranbourne from 2002 to 2018. When I was elected to this place in 2010 I was tucked in on the other benches between the experienced MPs Jude Perera and the former member for Geelong and my old boss Ian Trezise. They were great mentors and, in the wilderness of opposition, great company. Ivanhoe – my electorate – and Cranbourne are different worlds in many ways but share many values. They were great discussions with Jude, often on the walk between the old chook house to this chamber for endless divisions between 2010 and 2014.

To hold the support of your community when the government is defeated tells you a lot about the huge regard and respect the Cranbourne community had for Jude. He was part of the Labor caucus that made history in returning to the government benches after only one term out of office, one of the first oppositions to do so in some half a century. It says a lot about the fighting qualities of Jude Perera. We thank him for his service to the community, the people of Cranbourne, the Labor Party and the Parliament of Victoria. Vale, Jude Perera.