Thursday, 3 April 2025

 Anthony CARBINES (Ivanhoe – Minister for Police, Minister for Community Safety, Minister for Victims, Minister for Racing) (09:49): David Cragg was a pillar of the Victorian trade union movement over three decades and a tireless advocate for workers rights. He served at the AWU Victorian branch from 1991 to 2009 before moving to Trades Hall as the elected assistant secretary from 2009 to 2018. I was at Trades Hall last week with hundreds of true believers and fellow travellers to celebrate the life of Comrade David Cragg as a touching speech was given by former federal Labor leader Bill Shorten.

I worked particularly with David back in the early 2000s on the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2003 when I was an adviser with the then health minister, but that work was largely driven by the Parliamentary Secretary for Health at the time, the Honourable Daniel Andrews. Craggy played a critical role there because he was also a representative at the AWU for our cemeteries and crematoria workers. There was a lot of rorting of public funds, accountability of management was poor and the workforce was treated poorly, and the changes and reforms there were very significant.

I also wanted to touch on the fact that Craggy was one of the eminent party elders charged with leading disputes at the Labor Party that came up from time to time. It is a common refrain in the Labor Party that disloyalty means not only a lifetime ban but plus 10 years. Craggy did lead the dispute with my predecessor in Ivanhoe and ensured that he had his membership revoked. It was a just excommunication, and I thank Craggy for his work then and his Labor values. We continue to struggle in his good name.