Thursday, 6 February 2020

Peter Ross Carthew, AM

Ms STALEY (Ripon) (09:40): Peter Ross Carthew, AM, who died on 26 December 2019, was a giant of Ararat’s business, sporting, political, community and cultural life. As the citation for his recent posthumous Ararat Ambassador award read:

Mr Carthew co-founded AME Systems and was heavily involved in the community, giving his time to East Grampians Health Service, Ararat Musical Comedy Society, the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation Ararat Branch, and Ararat Legacy among others.

He also had a political career serving on the Shire of Ararat council and then as Chairman of Commissioners during the council amalgamations.

Peter’s greatest legacy was his family: children Davena, Christian and Nicholas, step-children Kylie, Jarrad, Rebekka and Elspeth and 19 grandchildren. I attended Peter’s funeral, where St Mary’s Ararat was filled well past overflowing. The love for Peter and Peter’s love for them and his recently deceased wife, Lynnette, was so evident. While his greatest legacy is his children, his proudest achievement was creating AME Systems, which he moved from Melbourne to Ararat in 1977. This business is a major employer in Ararat. His was a life of family, business and community. The list of community organisations he was part of, and often led, is astounding. Peter Carthew, AM, was a great Australian. I was privileged to know him. His legacy in Ararat is profound and will be enduring.