Wednesday, 6 April 2022

Alf Goldburg OAM

Mr TARLAMIS (South Eastern Metropolitan) (10:00): On Monday we laid to rest Alfred ‘Alf’ Goldburg OAM, a renowned local character who was widely known and universally loved. He will be sorely missed. There is much that could be said about Alf. First and foremost he was a man who lived his values. He was a man who knew about service. He served his country in the Second World War, and he served his community throughout his long life. Throughout the many years I knew him he worked tirelessly as a volunteer in many roles in the local community that he loved. Whether it be at the Noble Park RSL, through the Springvale Benevolent Society, by helping neighbours with food and groceries or by just having a chat, he was always generous with his time. Raised during the Great Depression, he knew what it was like to go without, so he was always willing to dig deep to help others.

Despite the challenges he faced in life, he was never one to complain and was always thinking of others. He was welcoming and accepting and proud of his country and the diversity of those who came to join it and also call it home. A stalwart of the Labor Party for many decades, and in particular Dandenong North branch, he was renowned for dedicating many hours at the early voting centres in the lead-up to election days, wearing his distinctive hat covered in labour movement badges.

Alf had the title of world’s oldest paperboy, retiring at the age of 70 but continuing to deliver papers to elderly neighbours well into his 90s and to the Dandenong and District Historical Society, never missing an issue of the Dandenong Star Journal, ordered by date, to become part of the society’s vast collection of local history.

Alf was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2019 for his decades of community service. I send my condolences to the Goldburg family—Audrey, Joseph, Dallas, Oscar, Hayley and Jessica—for their loss. It is time to rest now, Alfie. You will be missed but never forgotten. Vale, Alf Goldburg.