Thursday, 17 October 2024

Members statements

Noel Francis Pullen

Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (09:55): Noel Pullen was a stalwart for his community, for Parliament and for the Labor Party, and I wish to extend my respects to his family and friends. I was honoured to attend his funeral in Brighton at the end of last month to celebrate his life and achievements. Noel was a predecessor of mine of sorts as a member in this place for the seat of Higinbotham, covering the seats of Bentleigh, Mordialloc, Brighton and Sandringham from 2002 to 2006. Noel’s win in 2002 was against all the odds. It was a previously safe Liberal seat in which Labor had not even fielded a candidate in 1999, which was a fact Noel thought was outrageous. He put his hand up and won after a lot of hard work, and he revelled in being the first Labor MP ever to represent Brighton in the state Parliament. His vote, as well as some of his colleagues elected at that election, was crucial in ushering in the 2003 democratising reforms to which so many owed their subsequent election, but Noel sadly did not. His connection to Labor lasted more than 50 years, and just before his death, months before his death, he was still working as a casual electorate officer for the member for Narre Warren North. He was a friend, a supporter, an advisor and always a great source of local intelligence. Alongside Labor, Noel’s other great love was the Brighton Union Cricket Club, which began in the 1960s, and he was a member throughout. The club president recently described him as the club’s most illustrious member, and I was proud to join him at a lunch last year. Many in the Labor Party in this house and the Bayside community are grieving his loss. He will be deeply missed. Vale, comrade.