Mr PALLAS (Werribee—Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for the Coordination of Treasury and Finance: COVID-19)

I wish to acknowledge to the house the passing of Ramon Cody, a long-time comrade and resident of my electorate of Werribee.

Known as Ray to us all in the local Labor team, he was a true believer in spirit and in his actions. He was loyal and genuine, and he was committed, always willing to put his hand up to help his community and put the needs of others before himself.

Ray’s great loves were his family, first and foremost; the Werribee community; and the Australian Labor Party.

His love for his wife and children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren was evident to all. He spoke fondly of them, and we shared his proud moments recalling with pride the exploits of his grandson Nick Cody out on the comedy trail. Nick inherited some of his grandad’s humour and jokes!

And he was so proud to pass on his love of the Labor movement, cheering on another grandson Daniel Parsell at the federal election in 2019.

Ray shared the Labor values of fairness and equality for all, no matter what your personal circumstances or background.

One of Ray’s proudest moments that I witnessed was the presentation of his life membership of the ALP. Ray and I had a photo taken at the presentation with the now Premier. That photo, although we all looked a bit younger then, took pride of place in Ray’s room at his aged-care home.

He was always true to his word and an enduring support. His wit, his jokes, and his stories kept us entertained and lightened the day.

We thank Ray for his friendship and will miss him dearly.

Sincere condolences to his loved ones and to those who share the sadness of the passing of a true diamond in the rough.