Page 2041 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 21 June 2011

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That sums up the generosity of Jim Murphy. Not satisfied with giving to charities and hundreds of other worthy causes across Canberra and the district, he even found it in his heart to dig deep to help the ACT government get a boardroom table it could be proud of. And I should add that it is still serving us well a decade later.

At Jim’s funeral, Archbishop Mark Coleridge remarked that he had never known a man who had so many fingers in so many pies. He described Jim as modest and humble and a man of faith who commanded loyalty but returned it tenfold. Jim will be remembered as a man who was driven by a selfless desire to help people.

Jim’s passing will also be felt in Canberra’s Irish-Australian community and through his involvement with the Irish business association. He did his best to make the association feel at home by transforming the room at the Market Cellars into an Irish cottage for their meetings. Former Irish ambassador to Australia Richard O’Brien recently remarked that Jim was one of their most enthusiastic members and a man who is passionate about his Irish-Australian heritage.

Jim was indeed a man of great compassion, caring, sensitivity and gentleness. His brother Father Peter Murphy said that Jim lived the life of a Christian in the most practical sense and recently remarked that one of the most endearing and enduring attributes of Jim was a sense of loyalty. He commanded loyalty, but returned it tenfold. He was a regular churchgoer and a man of great faith, which presented challenges on his many trips to China, where there were not too many accessible Catholic churches.

Jim will be forever admired not only because of his successful business career and the breadth of his achievements but also because of his humility and decency. Through all of his work, Jim remained a staunch family man. We can only imagine the grief of his family, especially of Margaret, Adrien and Damien, who join us here this morning, as they face the loss of this generous, loving and loyal man. We give thanks that he extended his family commitment into our local sphere, and at such a time we hope that his more immediate family receive the comfort and support they so richly deserve.

The government is currently considering how best to recognise and remember Jim’s legacy to Canberra and the surrounding district. We feel it is fitting that his contribution to the local community should not be forgotten. Notwithstanding Jim’s magnificent and enduring achievements, in a simplistic way he was arguably one of the most recognised faces in Canberra, mainly because of his TV commercials. His catchphrase in these ads, “enjoy the good times”, is something that we should all take to heart and should forever remember as Jim’s lifelong philosophy. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

MR SESELJA (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition): I rise to join with the Chief Minister in speaking of the life of Jim Murphy. I speak with both regret for his passing and respect for his life and his contribution. Jim was in many ways a man larger than life, but in equally as many ways, humble of spirit. His prominence in Canberra life is undeniable. His contributions to our community are indisputable and his love of life irrefutable. He will be missed by all who knew him, by many who knew of him and by many more who were touched by his generosity yet never had direct contact with him.


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