Page 648 - Week 02 - Thursday, 16 February 2017

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which lasted for seven years. Father, husband, brother, son, Australian Federal Police member, tactical response team member, professional wrestler AKA the Hammer, hard as nails tough guy but super soft family man and just a bloody good bloke.

Warren lived just over the border in Murrumbateman—

MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: I am sorry, Mr Parton, you cannot use that word, even though it might feel right.

MR PARTON: He was just a good bloke. Warren lived just over the border in Murrumbateman but was well and truly a part of our community, mainly through his huge network at the AFP.

Warren made coffee for me at his place only a month ago. He had been given just a few weeks to live but he told me that was BS. He told me he was not ready to go and he felt he had another six months left in him. He fought but eventually he was defeated.

It was no surprise to me that the funeral service held at Albert Hall to celebrate the life of this ever-smiling, blue-eyed, loud, great fun guy was packed to the rafters with hundreds of people who gathered to pay their respects to Woz. My sympathies go to Warren’s wife, Kate, and his three gorgeous children who have been so brave but are heartbroken.

One of Warren’s old schoolmates spoke at the funeral and relayed a story about a conversation that they had as teenagers on a beach somewhere. According to his friend, Warren had inquired as to what his response would be if he was attacked by a shark while swimming in the ocean and Warren’s friend had suggested that if a shark grabbed him in the water he would assume the worst and say goodbye to this world.

But Woz was not like that. He told his friend that in that circumstance he believed in his heart that he would home in on the shark’s eye and punch it and punch it and punch it as hard and as fast as he could until the shark let go, and then he would somehow swim back to shore and try to get help. And that is how Warren Carloff lived his life. That is how he fought this disease. He was a good man, was Warren Carloff, and it was a great pleasure of mine to have known him.

Big Issue—international vendor week

MS LE COUTEUR (Murrumbidgee) (5.12): Last Friday I took part in the Big Issue selling challenge as part of international vendor week. I was pleased to see Grant, a Big Issue vendor in Woden, who I saw a lot of last year during the election campaign. It was really great to see Grant and hear his sense of humour again.

In Australia more than 6,500 men and women have earned an income through selling the Big Issue in the past 20 years. Selling the Big Issue helps homeless, marginalised and disadvantaged people to positively change their lives by providing an opportunity to earn an independent income, build confidence and increase community interaction.


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