Private Members' Statement
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields) (12:17 ): I pay tribute to a dear friend who recently passed away, Mr Tom Shiner of Ingleburn. I do so in the presence of his wife, Fay, his son, Tom, and his grandson, Thomas, who are in the public gallery today. When Tom Shiner was farewelled recently his coffin was welcomed into the chapel to the tune of the Internationale, the anthem of the socialist movement. When the service concluded, it did so to Advance Australia Fair. The commencement and conclusion of Tom's memorial service perfectly bookend the issues and passions that meant most to him, that is, Tom was 100 per cent committed to the cause of the worker and his union movement and he was 100 per cent a proud Australian.
For as long as I can remember, and certainly for as long as I have been active in Labor Party politics, Tom Shiner was a pillar and foundation of the local party structure—the Macquarie Fields-Ingleburn branch. Indeed, up until recently Tom was the only life member of the Australian Labor Party from the Macquarie Fields-Ingleburn branch. Tom gave his life to the party. He never lost hope or wavered in his belief that the party was the agent of change for good.
He was always up well before dawn on election day to set up his booths and he was always the last to leave when the polls closed at 6.00 p.m. Indeed, one of the most endearing images I have of Tom is when he handed out flyers for me at Ingleburn railway station when I was running for Macquarie Fields in the election. Despite his ill health and obvious difficulties, Tom was there supporting his candidate and his party.
Despite his relatively modest academic qualifications, Tom was very much a self-taught and widely read man. This was very evident in the frequent long and complex motions he moved at branch meetings. Hardly a meeting would go by without Tom rising to his feet saying, "Mr Chairman". Often Tom's motions would focus on matters of branch democracy and the need for rank-and-file preselections. I always sought Tom's signature on my preselection nomination form. In seeking and securing Tom's support I knew that, at least in some small way, I was keeping true to Labor values.
Apart from his activity in the ALP, Tom was also a proud unionist. At his funeral, Tim Ayres, the National Secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union [AMWU], spoke eloquently about Tom's tireless efforts on behalf of workers. Tom Shiner never took a backward step in defending the rights and conditions of workers. Indeed, in retirement Tom devoted much of his time to being the secretary of the retired members division of his union. The Granville office of the AMWU was like a second home to Tom for all those years.
Apart from Tom's union and political interests, he was a very keen sportsman. From playing rugby league in Guyra to representing the Canterbury Rugby League Football Club, Tom was known for his tenacity on the field. In fact, at the wake to celebrate his life at the Ingleburn RSL, Tom was described as being staunch on the field. Staunch is an attribute that can be applied to almost every aspect of Tom's life. You knew where you stood with Tom Shiner, and he never gave an inch in standing up for what he believed in. Apart from rugby league, Tom was also a keen golfer, cricketer and cricket umpire. Sport was certainly one of his great passions.
Tom Shiner, unionist; Tom Shiner, ALP supporter and life member; Tom Shiner, sportsman; and Tom Shiner, family man: The pillar of Tom's family life was his wife—his gal from Guyra—Faye. My respect and admiration for Faye know no bounds. In good times and in bad, Faye never wavered—not once. Faye was always there for Tom and she was always there for their four children—Tom Jnr, Mick, Chris and Rebecca—while Tom did other things. To Faye—whose sense of loss I can only imagine—I simply state my 100 per cent respect and admiration for your commitment to Tom and to your family. With the loss of Tom Shiner, the local ALP has lost not only a life member, but also a true believer. May Tom Shiner—workers' friend, staunch trade unionist, passionate debater and proud family man—rest in peace.
