A dear friend and colleague, Graham Freudenberg, died this morning at the Redcliffe Hospital. He was admired and will be mourned by many people who knew him personally and a great number of people who knew him in public recognition of his work.
Throughout his long illness, he remained courageous and concerned for people around him, and particularly for the Labor Party that he loved. As he physically declined, the strength of his inner life became even more apparent. He was delighted that, in his last week of life he could see again ‘The Scribe’ on ABC TV.
His close friends and family, and Australians generally, have been privileged to know Graham Freudenberg.
John Menadue
John Menadue is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Pearls and Irritations. He was formerly Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser, Ambassador to Japan, Secretary of the Department of Immigration and CEO of Qantas.
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11 responses to “JOHN MENADUE. Vale Graham Freudenberg”
Gough and Margaret Whitlam’s children – Tony, Nick, Stephen and Catherine – wrote:
“Graham was family. On high days and feast days and on our father’s extended foreign tours, he was somewhere between a brother and an uncle. And he was the first on the guest list for any family gathering.
“Gough loved Graham, as did Margaret. Each of us have immense gratitude for his work for our father, the ALP and the nation. We shared so many happy memories of his time with us over more than 50 years.”
An Australian great and a good friend to my uncle in his latter years. Condolences from Phil Davis’ family.
Always treated we lesser mortals with interest and respect, top bloke. RIP freudy.
Graham was indeed a great man and a consummate professional. One small aspect – he dictated many of his speeches to secretarial staff, working in high political offices where intense pressure was normal. Those I knew wondered at his capabilities. As one said, he could come back from a very long lunch still laughing, greet me, ask if all was well, talk a bit about my life, then clear his throat and start off again exactly where he’d left off hours ago. Every sentence composed.
Names we see hear in our lives depart, when the body fails. His words remain forever…
Perth is a conservative town but I remember the respect shown to Graham by journalists on the Right who would never have voted Labor. We all admired his professionalism. On top of that he was a friendly, modest and approachable bloke.
I concur a great advocate of a genuine social democracy and a true believer in that institution; he truly understood and continued to highlight that democratic values, commitments, integrity, and struggles were and are under assault!
Thank you for your dedication to the common good!
He was a great man, a wonderful friend, and one of a kind. I treasure the memory of him falling on to an airport carousel, travelling around the back and re-emerging with cigarette still in hand. But there are too many memories, all of them good ones. Farewell, old mate. They say no-one is irreplaceable — I can’t imagine you could ever be replaced. Mungo
John Please accept my condolences, Australia has lost a great public servant.
What a huge loss. How we have benefited from his life and work.
Asked what made the difference between a good speech and a great speech, Graham Freudenberg told me, “About four VB’s comrade!” Let’s drink to a great man.