Australia’s political, business elite turn out to farewell Labor mastermind Tim Picton

The nation’s political and business elite turned out to farewell Labor election mastermind and Mineral Resources director Tim Picton at a memorial at Optus Stadium in Perth on Friday.

Nearly 750 people squeezed into the Riverview Room at the stadium, with Tim’s wife Priya Brown and four-year-old daughter Charlotte sitting alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, former WA premier Mark McGowan, current WA Premier Roger Cook, South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas and Mineral Resources boss Chris Ellison.

The South Australian-born Tim died this week after being allegedly coward-punched during a night out in Northbridge in December.

The alleged assault left him with a serious brain bleed, and he was placed in a coma from which he never woke.

Tim’s sister Jo and brother, South Australian Health Minister Chris Picton, led the tributes for their brother, with Jo recounting their childhood together.

“When he arrived, he completed our family. Chris and I felt it instantly. He was the missing piece,” Jo said.

“Tim walked early, and from that moment, he never stayed still for long, which I’m sure we can all attest to.”

Jo said that despite being four years older than her brother, Tim was her protector.

“It pains me to no end that no matter how hard we championed him when the tables were turned in the last few weeks, we could not protect him,” she said.

“If you ever were lucky enough to receive a Tim Picton hug ... there was nothing like it in the world.

“It is devastating to know I will never receive another Timbo hug.

“Even though I am in tremendous pain, I’m also so grateful for what we had. I got to be loved by Tim. I got to love Tim. What an absolute privilege.

“There is no doubt that my life is infinitely richer because of him.”

Chris shared an anecdote that, a few weeks ago, Tim and his wife had begun working on their wills and through that process began talking about funerals.

“Tim was very, very clear about what he wanted; he wanted everybody to be very, very, very sad,” he said.

“He wanted everyone crying, then after that, he wanted everyone to have a great event where everyone could be together and happy and joyous.”

Chris said his brother was an expert at connections.

“Tim could connect with everyone, from the front bar to the boardroom table, from brickies to billionaires, from premiers and prime ministers through to an area of Tim’s particular speciality, older electorate office ladies,” he said.

“Tim formed real connections, not surface-level ones, lasting ones, that instinct defined his professional life and was a particular cause that drove him to politics.

“It was people he knew. That politics was ultimately all about people, and if you build that connection, you win. And only when you win can you make a difference.

“Tim was a shining star of our Labor family and one of the greatest national talents of this generation. He still had so much more to give.”

Speaking ahead of the event, Albanese revealed he had a letter he would give to Priya for their daughter Charlotte.

“I want Charlotte, when she grows up, to know exactly how much her dad was loved by everyone who came into contact with him,” he said.

“He led the Labor Party here with dignity, with intellect and with vision, and he then went on to be making a very successful career in the private sector.

“But on a personal level, he was always so full of life. And I want Charlotte, when she grows up, to really be proud of what a great Australian her dad was.”

Picton’s wife read out Funeral Blues, the poem read out during the funeral scene in Four Weddings and a Funeral, which she said Picton had Googled the genesis of the poem the third time she had made him watch the film.

“He said it’s actually part of a 1936 play, and the poem was written as a satirical farewell to a vanquished political rival,” she said.

“So on behalf of the fact that Tim loved vanquishing political rivals, on behalf of the fact that he wore his heart in his sleeve, on behalf of 12 years of bickering, on behalf of the love that my daughter and I have for him, this is Funeral Blues.”

Tim was regarded as the architect of some of WA Labor’s biggest successes, including Mark McGowan’s 2021 election win and federal Labor’s resurgence in the state during the 2022 election.

He left politics in 2022 to work for Mineral Resources as a director, but before that worked with the Victorian and South Australian Labor parties.

He previously worked with Trade Minister Don Farrell, who also attended Friday’s event.

Tim was also an advisory board member of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia.

Guests from the WA business community included Ellison, Satterley Group founder Nigel Satterley, APM Group chief executive Michael Anghie, Hesperia founder Ben Lisle, Seven West Media chief executive Maryna Fewster and The West Australian editor Chris Dore.

Nearly all state and federal WA Labor MPs attended the service alongside senior Liberals, including WA Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas, WA Senator Michaelia Cash, Forrest MP Ben Small and WA Liberal president Caroline De Russo.

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