By Violet Li
Former Cranbourne Labor MP Jude Perera has been remembered as a “resilient, hardworking, and compassionate” public servant by his families, friends, and former colleagues.
Mr Perera’s family announced the sad news on Facebook on 23 July. He was 71 at the age of his death.
The first Sri Lankan-born and –educated MP elected to the lower house in Australia, he served Cranbourne communities for four terms, retiring in 2018 after a long battle with renal disease and two kidney transplants.
The funeral was held on Wednesday 31 July at the Bunurong Memorial Park in Dandenong South with hundreds of attendants commemorating the former MP’s life.
A handful of speakers shared their anecdotes with Mr Perera and honoured his contribution to the community.
High school friend Trevis Perera spoke on behalf of Maris Stella College Old Boys Association at the funeral, celebrating the life of Mr Perera and expressing heartfelt condolence to Mr Perera’s family.
“Jude was known to me since the time of my high school in Sri Lanka in the 70s. Jude was two grades my senior in the science and mathematics stream at the college. I remember that Jude was among the bright and studious pupils in his class,” he said.
“We lost each other’s contact for some 25 years. Surprisingly, our two families met here again in Melbourne when we migrated to Australia in 1999.
“It was a blissful reunion of two Perera families, Jude’s and mine.
“Jude and Ira [wife], along with a few other friends of mine living in the neighbourhood, helped me and my family immensely to settle down here in our initial years.”
Former Bruce MP Alan Griffin delivered a eulogy as a longtime mentor, political colleague, and friend.
He said that Mr Perera truly saw parliament and being a parliamentarian as being a vehicle to serve the community.
“Jude was a man with very strong beliefs and a man who always thought about what those beliefs were, and he was prepared to debate them. He was prepared to discuss them and he was happy to have disagreements if that’s what we’re here today,” he said.
“But also, the man was stubborn. He was stubborn. Not many people get to argue with me and get away with it. But he did on many occasions.
“The thing is, and you see it throughout his life, that stubbornness exhibited itself in terms of our commitment to belief, a willingness to stand up and actually keep standing, and a willingness and determination to achieve outcomes.
“This is a man in politics who was told many times, you can’t do that. This is a man who was told on many occasions, it’s just not your turn. And this is a man who continually had the strength, the belief in himself, and the people we represented to keep standing and to keep achieving.”
Mr Griffin highlighted the important role Mr Perera played in his community as an immigrant.
“There is no doubt, although we are a welcoming community, there is racism. There are issues around settlement and separation,” he said.
“There are barriers to people in terms of being able to fully be part of the civic society that we are all part of.
“And Jude is an example of someone who wasn’t prepared to be stopped or discouraged on the basis of those barriers.”
Mr Perera’s daughter Judy finished the guest speaker session with a tribute to her beloved father.
“Dad was the most caring, kind and compassionate person I’ve known,” she said.
“If you mention anything that has troubled you, no matter how small, he goes out of his way to help you.
“He has always been very outspoken about what he believes him and has taught us to do the same.
“He has always told us if something is not right, we need to speak up.
“He used his position in parliament to advocate for many issues. I am particularly proud of his support for marriage equality, adoption equality, and abortion rights for women.”
The funeral was hosted by Donald Betts Jr, former Kansas State Representative in America.
Mr Perera’s university friend Hemantha Kuluppuarachchi, Jaya Jayakody speaking on behalf of the Sri Lankan community, family member David Thompson, grandchildren Jordan, Jasmine, Ella and Paris, and son Rangana also paid their tributes as speakers.
