NSW Greens MP John Kaye stood up in NSW Parliament at 5.36pm on May 30, 2007 and made a first speech that mapped his plans for the eight years ahead.
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Public education, TAFE, renewable energy, electricity privatisation, climate change, the need for citizens in a democracy to also be activists, and many more of the issues that made him something of a people’s champion, were outlined in a speech that lasted for 15 minutes.
In the more than eight years he sat in the NSW Legislative Council until his death on Monday, aged 60, from cancer, John Kaye stayed true to his beliefs.
He also remained one of the most intelligent, articulate and funniest politicians of his generation, according to many who worked with him.
Tobacco control activist Professor Simon Chapman described Dr Kaye as “a superb man in every sense” who “gave so much quality to political debate in NSW”.
Public education advocate Jane Caro said she was devastated to learn of Dr Kaye’s death.
“A wonderful, funny, principled man who stood up for his beliefs. I liked him very much,” she said.
Dungog councillor and No Tillegra Dam group member Linda Bowden remembered Dr Kaye as a “great friend” of the Hunter, who supported small communities against multinational mining companies and Hunter Water and NSW Government plans to dam Tillegra Creek.
“We all loved him up here. Absolutely loved him,” Ms Bowden said.
“You just don’t get politicians like John, who was an incredibly intelligent, articulate person, and very funny, who always had time to get back to you, and who was such a relentless, tenacious personality for the things he believed in.”
Dr Kaye, Ms Bowden and other members of the No Tillegra Dam group worked together for six years.
“He was the only politician who showed a genuine interest in helping our community,” Ms Bowden said.
“He had an incredible ability to go through a briefing and an extraordinary amount of information, and in a matter of 10 minutes he would be able to articulate an argument.
“He used to call me ‘Flash’ because he said I did things so quickly, but John was extraordinary.”
He was also a great fan of the home-made jam made by Ms Bowden’s partner, Ken Kneipp.
“We called it the River Williams jam and John would always get some when he was here. He’d joke that we were going to make him fat. He was just the most beautiful person,” Ms Bowden said.
Dr Kaye is survived by partner Lynne Joslyn, sister Dina, brothers Andrew and Stephen, and their families.
