A fitting farewell for popular leader Reed
FORMER deputy chief minister Mike Reed was laid to rest at his “centre of the universe”, flanked by family and friends on the banks of the Katherine River floodplain on Saturday.
A crowd of 600 people attended the former Katherine MLA’s state funeral held at the Katherine Museum which he helped develop during his 16½ years in NT parliament, 13 of which he served as a cabinet minister until his retirement in 2003.
Mr Reed, 75, passed away following a short illness on November 22.
His former ministerial colleague and friend Stephen Dunham led the eulogy yesterday with a “highlights reel” of key achievements in office, including Mr Reed’s leadership of the Territory town’s recovery from the disastrous Katherine River flood of 1998.
He described Mr Reed as a minister who lived by the motto: just do it.
Mr Dunham said: “Early in his time as health minister, Mike was briefed on a potentially fatal disease called Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). This bacteria was prevalent among Aboriginal children under five and the Alice Springs region had some of the highest rates in the world. He was told that immunisation was now available and that a three-year program would control and eradicate it.
“The three-year timetable was unacceptable to Mike and he directed that vaccination of children was given a high priority status and was to be achieved within a year.”
The program saved lives and prevented long-term disability.
Mr Dunham recalled that Mr Reed and his family ignored the devastating loss of one home and extensive damage to their second as the minister worked for months leading the clean-up and rebuilding of town assets lost when the river burst its banks, flooding shops and homes in the town’s main street and largest suburbs on Australia Day.
Mr Dunham credited Mr Reed’s political success to the support of his wife Ann, who was a frequent political representative at home when her husband was in parliament in Darwin or travelling as a minister.
Mr Dunham told the crowd: “The Katherine people know a good deal when they see one. Most worked on the logic of, ‘Course I’m voting for
Reedy. Not only does he deliver, but with the work Ann does for the town you get two for the price of one’.
“In fact, in an election victory speech, Mike made no secret of the fact that he was aware if Ann was to run against him that he would lose.”
On behalf of the NT government, NT Attorney-General Selena Uibo recognised Mr Reed’s support of the expansion of the RAAF Base Tindal, 10km south of Katherine. Ms Uibo said: “Tindal grew from a population of just 25 people to more than 1000 during the time that Michael was local member.”
Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro recalled that unlike many of his colleagues, Mr Reed was always first to put up his hand to deputise as acting minister when MLAs were out of town.
Mr Reed is survived by his wife Ann, their children Megan, Steven and David and their grandchildren.