BRINDLEY, Fraser Charles - John Hossack Funerals

I’m one of Fraser’s many friends in Melbourne, and we are all so shocked and saddened to hear he has died, we can hardly believe it. He was so whip-smart, funny, kind, generous, strategic and hard-working, just a wonderful person, and we all benefited so much from knowing him. Fraser was a pioneer and leader for those of us who later became Greens City Councillors, training us in many skills and helping us understand how to cobble together a majority to achieve important goals. He even piled a group of us onto a minibus and gave us a tour of Melbourne’s urban planning successes and debacles, keeping us laughing along the way. He seemed so happy when I visited him in Launceston a few years ago, and was such an asset to the Federal Greens MPs. I was expecting that at some point the voters would come to their senses and he’d be back in public office himself, doing a better job than almost anyone, in his self-deprecating and inclusive way. Sincere condolences to all his family and thankyou for the time we had with him, it was great, and he was great. Vale Fraser.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

Vale Fraser. I was very much on the fringe of his life, but he made a very positive impact on me. I have great respect for the work he did, and my heart goes out to all who will miss him. Big love to him, his family and friends ❤️ 💙 💕

See https://tasmaniantimes.com/2023/08/tribute-to-fraser-brindley/#comment-249540

So very proud of my nephew. Thank you Pat for your tribute.

It was way too early to say good bye Fraser. Such good memories of the beginning days of Merri-bek branch, of which you were a major part, and your election to Council 3 months after we started. You set a high bar for how to be a good Councillor, and to be effective regardless of being in a minority of one. Thank you for being who you were, and for all that you did. You’ll be sorely missed. XX

I’m so very sad to hear this news. I first met Fraser in the early days of the Victorian Greens and worked with him many times over the years including after he moved to Tassie and worked with the federal MPs. He was a lovely person, a trail blazer and so dedicated and knowledgeable.
He will be so deeply missed.
My condolences to his family, close friends and colleagues.

I only spent a few short weeks working alongside Fraser, but the impression he left on me I’ll never forget.

“Momentum” was his catchphrase, when I would express things weren’t moving fast enough. He was the first to lend a hand during the campaign, and I now wish I’d taken the time to learn more from him.

My sincere condolences to his loved ones.

Fraser was part of the new Brunswick Greens branch of the Australian Greens in the early 2000s. Andrea Sharam had been a Greens independent candidate in the 90s. So democracy was breaking out all around at this period. Fraser was a welcome and fresh presence; sharp, a good communicator and he was able to work with people. He showed other Councillors how to be an effective political voice as a minority in a mix coloured by old party politicos.
My partner, Tony and I moved into Brunswick (what we say was the last affordable property!) in 2001, shortly after we had Tony designing collateral for the Greens and the Greens’ campaign. I recall taking photos of solar hotwater heaters and the Easter Freeway (which was on the cards for a tollway and a tunnel). Which featured in the campaign and Tony’s volunteered design skills.
Fraser influenced the establishment of the Business Incubator at 420 Victoria St, Brunswick (now Brunswick Design & Innovation). In their Grey St home, he re-designed and built some, at the time, innovative and cutting edge sustainable elements including grey water systems. Fraser was inspiring and a brilliant star. May it shine on Fraser – memories are burning bright today.

1988. A lifetime ago but from the moment we became school friends through music, you left an indelible mark on me.

I remember a skinny kid with floppy hair that won the Westpac maths prize every year and got a cheque at school assembly! No one else in a school of 1000 kids ever got the cheque. Just you. Every year.

We got to play awful cover songs awfully in country pubs and when the drunks got nasty, 18 year old you talked them down. You bamboozled them with logic with a hint of bite but if that didn’t work, Khe San always did! You hated that song but you played it well. You were a leader always. You knew what it took.

You introduced me to Soundgarden and The Red Hot Chili Peppers and other bands that weren’t cool in 1989. You were cool.

As was your way, you outgrew grunge, punk and anything that became cool and grew into adult life.

You bought a shop in Smith St Collingwood and lived upstairs before that was cool. You bought a house in Brunswick before that was cool. You didn’t want to be cool.

Watching you join Frente to play support to Alanis Morissette at Rod Laver Arena remains one of my favourite memories of all time, and you did stuff like that in a blink that others take a lifetime to never achieve. It was crazy to me. Not to you.

A leader, a gentleman and a wonderful human. That’s what I will remember.

Go well mate. I can never forget you.

Absolutely gutted to hear about Fraser’s passing. He was a good friend to me as a staffer, despite the fact we sat on different sides of the Labor-Greens divide, and absolutely dedicated to a better future for all. We are all poorer without him here.

I will be forever grateful to Fraser for being part of the crew that piloted me through the emotional chaos of our early 20s. I could never fix on whether he was angry or fearless but he was so sweet and he cared about all the world but he saved some for me and I’m grateful. McKean Street, the Volvo with Mr Bungle on the stereo, Coppin Street and going vegan in a house with the children of country football meat platters, from the epic to the quotidian, a friend for all occasions. Singular. Loyal. A wonderful appreciation of the absurd. He loathed hypocrisy. A memory of him playing piano, beautifully… I mostly think of him as a guitarist. The third quarter of the 2007 Grand Final when he turned to me and smiled and said I think it’s ok to cry now. The time I was cooked and I thought he’d given me a glass of coke and I spat it out and yelled at him and he gave me an urbane look and said “It’s Chinotto”. We came home one night and he’d scrawled “Fear Is The Mind Killer” on the walls and we found out he’d been bashed on a train for wearing eyeliner and he didn’t regret it for a second, he was just sad and frustrated by the banality of it. What a lovely person, he so enriched my life. I’m deeply sorry

It’s so sad to hear of Fraser leaving this world so soon. He was a good, decent man, who was an inspiration to us all as the first Greens councillor in Moreland/Merri-bek.

Vale, Fraser Brindley.

Fraser was a kind and collegiate workmate in the federal parliament. His deep knowledge (of so many issues!), his strategic insights, and his willingness to share ideas were things I always valued so highly. I really enjoyed any time Fraser would pop in to our office, we’d chat about a piece of legislation and no doubt veer off into northern Tassie mid-century architecture, or something philosophical about regulatory frameworks. Fraser chats were like that.

I was so saddened to hear Fraser’s gone, and will remember him with much admiration. My deepest condolences to his family and all those close to him.

Vale Fraser
I am so grateful that you were in my life. Your humour and wry smile, your brilliant mind, your honesty, integrity, generosity and impulse to kindness. And of course, the wily strategist. The long discussions about the financial system, the financial services sector, what needed to change, and how particular inquiries would play out.
I loved you for who you were and how you went about your work.
After the initial shock and grief, I trust that you have found peace. My condolences to your family and those who were close to you.

Vale Fraser. Working with you, and spending time with you in Launceston, particularly over this last year, was an experience I was hoping would continue long into the future. Your humility and laser focus on outcomes stood out amongst your many incredible attributes. I enjoyed hearing the many stories of campaigns gone by and only wish there was time to hear more.

Fraser- your legacy will live on- both in your work and in your kids. Thinking of everyone in your wider Greens family at this time. It was far too soon to say goodbye my friend.

Vale, Mr Brindley.

You were calm and strong in a place full of chaos, upbeat when things got hard and generous to a fault.

We met in Parliament and you were one of the few I turned to most and relied on for wisdom as I navigated my way. Simply, you made a hard job that bit easier for me.

Politics is a tough gig, its for the brave and dedicated, the witty and clever. Fraser was all of these and so, so much more. Go well my friend, you are remembered with affection and will be deeply missed.

First at Earthworker, then at the Global Greens and various Greens’ Wills, Brunswick and Moreland campaigns and activities and in councillor support meetings I was priviliged to know Fraser. I knew him as a dedicated, committed and passionate worker connecting greenies, unionists and assorted others in the fight for a better world. He seemed always able to support his allies and expose the dodgy dinosaurs and still remain calm. We will always remember your 30th. I look back fondly and am very sad to hear you’ve gone.

Fraser, I first met you when I turned up at a Greens event in Launceston three years ago. I’d moved to Tassie a month earlier, and didn’t know anyone. We hit it off, started talking intensely and deeply, and continued that conversation while having a steak, itself a point of tension for us greenie types.

I saw you again at events very now and then, at election parties and social events (the two of us buttonholing the then-new Premier at an art-show opening): I always thought we’d work together sometime in the future, thought we had plenty of time: it turns out that you had less time than anyone thought.

Vale Fraser, you worked hard for a better world: you made more of a difference than most of us will.

Fraser, we weren’t in touch so much these last few years but I always knew we could pick up where we left off. So sorry to hear of your passing and can’t imagine the loss your family must be feeling.
I will hold memories of your thoughtful, sensitive, witty being in my heart always!

You have left an incredible legacy for a better, fairer world, Fraser. Thank you for your contribution. May you rest in peace. All my love and thoughts to Fraser’s family, friends, and our Greens’ colleagues.

Vale Fraser.

My deepest condolences to his family and friends. Fraser always made the effort with me; a spark of kindness and light. He will be missed.

Fraser and I worked for different political parties, but I trusted him. He didn’t muck around. He didn’t play games. He was working in parliament because he wanted to make Australia a better, fairer place. I had enormous respect for him. Vale.

Fraser had a wonderful, kind and caring mind. He was able to passionately and articulately describe the problems in our society and their solutions.

I had the privilege of knowing him just for a few years, and just in a work context, but he was kind and patient – even when we often disagreed on policy matters.

His loss leaves a hole in our society.
I’m sorry, Fraser, and farewell.

Thanks for being one of the most incisive, intriguing and challenging (in the best possible way) work colleagues I’ll ever have the privilege of knowing. And thanks for the loquat tree Fraser, it is doing very nicely. I think of you whenever I see it in the backyard.

Thank you, Fraser, and deepest love to your children, mum, family, and friends.

The first time I met Fraser was around 2002 at a Greens bbq while I was tossing a stir fry of veggies over the hot plate, and after giving him a bowl of the veggies he handed it back to me with his big smile saying thank you and that he loved hot stuff, but not THAT hot – I had put too much chilli in the dish and he was gracious and honest enough to let me know about it. I always remember that moment fondly 🙂 I only saw him rarely throughout my life, but then I saw him, for what would be the last time, at A Festival Called Panama in 2016 – we both had little people hanging off us and reconnected over politics and kids. One of the many wonderful traits of Fraser’s was to make you feel comfortable and welcoming to talk to him. That big smile of yours shall shine on. Thanks for everything, Fraser; I have just watched your ceremony and was so moved by everything everyone had to share about you.

Heartfelt condolences and prayers for Fraser’s family. Fraser was so courageous and I wish I’d had the courage to contact him over the years.

Sincere and heartfelt condolences for Fraser’s family and friends. As an adviser in Federal Parliament, Fraser was generous with his time, helpful, challenging, and also supported shepherding through some really important consumer protection reforms, which serve to make lives easier for so many. Thanks for pushing for and supporting impactful change.

Fraser, I hadn’t caught up with you for years, but mate you were anything but forgettable! Super smart, fearless and committed, you will remain an inspiration to everyone who knew you. I wish you could have paid the price for that differently. Love to all your family and friends, you leave a space that will be hard to fill.

Ahhh Grandad this is so f!!!, you were my dear friend through some really tricky times and I bloody loved you so much ❤️
I am going to miss you and not seeing your face and having a hug is absolutely horrible.
Rest easy buddy, you meant a lot to so many people, there is a space that you filled in all of our lives that will remain empty but for our love for you and our memories ❤️
Love you mate from ” Grandma” 😉😘🥰 💚🍃🍂🍃

Motorcycles, music, politics, parenthood, you were my grumpy old man partner in crime. Which made me feel less alone and discordant. I’m going to miss you, Fraser. I already do.

And no, I’m not going to answer the phone.

I was very shocked and saddened to hear this news. I went to high school with Fraser and we quickly became very good friends. Lasting memories of him partnering me in my deb, the dance classes were always fun. We only caught up once after we left school at our 20 year high school reunion. It was like no time had passed. I often thought about him. Fraser was always kind and a true gentleman. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

Fraser, I just found out and can’t believe it. We were friends all through primary school and into high school until you moved away in year 8/9.

I stayed at your place many times and we played tennis, cricket, snooker. No TV I remember so we were usually outside doing something at the farm.

You were super smart and funny and we weren’t the cool kids but I enjoyed our friendship and we did reconnect maybe 10-15 years ago through a few emails which was nice.

Sorry I didn’t catch up with you again.

I am very saddened by Fraser’s sudden passing. He was a lovely guy and always very professional to deal with at Parliament. Smart and knowledgeable on policy issues, he will be missed here in canberra. Condolences to Fraser’s family and friends.

Tribute

"BRINDLEY, Fraser Charles" Comments

Fraser Charles Brindley

Tribute

Funeral Details

"BRINDLEY, Fraser Charles" Comments

Leave a Tribute Cancel reply