Senator Kennedy was a practical and man of honest faith and humanity with gifts of kindness and discernment often inspired by the best aspects of religion and understanding of the conscience and personal issues of so many who looked to him to make balanced calls for his own country and without hesitation the needs of so many around the world.
His professional and wonderful profile for locals or even the best from other nations with whom he no doubt networked and endeavoured to resolve so many of the seemingly insoluble problems first and of course in his maturity assisted the steady way forward always in well considered mature attempts wherever policy was needed around the world in securing the best and not just to be happy only with something less.
Over the years it has been an honour to have contact occasionally on a family-to-family basis with the Senators family. For example the Australian Prime Minister Mr Whitlam made it possible after the follow up and stress of the dismissal episode here in Canberra in the 1970s to meet the Senator and briefly if I recollect correctly Mrs Kennedy the former wife of President John Kennedy. I have to say that I felt unequal in such important event and secretly prayed that one day some of my best ideas and contributions might match the family and of course the Senator. Later I received a very kind letter from the Senator inviting me to Washington one day and to call in. I am sorry such a wonderful invitation was not followed up by me when so wonderfully given.
One aspect of the Senator’s courage was the way he admitted the need to correct the past, for example from not having successful policy and what is rare but a wonderful quality of the Senator to acknowledge flaws and to firmly with all of us in mind to be more effective and wherever possible much better and even superior given his strong conscience driven commitment to personal development and change.
I honestly believe his life demonstrated what the best qualified and the most honest men of responsibility should aim for and have achieved not just at a personal level but fully recognised and famous for achievement in the public domain throughout the world.
I was very pleased, as an Australian when the Senator’s passing had been announced to the public that Great Britain had honoured the Senator with an honorary knighthood for outstanding public and political service to the world. In Australia it is known such recognition is rare and to be only for the finest.
May he rest in peace.
