For more than a decade my community service work had touch points with the public service of Launceston’s, Jeremy Ball.

Initially as a pair of citizens committed to public advocacy for fairer treatment of refugees, we developed a style of working together that was reassuring and mutually reinforcing. In December 2002, at the peak of public interest in the plight of the Sarwari family’s battle with The Australian Government, Jeremy and I co-facilitated a public meeting at the old Chalmers Church. We marched in the streets in opposition to the war in Iraq in March 2003. And spent time together socially on and off that year. Jeremy was the most like-minded character I had ever met.

I followed his election to the City of Launceston Council from 2007, and regularly attended Council Meetings to hear his contributions. Among other things, he  picked up and advocated for the recording and online broadcast of council proceedings to increase community engagement, and lobbied for Launceston to become a ‘Refugee Friendly City”.

I miss his social contributions. From 2010, Jeremy was my go-to Master of Ceremonies for Communities for Children events like the annual Expos we hosted in the Albert Hall and City Park. He was the welcoming voice over for events, he could interview children and adults alike, he used humour lavishly and appropriately, and was fair, inclusive, and just.

I miss his playfulness and his presence in a room. I can still vividly recall Jeremy’s habit of walking into a meeting room, and upon spotting me, move toward me with hand outstretched, announcing with his stage voice, “Mr Malet”; with added emphasis on the French pronunciation.

Jeremy died in 2014. I was immediately and deeply saddened upon hearing the news, and I fell into a form of depression for some time. I had hoped I could join him on Council one day and continue the social and environmental justice work we had in common. Incidentally, it was my Mum, rather than myself, that spoke to him the day before he died. It was in the immediate lead in to local government election, and because he had previously posted an election sign on my parent’s front lawn he was asking again. To my mum, he was regular Jeremy. The next day he was gone.

Postscript

Once at a political event Jeremy was asked about his political allegiances. At the time he was serving on the City of Launceston Council without party affiliation, and it was suggested that he was actually a member of the Greens political party. Jeremy simply smiled and responded, “I’m all colours of the rainbow”. It is that statement that inspired the colour pallet of the vibrant nation logo.

This website and the work of vibrant nation is in memory of Jeremy Ball.

I hope one day that I can, with consent and involvement from his family, establish a Jeremy Ball Memorial Lecture. To be held annually in Launceston, I picture this free public event being headlined by a prominent speaker talking with (not to) the community about contemporary social, economic, racial and environmental issues.