A working class hero is farewelled...

My friend Patricia Corowa - who has been mentioned on this blog before - yesterday went to the State Funeral for Bernie Banton (pictured above with his wife, Karen). Here is the Vale to Bernie posted last week on The Eagle's Nest. Patricia has given a beautiful report on the State Funeral and has kindly given permission for it to be published. Thank you, Patricia.


Dear Family and Friends:

Just want to let you all know:

I went with a Maori friend... John Ake... to the State Funeral of Bernie Banton AM, at Acer Arena at Olympic Park yesterday... in the teeming rain...

It was a good send off to an ordinary working man... who did extraordinary exploits... with a processional guard of honour of about 100 High School Students from Kings School... Parramatta... where Bernie and his brothers and sister were born... and where he grew up and worked in the James Hardie Factory nearby...

His Sons and Nephews were Poll Bearers... There was a 12-piece string orchestra... his Brother, Rev Bruce Banton (Full Gospel Ministry) officiated... with tributes from his Wife, Daughters-in-Law, Grand-daughter... and official Tributes (all there in person) from PM Kevin Rudd, NSW Premier Morris Iemma, and Greg Combet, MP for Charlton and Parliamentary Secretary assisting the Minister for Defence...

The Eulogy was given by his Sister, Grace... who now lives in Texas, USA... His son Dean read Psalm 121... and there were more tributes from his brother, Brian Banton and the closing address by Rev Bruce Banton... Hymns were It is well with my Soul... and The River... and as the cortege left the assembly... the John Rowles song If I only had time was sung by a male soloist

There was a Guard of Honour of NSW Unions with their banners as the cortege was brought out of the Acer Arena to the Hearse... still in the teeming rain... to go to a private family burial... and PM Kevin Rudd was there with Karen Banton, Bernie's widow, right up till then

As the service progressed... we heard... that Bernie was of Irish and Jewish descent... and that he and his family are Christians

In his closing address... Rev Bruce Banton related how Bernie's passions were FMH... Football, Meat Pies and Holdens... and how towards the end of those 102 of a possible 153 of his last days on this earth... Bernie called him to have communion with him in hospital... so that he could forgive... as set out in the disciples' prayer (of Matthew 6:9-13... and the admonition of Jesus to them of verses 14 and 15... that if we do not forgive those who have wronged us... our Heavenly Father will not forgive us our wrongs)... and be ready to meet his Maker...

As they took communion in that hospital room... the remembrance bread representing the body of Christ... was a meat pie... So wonderful... I wept!

I thanked God for Salvation... amongst that crowd of witnesses... who were there to mourn the passing... and to celebrate the life of an Australian hero

He did what it was in his heart to do... even unto death

Loves,
Patricia

Vale, Bernie Banton AM

Bernie & Karen Banton

Sky TV will telecast Bernie Banton: A life at 8.30am this morning

Bernie Banton is dead. A man who embodied so many of the characteristics which Australians admire has gone from our midst. Bernie is a Parramatta working man, a fighter for justice and right. As I right, I find words difficult to describe to people who have not seen Bernie on the TV so often as Australians have.

Bernie fought James Hardy for those who were suffering the ravages in their bodies of their interlude with asbestos. The fight would have been bad enough and relentless enough - but James Hardy turned out to be a shameless corporate criminal. A formerly reputable Australian company, it shifted itself to Holland leaving what amounted to a token amount of money in a separate company for the afflicted in order to avoid its responsibilities.

But Bernie took on the Australian Tax Office too. The heartless ATO was prepared to allow taxation to eat up further the compensation money for the asbestos victims.

Bernie may yet have one more triumph, one more scalp on his belt. As the Liberal Party writhes in agony and uncertainty after its dreadful defeat on Saturday which Michael Kroger has dubbed the Liberals' lowest ebb since the foundation of the party 60 years ago, Tony Abbott - the Health Minister in the Howard Government - has thrown his hat in the ring for the Liberal Party leadership. It is unlikely, in Miss E's view, that the Libs will take Abbott on. In fact, Abbott's own view that he has a chance shows a marked lack of self-reflection. And what has Bernie to do with that? This, dear Reader.

Abbott is nothing if not rude. Don't send him on a peace mission. He'd only add fuel to the flames. He attacked Bernie in a most dreadful way. Bernie handled that with his usual dignity. Abbott was forced to apologise. Abbott showed his true character. Bernie showed his.

And how did Bernie keep going? How did he keep going in the media campaign, the battle for justice, the battle to fight a one in a million disease? In Bernie's own words, faith in God.

Rest in peace, Bernie. You have been a good and faithful servant. Our thoughts and prayers are with Karen and your family - including your sister who flew in from Texas, USA.

Eternal rest grant unto Bernie, O Lord, and may perpetual Light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen