Richard Tracey, the Chairman of aged care royal commission and the former federal court judge has died on Friday at the age of 71 in California, where he diagnosed with cancer just seven weeks ago.
Former Australian Public Service Commissioner Lynelle Briggs said Tracey was working on the inquiry’s interim report even after getting diagnosed and treated in California.
On Monday, Briggs said, “It gave us all hope that he would return fit and healthy in the new year. The news of his death was, therefore, a complete shock and absolutely shattering.”
“He was experienced. He was wise. He was admired,” continued Briggs. “He knew the law like the back of his hand. He was prepared to take a punt if it meant getting a better outcome for older Australians.”
She said the interim report, which is due to be released later this month, would be one of Tracey’s many legacies.
Briggs said, “It was Richard who labeled aspects of the aged care system cruel and unkind, after two particularly grueling days of evidence in Darwin.”
“And it was Richard who encouraged me to drive our policy agenda beyond change at the margin to transformative change, given the degree of substandard care that was apparent to us,” added Briggs.
Arthur Moses SC, the president of the Law Council, called him “a man of the highest integrity.”
“I … admired his commitment to upholding the rule of law and commitment to the pursuit of justice,” added Mosses. “On behalf of the Law Council I recognize and honor the important and enduring legacy of Justice Tracey to Australia’s legal community”
Peter Rozen QC, senior counsel assisting the royal commission, said that Tracey was a “fundamentally decent human being” and his death had affected all of the staff involved in the commission. In 1991, Tracey was appointed Queen’s Counsel and went on to serve as a judge of the Federal Court from 2006 to 2018. From 1975 to 2014, he also served in the Australian Army, reaching the rank of Major General.
