Vale Phillip Beddall

Sunday, 1 September 2019

It is with the deepest sadness that the Young People In Nursing Homes National Alliance acknowledges the unexpected death of Phillip Beddall.

Phil has been the chair of the Alliance Board since our incorporation in 2002. His leadership was central to establishing the Alliance as Australia’s first national peak for young people in nursing homes and he leaves a significant gap in our organisation.

Phil’s dry sense of humour was always in evidence, particularly when considering some of the more puzzling policy decisions governments made from time to time. His powers of analysis always got to the heart of the matter at these times.

Phil was recognised as a powerful disability and social justice advocate and was involved in a number of organisations and campaigns. As well as his membership of federal government advisory bodies, Phil was Deputy Chair of SACOSS; Chair of support agency Enhanced Lifestyles, an organisation he helped found; and the chair of the Dignity Party’s Board and Campaign Committee. At the 2018 South Australian election, Phil stood as the Dignity Party’s candidate for West Torrens, achieving a respectable vote of over 5%.

Phil had extensive experience in community broadcasting and was widely acknowledged for his expertise as both presenter and producer on disability and health issues. Phil’s ability to get Ministers to regularly appear on his radio show on 5RPH was testament to his professional manner and to the respect in which he was held. His direct questioning and his use of humour to get the best out of those he interviewed, was no doubt one of the reasons for this.

Phil’s sudden death has been a shock to all those who knew him. He made a deep and lasting impact on the Alliance’s work and will be very greatly missed indeed.

*photo of Phillip Beddall courtesty of Dignity Party