The Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet advises that a State Memorial Service for the Honourable Dr Race Mathews will take place at 11.30 am on Friday, 23 May 2025 at The Leaper Family Pavilion at the Arts Centre, Melbourne, Victoria.

Race joined the Victorian Labor Party in 1956 and went on to serve in the local, state and federal levels of government. In Victoria, he was Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Community Services.

During his time as Principal Private Secretary to former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam AC, he helped shape policies on education and healthcare, including the early design for what would later become Medicare.

Race was a champion of the arts. He served on the boards of the Melbourne Recital Centre and Australian Centre for the Moving Image, and helped establish the Arts Centre and the Melbourne Writers’ Festival.

Details regarding the service and online condolences are available at
https://www.vic.gov.au/RaceMathews

As a mark of mourning and respect, the Australian National Flag should be flown at half-mast all day on Friday, 23 May 2025 in Victoria only from all buildings and establishments occupied by Australian Government departments and affiliated agencies. Other organisations are welcome to participate.

• When flying the Australian National Flag with other flags, all flags in the set should be flown at half-mast.
• If a set of flags includes the flags of other nations, it would be appropriate to seek permission from the diplomatic representatives of that nation to half-mast their flag.
• An acceptable half-mast position would be when the top of the flag is a third of the distance down from the top of the flagpole.
• Information on flag protocol is available at https://www.pmc.gov.au/flag

Your assistance is appreciated.

Commonwealth Flag Officer

21 May 2025
 

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
1 National Circuit
BARTON  ACT  2600