Beloved Victorian Greens MP Tim Read dies aged 64 after courageous battle with cancer

Victorian Greens MP Tim Read has died aged 64, following a high-profile battle with metastatic cancer.

Dr Read, who announced his retirement from the Victorian parliament in January, used his final year as the Member for Brunswick to fight against the Allan government's decision to close VicHealth, described as the world's first health promotion foundation.

Tributes flow for Dr Read

Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell paid tribute to Dr Read on social media, saying the Brunswick MP was the most liked MP in the state parliament.

“Tim was a brilliant local MP, doctor and scientist — but to those who knew him, he was also the kindest, funniest and most fundamentally decent of people,” Ms Sandell said.

“Tim never held back from speaking truth to power, whether it was getting arrested for spray-painting health messages on tobacco billboards prior to getting elected or taking it up to the Premier in Question Time.”

Ms Sandell said Dr Read's advocacy led to legislative reforms over pill testing, tobacco licensing, the abolition of public drunkenness laws and a statewide plan to eradicate congenital syphilis and HIV transmission.

She said his work also led to gay men being allowed to donate blood, and a statutory ban on solitary confinement in prisons.

Premier and Opposition Leader pay tribute

Victorian Premier Ben Carroll said he spoke with Dr Read earlier this week and was “deeply touched by that conversation”.

“We spoke about something on which we have always agreed: integrity in public life and the need for reform,” Mr Carroll said.

“Despite his health challenges, he was positive and optimistic for a better world.”

“I always valued his intelligent and humane contributions to the public debate.”

Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson said Dr Read “was a man of conviction and a thoroughly decent person”.

“He brought sincerity, compassion and a strong sense of public duty to his work, earning respect across the parliament,” she said.

“His commitment to integrity in public life was unwavering. Through his leadership of parliament's Integrity and Oversight Committee and his advocacy for stronger anti-corruption laws, Tim worked to ensure those entrusted with power were held accountable.”

Dr Read's background

Dr Read was a doctor before being elected to the Victorian parliament eight years ago.

Born in 1962, Dr Read completed a PhD while working as a medical practitioner in a public HIV and sexual health clinic.

His research included HIV prevention and treatment and how best to treat antibiotic-resistant sexually transmitted infections.

Dr Read's political activism started in his early 20s, as a participant in the Billboard-Utilising Graffitists Against Unhealthy Promotions group.

The politician first ran for a parliamentary seat at a federal level, running as the Greens candidate at the 2013 election in former prime minister Bob Hawke's seat of Wills.

The Greens hold the inner suburban constituency with a two-candidate preferred margin of 13.7 per cent against Labor.

A by-election for the Brunswick electorate will not be necessary as Victoria is already scheduled to go to the polls on November 28.

Dr Read's battle with cancer

Last year, Dr Read told he had noticed his leg was swollen while getting ready for work.

Scans revealed cancer had spread throughout his body.

Dr Read first had a melanoma removed from his leg seven years ago.

His initial diagnosis was grim, forcing the Brunswick MP to retire ahead of the November state election.

In January, Dr Read said closing VicHealth would create a “false economy” — an apparent saving that would in fact lead to more spending.

“We need to be strengthening health promotion, not weakening it,” he said.