Victorian Greens MP Tim Read has died aged 64 after a 10-month battle with melanoma, prompting tributes from colleagues and political leaders across Victoria. His death matters because Read was regarded as a principled parliamentarian and a prominent advocate for public health, integrity and stronger anti-corruption measures.

Read was a doctor and scientist who completed a PhD on HIV prevention and treatment, and represented Brunswick from 2018 until illness forced his retirement before the November election. He began political activism with the BUGA-UP anti-tobacco campaign, opposed plans to close VicHealth, and led parliament’s Integrity and Oversight Committee; he revealed in 2025 that cancer had spread throughout his body after his leg became swollen.