Former Labor Prime Minister Steve Bracks says he met Ms Garrett 22 years ago when she joined his office.
“Jane thrived in that pressure cooker environment,” he says.
“He could speak to anyone with a confidence and authority that belied his age.”
He said he would go “head to head” with government authorities with respect and trust.
“A brilliant mind, principled, compassionate, brave, and had the best sense of humor and the best laugh,” he says.
Bracks says he wasn’t surprised when he launched his own political career.
“He lived and breathed politics,” he says.
The last few years and the cruel return of cancer didn’t stop him from living his last time with conviction, says Bracks.
“Jane knew how to live, she knew that every moment mattered,” he says.
“Long before her breast cancer diagnosis, she knew that life was precious and precarious.
He says his legacy lies in his contributions to public life, as well as his family.
“The most important thing is that he lives there [her children] Molly, Sasha and Max,” she says.