‘Force of nature’: Rising Labor star Sarah Carter farewelled at emotional funeral

Rising Labor star and three-time Maribyrnong mayor Sarah Carter has been remembered as a “force of nature” and an “intelligent, vivacious and caring woman” after her untimely death.

Hundreds of family, friends, and community members have gathered at the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne on Friday to farewell the beloved 45-year-old.

Speaking to the crowd, Ms Carter’s partner Nikhil Roy broke down in tears as he revealed he was “heartbroken” over the loss of the love of his life.

“I feel fate reached in, ripped out my soul,” he said through sobs.

“My grief knows no bounds. I loved her - like most people did - with every breath in this life and the next.”

Ms Carter’s mother Gaynor paid tribute to her “best friend” who she described as a “intelligent, vivacious and caring woman” and a “force of nature” who sought to change people’s lives for the better.

“When I think of the things Sarah has achieved in her short life, my heart swells with pride because she fit more into 45 years of life than some people achieve in a lifetime,” she told the seated crowd.

Ms Carter’s father David said the “overwhelming loss” of his daughter was “unbearable” and revealed her family was struggling to come to terms with her death.

Despite the tragic circumstances, Mr Carter said he felt “immense pride” that his daughter’s life had been “marked by unwavering dedication, compassion and a fierce commitment to making the world a better place.”

“There is no doubt, given the opportunity, she would have achieved so much more and touched so many more lives,” her father said, in a speech delivered by Ms Carter’s sister Carolyn.

“Sarah’s impact was profound, and it was felt by those she worked with, those who she served and those who had the privilege of knowing her.”

Ms Carter was the first woman to be elected as mayor of Maribyrnong three times and she received multiple awards for her contributions to the local community.

The councillor, who had been serving her fourth term at the time of her death, has been remembered as a trailblazing local politician who was a “role model” and “an inspiration to girls and young women in the community”.

Current Maribyrnong mayor Cuc Lam honoured her predecessor as a “tireless advocate of our community” who had played a key role in developing the council’s gender and equity strategy.

“Everything Sarah fought for, she did it with her whole heart,” Ms Lam said.

The mayor, who had previously served as Ms Carter’s deputy, said the council had received “many hundreds” of glowing tributes as the news of Ms Carter’s death spread through the community.

Ms Carter was passionate about social change and dreamt of representing the community as a member of federal parliament.

“It’s devastating she never got to achieve that goal,” her friend said.

“She would have been an incredible voice for her community and for women.”

Nationals MP Michael McCormack said he was “desperately, desperately sad” Ms Carter would never have a seat in Parliament.

“I was looking forward to yelling at her from the other side,” he joked.

The opposition Minister for International Development paid tribute to the countless lives Ms Carter improved through her selfless devotion to others.

“In developing countries the world over, right now, there are children and families who are being nurtured and sustained by the wonderful work and dedication of our Sarah,” he said.

“She saw injustice and she did her best to right that wrong.”

Labor MP Natalie Hutchins said the “brilliant” and “captivating” Ms Carter reminded her that “we are strong when we work together” and “changing the world comes one vote at a time.”

“She was full of belief that if you worked hard, anything was possible,” she said.

“She showed us who we could be and who we should be.”

Ms Hutchins announced the Australian Workers Union has established the Sarah Carter Memorial Award to be awarded to an outstanding woman each year.

Ms Carter’s white casket was covered with a beautiful array of flowers, including white lilies and red and pink roses, and draped with meaningful items such as a scarf from her favourite AFL team.

In lieu of giving flowers, mourners were instead asked to donate to Save The Children on Ms Carter’s behalf.

The charity was Ms Carter’s “life’s work” and she travelled the world to improve the lives of others.

Save The Children CEO, Matt Tinkler, said she “lit up the room” and delighted many colleagues with her “energy and passion”.

“You were the life of the party and the activist heartbeat of our team,” he said.

“There’ll never be another you, but we’ll never forget who you were and what you did for us.”

Mourners were also treated to an insight into Ms Carter’s personal life, with a friend recalling an entertaining ski trip and another sharing the politician’s previous online dating profile.

A number of political heavyweights from across the spectrum attended the funeral on Friday afternoon, including former Labor leader Bill Shorten, Nationals MP Darren Chester, and Liberal MP Dan Tehan.

The funeral comes ten days after Ms Carter was found dead in her home in Melbourne’s west.

Her cause of death has not been confirmed but her death is not being treated as suspicious.

Ms Carter’s casket was borne out of the service by her friends and family, who wiped away tears as Coldplay’s Viva La Vida played over the speakers.

A wake will be held on Friday evening in Footscray.