Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Finance, Competition Policy and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

I second the amendment. I support the coalition’s second reading amendment and endorse the words from my colleague the shadow Assistant Treasurer on the Tax Laws Amendment (2008 Measures No. 1) Bill 2008. I want to confine my brief comments in this debate today to a very courageous and gutsy woman, Christina Fiddimore. As the Assistant Treasurer in the last government, I was very moved by the story of Christina Fiddimore. Schedule 2 within this bill really has come about because of her courage, her determination and the way in which she conveyed herself in this debate. At the moment Christina Fiddimore’s family is going through a terrible loss—the terrible loss of a mother, the terrible loss of a wife and the terrible loss of a daughter and loved one. I want to take the opportunity today, on behalf of all in this House, to extend our deepest condolences to the Fiddimore family—to her husband, Lee, and her daughter, Amelia, and to her extended family and friends.

Mrs Fiddimore’s case was brought to my attention in September last year when she wrote a moving letter to the Financial Review describing the circumstances surrounding her fight against breast cancer and the terminal prognosis that she had received. The basis of her concern was that she was not able to receive tax free the superannuation moneys that she had accumulated over her working life. She wanted to access those funds to provide financial security for her husband and daughter after her passing, which goes well and truly to the nature of the woman.

I spoke to Christina by telephone on Tuesday, 11 September. That was reported in the Financial Review on 13 September. Jill Margo, a journalist who had followed this case and who had reported on the case again, wrote a story on Thursday, 13 September. Jill should be congratulated for the way in which she has reported this case, and she should take great credit as well for the changes that are before the parliament today. In that article Jill wrote:

Christina Fiddimore is joyous. On Tuesday evening she was at her parents’ house when the phone rang. Peter Dutton, the Federal Minister for Revenue and Assistant Treasurer, was on the line wanting to talk to her.

“I was astonished,” she says. “The minister was calling me—personally! He said that both he and Peter Costello had received my letters, were very touched and wanted to make changes to the superannuation law immediately. In fact, he told me the changes would be effective by morning.”

Fiddimore thanked him on behalf of all terminally ill people, put the phone down and repeated what she had just heard to her mother. Then she burst into tears.

“They were tears of joy, relief and amazement. I haven’t experienced happiness like this for a long time,” she said.

When I spoke to her on the phone I got a sense that she clearly was moved by the decision that we had taken. It was not an easy decision for the government to take because, on the advice that we had received, it is always hard to provide for those who are most in need whilst not exploiting those in lesser need.

Treasury officials should be commended for quickly acting to provide the advice and ultimately the bill that was introduced today. I also acknowledge the work of Phil Lindsay, Daniel Caruso and my staff and, importantly, Anthony Albanese, Ms Fiddimore’s local member. Credit also goes to the now Assistant Treasurer and former shadow Assistant Treasurer, Chris Bowen, and Senator Sherry for their bipartisan approach which enabled this matter to be dealt with quickly. I know I speak also on behalf of the current shadow Treasurer when I say that the opposition will provide support to the government in the consultation process and the discussions about the formulation of regulations.

I also pay tribute to the Breast Cancer Action Group, which provided great support to Christina and her family. They deserve great credit for the way they professionally conducted themselves in what is certainly a very important debate. I will read a piece from this morning’s Australian Financial Review, again by Jill Margo. It read as follows:

Christina Fiddimore, who spent the last precious months of her life fighting for fairness in Australia’s superannuation laws, died on Sunday.

Just three days earlier, the government took the necessary steps to formalise the changes she had been campaigning for.

Last year, from her hospital bed where she was receiving treatment for metastatic breast cancer, Fiddimore wrote to the federal government explaining why terminally ill people should be given early access to their superannuation without having to pay a tax penalty.

Eventually, the government was moved by her plight and agreed to change the tax laws.

She was overjoyed and after using her payout to put the family’s finances in order, she booked a holiday to Egypt.

Since her schooldays she had dreamed of seeing the Valley of the Kings and last month, with her husband Lee and young daughter Amelia, she finally saw it in a wheelchair.

For her 44th birthday present, her parents paid for six nights at the Hilton Hotel in Cairo and some readers of the Australian Financial Review , who were touched by her story, chipped in too.

Can I again pay my respects to Christina’s family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them at an incredibly difficult time. I hope in some way they are comforted by the fact that Christina was a person they should be very proud of. She was courageous and determined in her fight. She leaves a wonderful legacy to other people suffering terminal illnesses. She is to be commended, remembered and respected by the House. I have great pleasure in being part of paying that tribute to her today.

See this speech in context