Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to acknowledge the passing of one of Labor’s true believers and stalwarts, Mary Mildred Heffernan, otherwise known to most people as Molly. Molly was a stalwart of the labour movement—a one-eyed Labor supporter. Molly was born in Clarendon and, after marrying her husband, Luke, she moved to a house in Christies Beach, where she remained until her passing. For many years, Molly took a back seat in politics, leaving it to her husband, who was state secretary of the AMWU. It was after his passing, and after being doorknocked by the local state member, John Hill, that she became an active member.

Molly would help out in any way she could. One example of this is when she used her 90th birthday celebration to help me, as the candidate for Kingston, meet the electors. Her enthusiasm for the Labor Party was matched only by her enthusiasm for her beloved football team, the Adelaide Crows. Her dedication to volunteering in our community, though, went well beyond the Labor Party. She spent many years involved as a volunteer in Little Athletics. Later, when her husband went blind, she fought very hard to establish, and was successful in establishing, the southern outreach office of the Royal Society for the Blind. Molly passed away peacefully at 90 years of age and will be very much missed. I take this opportunity to pass on my sincere condolences to her family.

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