Judi Moylan (Pearce, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to add to the comments of my colleagues who have spoken about Senator Judith Adams, our colleague who has passed away. Indeed, since Judith's passing the tributes have flowed for a woman whose life can be very strongly characterised by her devotion to public service, to service to health and to good governance as well as to raising a family and to being a fully engaged member of the Kojonup community. These were constant threads in the life of Judith Adams.

Her engagement with and service to the Liberal Party were also exemplary. Judith's passion for politics and health services intersected when she was elected senator for Western Australia. She became a tireless worker for the Liberal Party, as she had been prior to her election, and she championed many causes as she went about her daily work representing the vast state of Western Australia. Judith was always on the go. She was unstinting in her engagement with the constituency of Western Australia and in particular around Kojonup and its regions, where she and her husband farmed.

There are several WA House of Representative members who were the beneficiaries of Judith's tireless campaigning. She showed a great interest in people in general and had a strong desire to engage with individuals at all levels. Determined not to be defeated by illness, Judith participated strongly in the Senate Community Affairs References Committee inquiry into the social and economic impact of rural wind farms—just in June last year, in fact. This was a matter that Judith took a particular interest in. It was a matter, indeed, that was tearing rural communities apart, and Judith took time to listen to people whose voices were not being heard. Her early advocacy for proper planning and community consultation was unwavering. I hope to continue that work with Senator Back and others to ensure that Australia puts in place proper planning processes so that people's health and quality of life, particularly in rural communities, are not further compromised. I know this is something that Judith would want us to continue on with.

The fact that Judith and I both had breast cancer—we were both breast cancer survivors—brought us closer together, and I gained a greater insight into the character of this exceptional woman during our conversations, particularly in the last months of her life. I was deeply touched by her extraordinary courage. Her interest in keeping abreast of the political issues of the day were front of mind, and I rarely heard her complain about anything, even though the increasing toll of her illness must have been almost intolerable in those last weeks. Many of us will miss the wise counsel of Judith. We will miss her boundless energy and we will certainly miss her strength of character. I extend my sincere sympathy to Judith's family, to her friends and particularly to her staff. May Judith Adams rest in peace.

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