David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to talk about a prominent Lyne constituent who has been critical for the development of health services in the region as well as political activity, social activity and the mentoring and support of many people. That woman is Charlotte Maynard, now my wife. Charlotte first had occasion to meet me in 1990 when I was a trainee specialist. Being a trainee specialist in hospitals working 80 and 90 hours a week is a bit like being a long-distance runner. One needs a strong support base to achieve final accreditation and pass one's exams. I had the benefit of Charlotte's support during all that time. Not only has she been a support to me but she has been a very successful businesswoman in her own right, managing billion-dollar funds for some of the larger merchant banks of this country—and, putting all that aside, she has raised an amazing family. My three children, Isabelle, Oliver and Alice, have been the major beneficiaries of her love and attention.

As well as being mother and chief organiser of our family unit, which should not go understated, she has been an amazing businesswoman herself and partner, co-developer, manager and operator of a day surgery that treated over 13,000 people over a dozen years. She established all the policies and procedures of that business. There was a gaping need for healthcare facilities in the Lyne electorate and we were able to tackle that for that period. It is now run by a multinational health organisation. She has been a mentor to three or four other business operators and is now on school boards. She has been active in quality assurance and has also been active in the social support of the community, working in the Port Macquarie community centre.

It is traditional that we make these constituency statements at the end of someone's career, but I wanted to bring it to the attention of this House that there is an outstanding community person in my wife. She has been a great support to me, a great support to the National Party and will continue to be an invaluable support and my partner during my time in this House. So, I commend Charlotte Gillespie, as a mother, mentor, businesswoman, social leader and supporter of many people who need help.

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