Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak about a local Labor stalwart and community champion, Dorothy Hogan, commonly known as Dot. Dot went to primary school with my mother, Joy, and they have been lifelong friends. Dot met and married her husband, Ted, a local police officer, and together they raised their large family in Leichhardt-One Mile, where she is a pillar of the local community. She volunteers at her church and helped out when her children were at school.

We even make sure we arrange branch meetings so Dot can be there. Every Labor member in the electorate of Blair would agree it would not be a Labor campaign without Dorothy Hogan. During the 2013 federal election, the then Labor national secretary, George Wright, described Dot Hogan as a 'national treasure' for singlehandedly making more than 10,000 phone calls to talk about Labor values and policies with Blair voters. She would not like me to say she is competitive, but Dot certainly gives Young Labor a run for their money when it comes to voter contact. It helps that she seems to know most people in Ipswich.

Time has gotten on, but in the 2016 federal campaign Dot, at 78 years of age, arrived at my office, cleared a desk, stayed for about eight weeks and got on with business. At the end of every day before Ted picked her up, Dot would hand in the notes and observations she had made that day. She would always ask for copies of new Labor announcements and inquire where she ranked on the national caller tally. When I was not there for the ballot draw, because as a shadow minister I was in Melbourne announcing Labor policy, Dot was there for the ballot draw. Every person in a political party does their bit during a campaign. Congratulations, Dot. I am grateful for your support, friendship and trust.

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