Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Too many people don't get the recognition they deserve. Even today, despite the wonders of modern medicine, too many people are cut down in their prime. Today I rise to pay tribute to Anna McPhee, a former Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency head; a former chief of staff to New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell; a business-group head; a constituent; and a friend, who has just lost her battle with cancer aged only 46.

Her family were solid Liberals. Her grandfather led the party in the New South Wales parliament and served as a minister in the Askin government. Her father was a Warringah campaign director. Her great-great-grandmother had eight sons, three of whom became members of parliament. So Anna was part of a wonderful tradition of public service, and it was her decency and humanity that made her a concerned and active citizen. She respectfully disagreed with her local MP on the subject of same-sex marriage, but we were on a unity ticket on the need for more women in parliament representing the conservative side of politics through targets, not quotas, and on the need for more democracy in the New South Wales Liberal Party.

Probably Anna's final contribution to public life was a wonderful speech that she made to a women's seminar at the recent Liberal Party people's convention at Rosehill, and I wish to quote what she said on that occasion. She said:

Liberals … should be spoiled for choice at pre-selection, attracting the best and brightest to public service, we must have selectors who think for themselves and who select the best candidate on … merit … not gendered or factional, candidates men and women who know what they believe in … who can prosecute Liberal policy and debate [and attract] a majority of voters. Without that we will be condemned to a structural deficit of talent that will ultimately deprive the women and men of Australia what they need to get ahead—[that is to say] more Liberal governments.

This is a sad moment for me, but I want to say here in our nation's capital we will remember you, Anna. We will try to heed your advice and we will try to live up to your ideals.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

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