Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm honoured to be able to say a few words in this condolence motion for the late Dame Margaret Guilfoyle. Her contribution to Australia, to Victoria and, indeed, to the Liberal Party has been well documented in the remarks made by the Treasurer and others since then. An immigrant whose father died when she was just 10, her achievements were the product of her determination to gain an education, her hard work and her persistence. Elected to the Senate in 1971, she served there until 1987, holding a number of important portfolios, including Social Security and Finance. She later served on a series of boards and inquiries.

What comes through in many of the many comments that have been made in the last few days about Dame Margaret Guilfoyle was her capability as an administrator. Sometimes I suspect in this age of digital communication, television and the like, the ability of a minister is reflected in their performance on television. But, ultimately, first and foremost, a minister must be a capable administrator. They are sworn in to administer a department or departments of the state, and that was something which Margaret Guilfoyle was very good at. Her time as Minister for Social Security, I believe, reflected in part those childhood experiences, as a teenager and as a young woman, living in an immigrant family to this country and whose father had died when she was relatively at an early age.

I personally recall Margaret on many occasions giving me sage and kind advice at numerous Liberal Party functions that I attended when I was first elected to this place. She'd been gone for four or five years at that stage but, nonetheless, she maintained a very keen interest in the activities of the parliament, the direction of Australia and of course her beloved Liberal Party. That advice was always kindly offered. It was usually short but to the point, and I remember it fondly on many occasions. To Stan and members of the family, I offer my sincere condolences. May she rest in peace.

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