Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

I join with the Acting Prime Minister in paying tribute to his friend and constituent Jan Brill AM. Through her words and, most importantly, her actions Jan Brill reminded us of the true meaning of the expression 'pillar of the community', and she did it through an organisation that has for so long helped so many in our communities: the Country Women's Association. At a local level she was group president, group secretary and group publicity officer. At a state level she was a representative to the state executive, the secretary and the vice president. At a national level she was national secretary. She won deserved recognition for her work in 2003 with her appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia. In 2015 she was named Riverina group patron.

Speaking with her local newspaper more recently, Jan talked of following in the footsteps of the CWA's pioneering members and carrying on their vision of improving the conditions for country women and their families, especially in rural and remote Australia. This organisation has been around for a very long time. It's easy to take it for granted, but it is worth re-acquainting ourselves with what the CWA really means. In the words of writer Karen Pickering, the CWA is 'the beating heart of tiny towns'. It is an integral part of the fabric of country life and, crucially, it is women looking out for other women. It is an organisation governed by its rank-and-file membership and, when the going gets hard in rural communities, the CWA is always there. It played a crucial role, for example, in distributing drought assistance over recent years.

Jan Brill and the CWA were the right fit for each other. Jan knew that she could help to change the lives of her fellow Australians for the better, and she did just that. On behalf of the Australian Labor Party I offer my condolences to her family and many friends. May she rest in peace.

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