Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

One year, seven months and 17 days—it's not a long time, is it? It's not long at all. It's far too short. Most members of parliament and senators, on average, spend a lot longer arguing their cases, putting forward their ideologies, voting, speaking and being present in this chamber and this wonderful building—the home of democracy for Australia. One year, seven months and 17 days was the time that Senator Linda White, senator for Victoria and senator for the Australian Labor Party, spent in this place, and yet, despite the brevity, she contributed a lot.

When the Deputy Prime Minister, the member for Corio, stands to deliver a condolence motion, I always listen very carefully, because there's probably nobody in this place that does it better than he does. No notes, off the cuff and from the heart—but he's always articulate and always passionate. He said, in his condolence motion:

I came away from last Thursday, to be honest, wishing I had known Linda better. In that, I take away a lesson.

Sometimes we spend so much time arguing the case and just getting on with our busy lives that we don't ever stop and smell the roses. We don't ever stop and talk to even our own colleagues about their personal lives and what's important to them, and we're all too caught up in the moment.

I didn't know Linda White at all, to be honest. I did put up a social media post acknowledging her passing because I think it's important, as parliamentarians, that we acknowledge the contribution made by people. Yes, I had seen Senator White in the hallway. Yes, I had a couple of greetings with her, but we'd never had a conversation, and, like the Deputy Prime Minister said, that's probably a bit remiss. As a member of parliament in the House of Representatives, sometimes you'll see senators and often wonder who they even are. We're so far apart in this place, unlike in the previous building, where they were all so intimate and close. But, when you read Senator White's curriculum vitae and when you see what she had done and what she had achieved, you are filled with admiration.

It is so sad to think that in recent times we lost Kimberley Kitching. I remember that, when I rang my daughter, Georgina, and told her of Kimberley's passing, Georgina cried. She knew her well. They'd spent time at the races and they'd got on way too well. When Peta Murphy passed away, I cried. To think that the Victorian division of the ALP has now lost three wonderful, brave, courageous and outstanding women in just recent times—Kimberley passed away 10 March 2022, Peta Murphy passed away 4 December last year and now there's Linda White. That is so, so sad not just for the ALP division in Victoria but for our nation. Then you see that Kimberley was 52, Peta was 50 and Linda was just 64 years young—again, taken way too soon. Life can be so cruel. Life can be so unfair.

There's probably not much, if I had got to know Linda White, that I would've agreed with her on, truth be known. But, when you see some of the things that she did represent, I do also admire and honour her. We do need more women in parliament. We do need more vibrant, strident, confident and even perhaps not so confident women. We just need more females representing the interests of all Australians. That is true.

Speakers on this condolence motion have, like the minister just before me, talked about how there were times when they didn't agree, and it has come through these speeches that Linda didn't mind telling you what she thought, from all accounts. She was a unionist, and I do believe in unions. I was a member of a union for 21 years—everything in balance! But I also take heed of the words of the foreign affairs minister, Senator Penny Wong, who I have great respect for:

I always valued Linda's wise counsel. She was a loyal friend and colleague. And I was always in awe of her fearlessness and forensic analytical skills, which she applied in pursuit of strong convictions all the while charming people with her quick, sharp wit.

That's coming from somebody who, yes, is fearless and has forensic analytical skills. Anybody who's ever been in Senate estimates knows that's Penny Wong to a T! She has strong convictions, yes, while charming people with her quick, sharp wit. It sounds like Senator Wong and Senator White were peas in a pod!

We've lost somebody who had much more to give. We've lost somebody way too soon. I mourn her loss even though I didn't know her. I, like Richard Marles, wish I had known her better—wish I had known her almost at all. I regret that. It probably serves as a lesson to us House of Reps members who don't know senators to go across, introduce ourselves and make ourselves known. We need fighters in this place. We need people like Linda White. I'm glad her legacy will serve us well in the future, because no doubt the arguments she proffered, the cases she put and the representation she gave will serve not just the Australian Labor Party but also this parliament into the future. May she rest in peace.

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