Karen McNamara (Dobell, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to pay tribute and bid farewell to a remarkable lady, Linda Morton, who lost her brave battle with cancer on 7 December. Linda was a respected member of the Wyong district community, and if you ever needed to know what was happening in the valleys you only needed to ask Linda. Linda loved horse racing and was a regular visitor to the Wyong races, on numerous occasions winning the best dressed award. Linda was fiercely proud of her family and the life Australia had provided to her. Linda emigrated from Manchester, England, to begin a new life, eventually settling in the Wyong area where she met her husband Trevor. I came to know Linda through our association with the Liberal Party. Those within the party will remember Linda for her humour, tenacity and bluntness when it came to dealing with particular matters and particular people.

Linda was immensely proud of her family and of her community and we, the Liberal and Wyong communities, were very proud of Linda. As hundreds gathered at her funeral to pay our respects we were reminded by Linda of her sense of humour as she left the church to Vera Lynne singing Wish me luck as you waveme goodbye. She asked us not to cry but to smile, and not to mourn her passing but to remember and celebrate the life she had lived. I offer my sincere condolences to the Morton family, to Trevor and Ben and their family, who can be proud of her legacy and dedication to her family and the Wyong community.