Andrew Giles (Scullin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Schools) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Friday, at a place she loved in Melbourne, Mary Day's family, friends and comrades gathered to say farewell and to remember her. Mary knew and loved this place too. She made a huge contribution to its best work. She deserves to be remembered here as a giant of Victorian Labor, who gave so much to our movement through her work, especially for Gerry Hand and Lindsay Tanner, but also through the crucial leadership she demonstrated as an activist for the party and, as she'd insist on me saying, for the left. That ours is a movement of collectivism does not mean that we are without selfishness. But Mary was. She cared for outcomes, not credit. She cared for people. She built a movement in which she encouraged, developed and supported those around her. She saw and brought out the best in others. Like so many, I owe Mary so much. I say thank you to Mary for giving me the chance to speak here and to carry on our shared work in the struggle for a better and fairer Australia, with so many friends and proteges of yours, like the member for Bruce. All my best thoughts go to all who knew her and especially to her son, Nick, her siblings and all the family. Vale, Mary. Rest in peace.