Maria Vamvakinou (Calwell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to pay tribute to my friend Mary Day who passed away recently and so unexpectedly from liver cancer. Mary was a country girl from Warrnambool, a Labor activist, and long-time staffer to state and senior federal Labor MPs—the former members for Melbourne, Gerry Hand and Lindsay Tanner.

Although I have known Mary throughout my own involvement with the Labor Party, it was during our time here in Canberra, and especially during the Rudd Labor government years, that she and I became good friends. We shared accommodation for some years, especially during those exciting and what were to become tumultuous years of the Rudd Labor government and the night of 23 June 2010.

Mary and I developed our own way of dealing with the pace and atmosphere in this place, that all too often can be punishing and unforgiving. We really looked forward to getting back to the apartment each night, sitting on the couch and watching Tony Jones and LatelineTony Jones was a bit of a circuit-breaker. In what we called our nightly debriefs, we'd analyse the day's events, pass judgements on the various shenanigans of this place, commiserate with each other about being away from home and talk about our families. She was so proud of her son, Nicholas. My daughter, Stella, looked forward to spending time with Mary when she came to Canberra. Mary had a way with kids. In fact Mem's shenanigans—as she was called by her family—were fondly recalled at her memorial service last Friday at the Kensington bowling club.

Mary was a fierce and shrewd political operative. Many people feared her, but that's because she did not suffer fools lightly. She simply could not tolerate those who did not have the courage of their convictions or those who betrayed the collective. In the rough and tumble of politics, Mary Day was a formidable opponent. Very few people crossed Mary and escaped unscathed, but she was a loyal friend and a loyal comrade.

Mary was a member of the Australian Labor Party because she had a fierce sense of social justice. Her electorate and parliamentary work allowed her to work very closely with the community she served and was committed to. In particular, she made it her mission to help and assist women and migrants. Working for a minister of immigration gave her an opportunity to help newly arrived migrants as they settled into our community. She was loyal to the parliamentarians she worked for, and always acutely aware of the need to protect them. She was loyal to her many friends and she was loved by her Labor family. Many aspiring young Labor activists sought Mary's counsel, and she relished guiding them through their political journey.

Mary died suddenly of liver cancer, leaving many of us shocked and deeply saddened. She was such an important part of the history of this place during her many years here. She will be missed by everyone—no-one more than her son, Nicholas, to whom she was devoted. She was remembered last Friday by family and friends, with good humour and much love.