Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I rise to speak about the recent passing of one of our fierce Labor warriors, Ann Symonds. She was a warm, funny and generous woman who represented the Labor Party with distinction. She gave generously of her time and spirit, and was a mentor to me and to many, many others.

She was a trailblazer, a true believer and a fighter. A champion for women in public life, she was the first female Deputy Lord Mayor of Waverley Council, and was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council in 1982, serving the people of our state for over 15 years. She devoted her life to education and to commonsense drug law reform, and has been at the heart of every important drug law reform in New South Wales history.

Ann was a founding member of both the Australian Parliamentary Group for Drug Law Reform and the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation. Looking at the beginning of the Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in New South Wales, I don't believe that work would ever have happened without Ann's research and advocacy on this issue. Ann knew that drug law reform required health and social policy responses. She had an immeasurable impact on drug users themselves and on families and communities throughout Sydney.

She also advocated for reform within our prison system, and the effect that had on women and their children in particular. She was a strong advocate for women prisoners and their families. My thoughts go out to her family today.