Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Skills and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I speak today with much sadness to reflect on, remember and pay tribute to the remarkable life of Senator Linda White, a true champion of workers and a tireless advocate for the rights of women within the Labor Party and beyond. She was also a dear friend. Linda was a recent parliamentary colleague of mine, but before that we spent years together at the Australian Services Union. I was the national assistant secretary, representing, in particular, local government workers across the country, and she had the responsibility of looking after clerks in public and private areas of our country. Together, we worked on a whole range of issues for almost a decade. We had our moments, but we mostly agreed and worked together on a whole range of issues.

We were also sometimes dealing with some in the Australian Services Union that had a different view. Of course, when you bring together so many constituent parts of the union movement, if you bring together a series of unions—the Municipal Employees Union, the Municipal Officers Association, the Federated Clerks Union—like any amalgamation, you have tensions, you have to rationalise the organisation and you have to ultimately reconcile some of the competing cultures that come together through an amalgamation. That's whether it's a council, whether it's a footy team, whether it's a union or whether it's a company. These things, of course, can be fraught, but ultimately, if successful, those matters are reconciled.

Linda and I always found ourselves on the same side, trying to ensure that the Australian Services Union was a strong union representing the interests of members first, a progressive union, and ensuring that we focused on those things that matter most to working people and their families. Some of our opponents within the union dubbed us 'the evil twins', which we appropriated and took as a term of endearment. From time to time, when we met, we would actually refer to each other as 'evil twin'!

But Linda was a remarkably indefatigable champion of working people. It was a terrible shock when I was informed of her passing just a few weeks ago. I didn't really have a chance to say goodbye to her, which I would have wanted. She was a very private person. Her illness took her very quickly, and, frankly, many of her friends and her colleagues were both terribly dismayed but also shocked at the speed with which she passed. That's been a very difficult thing to reconcile—not having a chance to properly talk to her before she passed.

During her time as assistant national secretary, she led numerous campaigns that directly benefited working people across the country. When Ansett collapsed in 2001, it was Linda White who was at the forefront of the long fight for the rights of the airline's 16,000 workers. I just so happened at that point to be a newly elected member of parliament. I'd left the union. I was also involved in that terrible corporate collapse because my seat covered many areas where thousands of Ansett workers lived—Sunbury, Woodend and Gisborne, around Tullamarine airport. She and I worked together. I was engaged in the parliament, talking to the workers and talking to the administrators that took over the company when it went into liquidation. We worked together again, even though by that stage I'd left the union.

Two decades later she was elected to the Senate, and she reminded us that the terrible thing that happened to Ansett was a brutal reminder that markets don't always prioritise the wellbeing of workers. She said in her first speech that she was inspired by the resilience, bravery, leadership and collective action of Ansett members. Ansett members eventually recovered almost all of the $760 million that was owed to them.

Linda's leadership was instrumental in that fight, but she was also instrumental in the fight for equal pay for over 200,000 social and community service workers. After nearly six years of continuous campaigning by union officials and members, pay rises of between 27 per cent and 43 per cent were achieved, following a change in equal pay laws and a favourable Fair Work Commission result in 2012. That equal pay case changed the lives of women workers in the community sector.

Linda was long concerned with the unequal retirement incomes of men and women. In her first speech to the Senate, Linda spoke of the gap between the retirement savings of women and men and how it was greater than the gender pay gap. She went on to say:

Australians' retirement savings have too long been an ideological plaything of the government, unconcerned about real outcomes for women and more about who is on the board of the industry superfund. Instead of focusing on making super work for women and others who need it in retirement, opponents of superannuation constantly tried to undermine our system. Superannuation … should be above petty partisan politics.

Linda White would have been delighted that a significant step forward for equity in women's retirement will happen next year, when super is to be paid on government paid parental leave. She served many years on the Australian Labor Party National Executive; in fact she was the longest-serving woman ever on the executive of the oldest political party in Australia. As a fierce champion of women, she played no small part in the creation of Labor's affirmative action policy, which has led us to where we are now: the first Commonwealth government in history with a majority of women parliamentarians.

Linda was a born organiser. In any group she would bring everyone together with a common purpose and goal, whether that was in the workplace or her book club. She was passionate about everything in life, and her passing leaves a profound void in all our hearts. I will miss her indomitable spirit, her sharp wit and her unwavering dedication to the causes she believed in.

I extend my deepest condolences to her family—her brother in particular; her staff; her colleagues; and her many, many friends. May her legacy serve as a guiding light for future generations. Linda told the Senate in her inaugural speech that there was no doubt in her mind that governments change lives and that strong, progressive Labor governments change them for the better. Linda White's time in this place was of course far too short, but, over a lifetime of fighting for others, she changed countless lives for the better. May she rest in peace knowing that her contributions have made a lasting impact.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to 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.

Carina Garland (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's always difficult to say goodbye to a friend and colleague. Linda and I came into this place at the same time. Linda had been in the party a longer time than me, but, when we came in together, it was wonderful to discover all the things we had in common, like our love for the arts. We were often at early-morning special events together for tours of the National Library here in Canberra, which Linda loved and played an active role in. We went to events at the National Archives to see exhibitions. We often spoke about all of the ways we could elevate the arts in this place. I spoke to Linda's office about establishing a parliamentary friends of opera group, which I know she was very eager to do. Unfortunately, of course, that won't happen under Linda's stewardship, but perhaps that's something to pursue in her honour. I know there were some beautiful pieces from her favourite operas played at her memorial. Those pieces will now take a special meaning for me, remembering they were played when we sat with friends to remember her.

One of the very last events I attended with Linda was a tour of the Victorian Trades Hall in Melbourne, which was a quick skip from Linda's office on Lygon Street and somewhere we both loved. There was the history. We were amongst friends. I was assistant secretary there for a number of years. In this job, it's often difficult to see the people from the lives that we may have lived before we became members of parliament or senators. It was a lovely occasion when we were brought together again with our friends, who I was reunited with again at Linda's memorial. We had the opportunity to take Minister Plibersek through this remarkable building—the oldest continuous trades and labour council in the world. I know that it was a great source of pride for Linda to be able to showcase the incredible history particularly of the Victorian union movement. She played such an important role in that movement, particularly around ensuring feminised workforces were able to get equal pay and enforce their rights.

Linda was formidable. You would always want Linda on your side in a fight. There was a particular moment last year when I remember just being absolutely blown away by her courage. We were sitting at Aussie's having a coffee, and an article had appeared in the newspaper that day that had incorrectly suggested that Senator Linda White was on the right of the Labor Party. She was very unhappy with this mischaracterisation! She saw the journalist at the table beside us at Aussies, and she just got up, marched over and introduced herself. 'Hello—' and I will leave the journalist's name off the record for now. 'Senator Linda White. Member of the left. Have been for decades.' There was a correction published later that day.

I thought Linda was amazing. The legacy that she has left for women in the labour movement, the Labor Party and the union movement is incredible. Before we both entered this place together, Linda was a senior figure that I admired so much in the movement. I encountered her at industrial law symposia and events, and at Labor Party and union movement events. She was such a key figure in the Victorian and national labour movement. It's really difficult to imagine our movement without her, but we're going to have to live that reality.

We have so many friends in common. I look to the people that she worked with at her beloved Australian Services Union. I know that they are grieving and will miss her so much. I know that that union is so close to one another, and they fight so hard, collectively, for their members to get a fair go. I know how much they're going to miss her. I want to state here, on the record, that, if there's anything I can ever do to support those dear friends, I stand ready to do so.

Listening to all the stories at Linda's memorial painted a picture of someone who lived a very full life—too short a life, yes, but a life that was absolutely lived courageously and with so many wonderful and surprising experiences. I wish I could have seen Linda again and asked her about her years as someone involved in the D-Generation, one of the most significant comedy outfits of the late 20th century. I would ask Linda about her catering business that she ran. How remarkable Linda was and what a full life she lived. I'm going to really miss her. I think we all will miss her here. I think we all know that her career in the Senate was too short. We can imagine what she would have done if she had had more time in service to our nation.

I send my thoughts and my love to her brother, Michael, and his wife, Julie; to her wonderful staff, who loved her so much and worked so hard; and to her friends and comrades in the union movement. Vale, Linda. We'll miss you so much.

Helen Haines (Indi, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise in this chamber today in deep appreciation of the life of Senator Linda White, who passed away on 29 February while in office. I offer my deepest sympathies to Linda's brother, Michael, and his wife, Julie, and to Linda's many friends, her colleagues in the Australian Labor Party, the Australian Services Union and the trade union movement more broadly. I particularly wish to offer my sincerest condolences to Linda's devoted staff: Ben Armstrong, Ekta Mahal, Amit Aalok, Ned Lindenmayer and Ead Stokes. Linda was so proud of her team and they were proud of her in return. The respect and affection between them was so apparent in the dealings my office had with them and in our work together. I know they are grieving deeply, and I offer them my most heartfelt support not just now but into the future.

Today I join with many people across Linda's extensive working life and public service to record a tribute to celebrate her extraordinary contribution to our nation and to mourn her terrible loss. Many who knew Linda far better than I have eulogised her 40 years of work and advocacy and illuminated the principles of fairness and equity that underpinned the way she approached her work and her life outside of work.

Linda was a lawyer who commenced her professional life at Maurice Blackburn and then moved to the Australian Services Union, where she fought to improve the wages and conditions of workers right across Australia. Linda's work led to significant social and legislative reform which extends to literally thousands of people. We all want to make a difference, but Linda White actually, truly, materially did.

Linda led the fight for Ansett workers in the wake of the airline's collapse, and ensured that workers won back almost all of the $160 million owed to them. I remember that time but I have no memory that Linda was there until I found out that she led it. She fought for and won equal pay for 200,000 community and social services workers, delivering pay rises of up to 43 per cent for some of the lowest-paid workers, many of them women. She championed equal retirement outcomes, family and domestic violence leave, paid parental leave and just so much more. Linda's activism is the stuff of legend. Her advocacy for women and her leadership in seeing this parliament achieve equal representation of women is storied. She played a big role in securing strong affirmative action targets for the ALP and, as the Prime Minister said this week in his condolence motion, that this current Labor government has a majority of women is in no small part due to the work of Linda White. I honestly have no idea how the ALP works, but I reckon for her to be on the National Executive Committee for the ALP for as long as she was is evidence enough that this woman could probably stare down a charging rhino!

Since her untimely death I have listened to story upon story describing Linda 's intelligence, her tenacity and her courage, and I have heard how Linda White's skills as a formidable warrior were equally matched by her capacity for kindness and her wonderful sense of humour. Linda loved flowers, music, visual and performing arts, and literature. She loved sport. She not only gained joy from a cultural life but, true to her nature, she contributed to making sure that the arts flourished by giving of her strong skills in governance as a board member, director and patron. Linda was a joiner but, more than that, she was an active, generous participant. She was motivated by her love of the arts and motivated by her desire to make sure that they were accessible to all citizens. She was about the democratisation of the high arts.

She, famously, applied her skills in getting the job done from the backstage, no matter where she was. In fact, as the member for Chisholm just said, one of the things I learned about Linda recently was her love of theatre and her early talent in movie-making and, indeed, in production skills in such epic, early Australian comedy genius as The D-Generation. Who knew? Perhaps if Linda had chosen another life she may have been writing the material for Utopia rather than providing part of the subject material! This woman was just incredible!

I met Linda for the first time in September 2022 when, as a new senator, she was appointed as chair of the Joint Select Committee on National Anti-Corruption Commission Legislation and I was appointed deputy chair. We subsequently served together on the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the National Anti-Corruption Commission until February this year when she, reluctantly, had to step aside to manage her illness. Regrettably, I had but the shortest of experiences in working with Linda. But when she was appointed chair of that first NACC committee, I asked the Attorney-General, 'Who is Linda White?' The A-G simply smiled and said: 'Helen, you will enjoy working with Linda White. You will like Linda White.' He was wrong about that; I actually loved Linda White. Naturally, though, I went away and checked out Linda White's CV. It was so impressive! That I had not seen nor heard of her said so much more about me than her—because it did—as I was to learn. It said so much about the humility of Linda—humility is just an attribute that I cannot begin to say how much I appreciate.

When Linda was appointed chair of the NACC committee, this is what she said:

I am honoured to Chair the Committee and look forward to the Committee playing its role in cementing the NACC as a truly independent and effective national integrity body.

In the stewardship of the NACC legislation and then in the joint statutory National Anti-Corruption Commission committee, as I worked beside her I saw that she was curious, committed and observant—a fair and a careful custodian of this historic new integrity body. As other members of that committee would attest, what we saw in this particular government chair was someone who truly was fair minded, someone who was a good listener—loyal, of course, to her government but unflinching in her duties and not afraid to speak truth to power when the moment came that she needed to do that, because she indeed ensured that the National Anti-Corruption Commission got off to the right start. She truly ensured that it would be effective and independent. She said that she would do that, and, in true form, Linda meant what she said.

Linda served on 12 committees in this parliament in the one year, seven months and 17 days of her time in this parliament. But, as we have come to learn and appreciate, she served our nation for so much longer than that. I am deeply, deeply sorry that I will not get to serve with Linda for longer. I'm deeply sorry that my committee work with her has come to its conclusion, but, gee whiz, I learnt so much from her.

Linda was the gift that the broader Australia never knew we had, but she is the gift whose work endures beyond her.

I had the great honour of attending Linda's memorial service in Melbourne. Much-loved Australian actor Rachel Griffiths AM, friend of Linda and Linda's fellow board member on the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, was the MC. I've got to say not many people will have a farewell attended by a prime minister, a deputy prime minister, senior members of state and federal governments, dignitaries and luminaries of all sorts from across the arts, law, civil society, sport, alongside their many, many friends. And I know I wasn't the only person in the room who discovered surprise after delightful surprise at the gift of Linda White—the nods of recognition, the chuckles at a revelation of one of her dry one-liners right up to the moment of her final stay in hospital. Perhaps it was the ultimate way for someone like Linda, who was a gold medallist at keeping her cards close to her chest—that it was not until she was gone that we saw the talents and contributions to public life of Linda White that truly was a royal flush. I reckon that would be just the way she'd want it. Unusually that day, for a politician, I found myself not wanting the speeches to stop, because every speech revealed another layer that answered the question I asked of the Attorney-General: who is Linda White?

It was fitting that this incredible, incredible woman's memorial service was hosted by a Hollywood actor, because the curtain has gone down on a magnificent life, with the audience screaming for more, longing for more. Vale, Senator Linda White. You were a great Australian, and I am so much better for having known you.

Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you to the member for Indi for those beautiful words, which capture a different part of Linda White than many of us saw. It was only when you worked with her closely that you really got insights, and I'm very privileged to say I was able to have my own insights through my role as Special Envoy for the Arts.

It is very fitting that, given her passion for the arts, the song Bread and Roses was played at Senator Linda White's memorial service last week because it perfectly captures what motivated Linda and what she contributed to public life. The song has been much talked about, but not everyone knows its origins. It came from a speech by American suffragette Helen M Todd. In 1910 Todd said that women's right to vote 'will go toward helping forward the time when life's bread, which is home, shelter and security, and the roses of life, music, education, nature and books, shall be the heritage of every child that is born in the country, in the government of which she has a voice'. That's where the phrase derives. And Linda did so much to win both bread and roses for working people in Australia, and she did a great deal to empower and enfranchise women.

Her efforts to institute affirmative action rules within the Labor Party have improved the representation of women in our democracy, and we see that every day in this parliament. It's because of those measures that the current parliament has more female voices within it than any other parliament has in Australian history and that the current government has a majority of women. Linda provided a powerful example of female leadership. She was a trusted mentor to countless young women across the union movement and within the Labor Party, and their careers have flourished, thanks to her. That legacy will long outlast all of us.

Linda was motivated by a deep and intuitive sense of justice. As a lawyer, she confronted police corruption and institutional child sexual abuse. She devoted the major part of her career to the service of working people, indeed, to some of the lowest-paid workers in the country. At the Australian Services Union she used her powerful intellect and formidable talent for negotiation to secure better rights and conditions for workers. She served as its assistant national secretary for 25 years. It was in this role that I first saw Linda in action, at a national Labor Party conference nearly 15 years ago. Knowing little about Victorian Left politics, for me it was a big learning curve, and she was impressive to hear and watch then and at subsequent consequences. I had a glimpse of her efforts to fight for equal pay for 200,000 community and social services workers, mostly women, which resulted in pay rises of up to 43 per cent.

It's worth remembering the many issues she fought on, such as the entitlements of Ansett workers after the airline's devastating collapse in 2001, which saw former Ansett workers win back almost all of the $160 million that was owed to them. There was her fight on the Howard government's WorkChoices legislation and the injustice that it sought to entrench in Australia's industrial relations. There was her fight for the financial independence of women, her fight for paid parental leave and family and domestic violence leave, and her fight for superannuation to be paid on government paid parental leave. And we all know how pleased she would have been to hear our recent announcement on this.

For all Linda did to improve the pay and welfare of working people, she also believed that everyone deserved to feed their souls, whether it was the joy of gardens or it was the spiritual nourishment provided by the arts. Through her words and her deeds, she argued that the democratisation of access to culture and creativity must be an objective of the Labor mission. I would like to pay particular tribute to Linda's involvement in these areas. In her first speech, she acknowledged the central role of the arts in Australian society. She reflected:

The arts let us delve into other worlds and see ourselves and our society reflected back, for better or worse. They allow us to imagine new possibilities and better ways of doing things. People like to talk about the economic value of the arts, but their true value goes far beyond dollars and cents. Artists and creative professionals are talented, clever and possess the power to impact lives through their skill. I stand in awe of the things they do.

Something that I will always remember about Linda is the joy she personally took from arts and culture. She was always one of the first to say yes to a visit to the National Gallery of Australia to see the latest exhibition. Her love of literature and the fellowship she found in her longstanding book club were important fixtures in her life. There was no-one more appropriate to be on the board of the National Library of Australia, where she contributed her considerable energy, intellect and advocacy. She ensured that MPs and senators had an opportunity to do an early morning visit to the National Library to understand the expanse of that collection and the reason why saving Trove was so important. It was a privilege to get to know Linda a little bit more through these things when she joined us here in Canberra, and the arts were our common bond.

We served in this place together for too short a time, but something I will remember fondly will be those common causes on which we advocated together. Together we sought to raise awareness of the valuable work that the national collecting institutions do each day and the need to support them sustainably into the future. She helped achieve that. Just a week before her death, Linda joined me in advocating for proper funding for our national arts training institutions—the institutions who ensure Australia is training up its actors, filmmakers, Indigenous dancers, costume makers, musicians, circus performers and creatives for the future. Sadly, this would prove to be our last piece of shared advocacy. Had she been with us longer, I have no doubt there would have been many more. If there was ever an opportunity to advocate for the arts in this place, Linda would take it. If there was an early morning visit to an exhibition or a performance to attend, Linda would be there.

I will miss her company, advice and allyship on the causes we both cared so much about. I extend my deepest sympathies to Linda's brother, Michael, her extended family, her friends, her colleagues and the many who cared for her. I also would like to acknowledge her staff, who've lost not only a colleague but a friend as well. Linda was able to make the very most of her remaining time in this place because of their commitment and hard work. They did Linda proud in arranging such a dignified farewell for her. In particular, I'd like to acknowledge Ben Armstrong, who was a steadfast support to Linda throughout her time here as a senator and a constant during the final stages of her illness.

Linda White was with us for too short a time but during that time, damn, she made a difference—a real tangible and positive difference to the lives of countless Australians. She was a formidable warrior of the trade union movement. She was a committed and effective champion of the arts. She was a tireless servant of the Australian people. She was a fine senator, a respected and trusted parliamentary colleague and loved by many. May she rest in peace.

Keith Wolahan (Menzies, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll just acknowledge the two condolence speeches given before me. They were heartfelt and quite moving. You did Linda proud in the way that you delivered those. The member for Indi and I both served with Linda on the Joint Select Committee on National Anti-Corruption Commission Legislation and then the Joint Standing Committee on the Anti-Corruption Commission. I got to work closely with both of them, and I would like to turn to that briefly in a moment.

In Linda's first speech she spoke about jigsaw puzzles and how her mother's table was covered with unfinished jigsaw puzzles. As we discuss the last piece of Linda's jigsaw puzzle, we get to reflect on all the other parts. In a way, the jigsaw metaphor is something that applies to all of our lives. As a new member of parliament, people often ask me, 'What is it like, what did you expect and what did you not expect?' One of the things I didn't expect was, and is, the powerful influence of people from across the aisle and the crossbench. You can be influenced in ways you didn't expect. It is not lost on me that this is the second condolence motion speech I'm giving on Labor women who have influenced me in significant ways. Peta Murphy was the chair of the social and legal affairs committee, and the work that she did on gambling reform was something that was significant and meaningful and it will be long-lasting, I hope. Here we are again, talking about another Labor woman who influenced my life, Linda White, in her leadership and stewardship of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, an institution that I hope will long outlive all of us and serve our nation and democracy well.

When we look at our first speeches, in some respects they are a form of art because we don't just sit down at a computer and write them from start to finish. We reflect on the component parts. Linda said this about the arts:

The arts let us delve into other worlds and see ourselves and our society reflected back, for better or worse. They allow us to imagine new possibilities and better ways of doing things.

Linda's speech and her service in her short time in this place did that in the 47th parliament.

I didn't realise before reflecting on Linda's speech how much we had in common. We both worked at McDonald's throughout university. Linda referred to her time at McDonald's as quite a significant sliding-door moment.

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 10:44 to 10 : 5 4

I had just reflected on the fact that Linda and I shared the common background of having worked at McDonald's. That was a significant sliding-doors moment for her, because it opened up her eyes to the union movement. She became a union delegate through a sense of injustice that older workers were not being given enough casual shifts. I know exactly what Linda was talking about. I remember working at McDonald's as a 19-year-old, and, as your rate went up, you got fewer shifts. I didn't go and join a union movement at that, but I can see how that sense of injustice prompted her to start the meetings and to get organised, and it led her to a significant career in the union movement.

The other thing we had in common was that we were both lawyers. Linda went on from Melbourne university to be an articled clerk at Maurice Blackburn. In her first speech, I was quite moved by what she had to say about listening. Linda said this:

Maurice Blackburn also brought me into contact with people during the hardest times of their lives. I am forever grateful to the many dedicated lawyers who shared their knowledge and impressed on me the need to listen and understand what is going on for clients, both legally and personally. Learning how to give people straight advice about their prospects has held me in good stead ever since.

I think that skill that Linda talked about there was something that served her well in this place, and all of us. To not just listen but to actively listen—that is a skill that Linda crafted well, and it was good advice for all of us.

The final point that I'd like to emphasise is Linda's commitment to our democracy. Again in her first speech, she said this:

One promise I can make is that no-one here will die wondering what I think. People will always know where I stand, and already know that I'm not afraid of saying what's on my mind. … I will fearlessly and, some may say, relentlessly pursue action that will make our national community and the state of Victoria a better place for all of us.

That statement says so much about Linda. Through her speech, she was extremely proud of her union roots and the labour movement, but, when it came to what drove her in this place, she singled out the national community and the state of Victoria, as a senator. I saw that in action on the Joint Select Committee on National Anti-Corruption Commission Legislation, when I got to sit in Linda's office and we would discuss potential amendments that could be made so that this could be bipartisan. Linda recognised that bipartisan support for the National Anti-Corruption Commission was important for it lasting long after all of us. Then, once the commission was established, Linda also recognised that the institution is at its most fragile in the early years. I won't breach confidences of a private hearing, but I will say this. I saw one moment—and it was in some of Linda's last moments as chair—where I got to see someone have that conflict between what they assess is in the national interest and what might not be in their party's interest. That's a key moment for anyone in this place, and it's difficult. I saw Linda choose the national interest, despite her extreme pride in her party and the union movement. That says so much about her character and what these words meant to her:

I will fearlessly and … relentlessly pursue action that will make our national community and the state of Victoria a better place …

And she did that. She added this after that:

Australian democracy is more fragile than we realise. … I think everyone in this parliament has an important role in restoring the public's trust in the political process. We must remain able to consider turning points in our thinking. We might not agree with each other or those who are advocating to us, but not listening is always a mistake.

That's where Linda combined her skills in active listening with her devotion to the national interest. She saw this important new institution come to be, one which I think will enhance our democracy. It's a great legacy for Linda to have done that. It wasn't an easy thing to do.

To Linda's family: Michael, her brother; her sister-in-law, Julie; her father, John; and mother, Freida, I'm so sorry for your loss but I know that you are proud of Linda's lifetime accomplishments, particularly in this place. To Linda's staff—Ben Armstrong, Ekta, Amit, Ead and Ned: I got to meet some of you in the NACC joint select committee. You are wonderfully loyal and professional staff; it says a lot about Linda that you were on her team, and I know you are grieving too.

I began by noting the jigsaw piece of Linda's life that was this place, and there was so much more to Linda that I didn't know until I read the eulogies from her funeral. She said this in the final words of her first speech:

I thought of my mother and her love of jigsaw puzzles that covered our dining room table at home, sometimes for weeks on end.

She went on to say:

This may or may not prove to be the hardest puzzle I attempt in my career, but the level of complexity and the picture of a fairer and more just nation that I hope to reveal is a challenge that I'm very much looking forward to tackling head-on, …

Linda concluded:

I thank the Senate.

Can I conclude by saying, I thank you, Linda White; our democracy and this parliament are better for you having served us. Rest in peace.

Kate Thwaites (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I didn't get to work with Linda White in this place for very long and I do feel a real sense of loss because of that, because Linda was so formidable and so strategic. It was very clear from when she first arrived here that she was in the place that she was meant to be and that she was in the place where she knew she was going to make an outsized contribution. And she had just begun to make that contribution when, unfortunately, she was taken from us. I do know that there was so much more she had to achieve on top of what were her already very significant achievements. A lot has been said about those over the past week in this place as well, so I won't run through all of them, but I do want to highlight some of those that I think were the most significant, and also that I think resonated particularly for me from Linda's life.

Linda really dedicated her entire life to working on behalf of Australians—Australian workers and particularly Australian women workers. While I didn't get to work with Linda for very long in this place, I know that it's partly thanks to her support that I am here—the work that she and so many others did to reform our Labor Party so that it was a place where women got elected. They put in place a system which means we had quotas for getting women elected to this place, bringing us to the situation now where we have a government and a caucus that is majority female. That is a massive achievement. I can't even begin to comprehend, really, some of the discussions and the obstacles that would have been put in the way of Linda and the people she was working with when she was trying to negotiate some of those rules. We have all heard echoes of those arguments. Again, I can only picture in my mind the strength—and probably, I think, the very short shrift—that Linda would have given to those arguments, knowing that she was arguing for our party to be a better party, for this parliament to be a better parliament and for the lives of women across this country to be better because their voices were being heard in this place. That in itself is a huge achievement.

Of course, it was not just in the Labor Party and in the parliament that Linda advanced women. It was in so many areas, and I want to highlight one particular area where I think Linda's work was just outstanding: the SACS Award, raising the pay of people in highly feminised industries that for most of our history have been largely ignored and largely underpaid. It's just work that was there and not valued in the way it should have been. That award decision was landmark. It obviously had an immediate impact on all the people, particularly women, working in social and community service areas.

But I think its impact wasn't just that very important, immediate impact of raising the pay rates there. I think it was also a really important moment in that broader drive, and we still continue now to reset how we do see women who work in and contribute to the social and community sector and the care sector to actually genuinely recognise that contribution as an economic contribution and one that our society and community is largely built on. We did see some of that conversation come to the forefront during the pandemic, but it is absolutely built on that sort of work that Linda spent her lifetime in the union movement working on. It also, I think, really came to the forefront with that landmark case.

I've really appreciated, while we have been marking the great contribution that Linda made to our country and our community, hearing more about her earlier life. I appreciated hearing that she, like me, began her working life at McDonald's and that it drove her to unionism. Yep—I can absolutely see the McDonald's structures that drive you to unionism! Again, what a mark of Linda that she, from that very early stage, saw how workers coming together could further their interests and could make sure that workplaces were fairer places for all. From there, she went into the law, where she had a significant impact again through her intelligence and the very thorough work that she did there. And then she went into her long and important career in the union movement. As the Prime Minister has described it, she then went on to become 'the most qualified backbencher to join this place'.

My condolences go to Linda's family, to her brother and to all the friends and comrades who miss her so much. It really was wonderful to be able to attend her funeral and to hear the loving, witty speeches paying tribute to this smart, fun woman who did love her work and the achievements she made but who also knew how to have fun. My condolences to her staff, who saw her through to the very end. Again, it was clear and has been clear just how important a role they played in Linda's life.

I was absolutely part of the group who also saw Linda as an Insta influencer! She was a prolific poster, I think more so before she joined the Senate. But I always appreciated seeing which Melbourne restaurants Linda had been visiting, and I knew that they were ones that I needed to put onto my list to make sure I got there, because they were always worthwhile. This was the other side of Linda. She absolutely loved the best things that our city Melbourne has to offer. The arts, culture, food and football were all things that she greatly valued and enjoyed, and she also worked so that others could enjoy them as well. It was really evident that her belief was that these were good things that everyone should be able to enjoy, not just a select few. Our city, again, is better for the work that Linda did to grow and drive these cultural institutions that we enjoy.

Linda was a very private person. I think for me, as for many in this place, it did come as a shock that she was so sick and that she was taken from us when she was. I hope that, amongst that desire she had for privacy, she did die knowing how much she was appreciated and valued and how much she was respected for her many, many achievements in this place and in a lifetime working for Australians and Australian women. Those achievements cannot be overstated. Vale, Linda White.

Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Greens, I want to extend my condolences to Linda White's brother, to her extended family and to the broader Labor family and Labor movement, who I know are still grieving the far-too-soon loss of Linda White, and especially for those in Victoria who have lost two very strong, important and progressive women in a very short period and far too early.

People have heard from many others across this chamber about what Linda stood for and the work that she did while she was in this place. The speeches and the commitments you've heard from across the chamber are a testament to the principled approach Linda brought to her time here and her tenacity. I had been fortunate enough to see that going many years back, as someone who worked as a lawyer for unions in Victoria and as someone who had worked with Linda as far back as 2001.

People remember the attacks on the World Trade Center in September 2001 and how significantly that changed things for people right around the world, including in Australia, but something else happened at that time that very directly involved Linda, and that was the collapse of Ansett. At that time, I had the privilege of working as a lawyer for the ASU, and Linda was the assistant national secretary. While much of the world's attention was focused justifiably on the attacks on the World Trade Center, many of us had to grapple with the fact that one of Australia's biggest employers was on the verge of collapsing and leaving a large number of workers in the lurch.

A number of leaders of the union at the time, including Linda White; Ingrid Stitt, who's currently a Victorian minister; and Martin Foley, a former Victorian minister, were thrown into a position—with those of us who were lucky enough to be in a position to be able to help them and the workers—of having to deal with a big employer going into collapse, leaving huge numbers of workers in the lurch, many of whom stood to lose incredible amounts of money and entitlements, entitlements that anyone who works in Australia would have thought they were entitled to if their employer collapsed. All of a sudden, that was at risk for many workers, as well as their ongoing livelihoods. For the representatives, including Linda White, there was an immediate crash course that everyone had to go through to learn what happens to the workers when their company goes under, how they could try to keep their company afloat and what happens if that doesn't work. We had a situation in Australia where many of those workers stood to be left out in the cold.

Something that still impresses me to this day is the tenacity and the intelligence that Linda White and the other ASU leaders showed to ensure that everything was done to, firstly, try to keep the airline in the skies and their members in employment. This included working out how to change an administrator, which was something that many workers hadn't done before, and putting in place someone who might give the workers a better deal. When that turned out not to be the case, they had to ensure that everyone would get their entitlements. I still remember the union leadership working out how to get every single worker to come and sign a form to proxy their creditor rights to them. It was an astounding situation that shouldn't have happened. There were lines around the ASU office in Carlton as workers were queueing up, and the union leadership worked over the weekend and around the clock to ensure that the workers were in the strongest possible position to exercise their rights and get everything that they were entitled to. Of course, that was at that time, but then, over the years, it became apparent again that the workers stood a chance of being left in the lurch and potentially ending up losing savings. Especially for people nearing the end of their working life—they were relying on continuing to have a job with Ansett. For many people, it was very difficult to go and find another job, especially if you were nearing retirement age, and, all of a sudden, the entitlements that you were relying on just weren't there.

I was really privileged to see Linda White and those other representatives in the ASU, together with a number of other unions, just not give up year after year to ensure that workers of Ansett, who bore no responsibility for the collapse, got what they were entitled to. In part as a result of that, we've since changed the laws in this country and we've put workers in a slightly stronger position. But I just want to inform the House about having seen the hard work that Linda and the others did before she came into politics, and she never gave up. We've heard in speeches from other Labor members about how proud she was to be wearing those Ansett wings that, I think, a former flight attendant had given her. That was a justifiable honour that was bestowed on Linda because that work was not done for personal gain but done for the benefit of others, and it was done relentlessly.

Just as people here from all sides of politics have paid tribute to Linda's persistence and relentlessness when she was in this place, I can tell the parliament that that is a feature that was present before she came to this place, and there are thousands of people in this country, if not tens of thousands, who are directly better off as a result of what she did. People need to know that that work, that selfless hard work, day in, day out—and not only month after month but year after year—made a big difference to people.

I think the Deputy Prime Minister said words to the effect about being on the opposite side of the table from Linda White on a number of occasions, and, of course, this is not the instance to relitigate any political differences. But I do think, to be fair to her, Linda would've been the first to say that she would probably rather I hadn't been elected. The ASU, which I was a member of when I was employed in that sphere, is in my electorate, in Carlton, and they proudly campaigned for the former Labor member to retain her seat and for subsequent Labor candidates to come in and hold their seats.

That's the way it is, but, despite that, I want to pay tribute in that respect as well to the movement that Linda had been a part of in reforming the ASU and getting it to the point where they were in a position to deliver for workers in the way that I've just described. My predecessor Lindsay Tanner and some of the others that I've mentioned were part of a group called the clerks reform group, which has been referred to in previous speeches. I do want to pay tribute to the work that they did because that work reformed a union that had increasingly become out of touch with its workers into one that was able to take up the fight and represent them, including the many Ansett workers that were members. In full openness, honesty and transparency, yes, I'm sure—because we're all here in different parties—that Linda would have preferred that somebody else was sitting in this spot as the member for Melbourne. But, not withstanding that, I think it's really vital at moments like this, when we reflect on someone's life, that we can look across the chamber and acknowledge Linda's incredible work not only as a fighter for her own side and her own party but, as I said before, the very real and tangible difference she made to tens of thousands of people's lives in this country, who are better off as a result of what she did. Vale, Linda White, and, on behalf of the Greens, again I extend my condolences.

Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's with a heavy heart, but it's a great privilege to be able to stand in this chamber to offer some reflections on the phenomenal life of the late senator Linda White. Certainly, news of her passing was devastating for everyone who knew her, and I think we can see through all of the speeches made both in the Senate and in the House today that she had a large life that impacted tens of thousands of people. I know that her passing was devastating news to everyone who had the extraordinary privilege to have known, worked with, loved and embraced Linda White. That was especially so for those of us in the Labor family, of course. You could not ask for a better comrade by your side, and Linda was incredibly smart, she was witty, she was passionate, she was determined and she was really a fearless warrior for justice—and I will come back to that a little later.

She was dedicated, absolutely, to improving the lives of Australian workers. We knew that from her entire working life. She articulated that in her first speech. It's what she practised in her daily life. She was pivotal to so many critical battles and reforms in this country, and many of them have been so beautifully articulated by the speakers on this condolence motion.

We've heard much about her time as a very young woman working for McDonald's, and, while she did not win that fight at the time, it really did prove to her the power of collectivism and what that can achieve. And that sense of love and respect for collective action is something that really drove her throughout her life, and it's something that those of us that have been in the Labor movement for a long time also share and appreciate. A common thread for those of us that sit in the Labor benches, of course, is that acute understanding of just how powerful collectivism can be—when you are able to move yourself above and beyond the individual and think about the collective good and the power of collective action.

In 2012, while she was the national secretary of the Australian Services Union, Linda led the phenomenal campaign for equal pay for more than 200,000 non-government social and community service workers across Australia. A number of my colleagues have pointed to this moment and to this really extraordinary campaign that was so successful, often known and referred to as the SACS award. You cannot overstate the significance of that moment for a group of people—mostly women, let's face it—who were mostly ignored in Australia in industrial relations disputes and in conversations in this parliament. These were women who were low paid, on the fringes, doing incredibly valuable work but mostly unseen and mostly unheard.

Linda, who was always good at being able to think big, really drove that most critical of campaigns, a very successful campaign, for equal pay. I remember Linda prosecuting this argument at Labor conferences year after year, building the case. Her work with the Australian Services Union really enabled us to break through those terrible barriers that had been in place for those women, who, as I said, were mostly ignored, were without power and seldom had their voices heard. That was, of course, the antithesis of what Linda White ever wanted to see. So it should be of no surprise to those of us who knew Linda that she would want to take on this big battle, and she did. It was a relentless campaign over six years, and it changed the equal pay laws in our nation.

A long and detailed Fair Work Commission case was put to ultimately win those pay rises of between 27 and 43 per cent, plus safety net increases that got delivered over eight years. That's what I mean about Linda White being able to think big. She was not really content about just tinkering around the edges. She didn't suffer fools, but she was patient and she knew the work that had to be done in order to win that case. If it was going to take six years or eight years, she was up to that task. We should all be very, very indebted to her for that. You really cannot understate the transformational nature of that case, which changed the lives of women workers in the community sector forever. Some extremely underpaid people saw increases of some $700 a week in their pay, which even the most optimistic of us at the time would have thought was almost an unimaginable outcome. It was indeed a tremendous victory.

Linda taught us that, if you are successful woman, you absolutely have a duty, a profound obligation indeed, to bring other women along with you. It's a great lesson to learn. It's one that I take very much to heart. She took that responsibility very seriously and fulfilled that ambition with great distinction. I note the member for Jagajaga—I was in the chamber when she was speaking earlier—acknowledged how there are many of us Labor women who would want to thank Linda for her longstanding service and her doggedness to ensure that our party changed affirmative action rules.

She, like so many of us, was so proud to serve in Australia's first majority female government. It's a little-known fact actually in this nation, but we can say thanks to Linda. She would be the first to acknowledge all the women that came before her in that fight too. I'm going to come back to just how important her role was on the national executive of the ALP and the role she took in driving Australia's affirmative action commitments over a long period of time. With her own election into the Senate in 2022, she became part of, as I said, Australia's very first majority women government to be elected. It was very fitting that the woman who drove that change for us as a party over many decades was now part of that female majority government.

I will come back to some of her great work as a senator, but I do want to touch on two aspects of Linda's work that I got to see while working in close partnership with her. I had some really wonderful insights into Linda's capacity to make profound change. One of those was actually on the floor of a national conference for the Australian Labor Party back in 2015. I hadn't had a lot to do with Linda White at that point. I'd seen her, as I said, on the floor at conferences. We were both regular attendees from our respective state and territory branches at the national conference. She was in Victoria and I was in New South Wales, so we belonged to different branches of the party, and it was at the national conference that we would really get to connect.

I had a profound interest in making sure that Labor was going to accelerate its commitment to affirmative action as quickly as it could. This is something that Linda and I often spoke about. I recall that this conference was the one where we finally got the ruling changed to ensure 50-50 female representation in all of our power structures within the party, as well as for the preselection for winnable seats. This was a big moment for the Australian Labor Party. For those who had been around this debate for a few decades, leading up to this moment, there was a little bit of frustration about not moving more quickly. Without giving away too many secrets here, I will never forget one moment when I absolutely saluted Linda White.

We had been bogged down in some very difficult negotiations—as you can imagine, across all the states and territories and all the different component parts of the Australian Labor Party—and it was very uncertain as to whether we could land the 50-50 target at this conference or not. It seems extraordinary now, in 2024, to be saying that, but it was a very, very live issue. It was pretty tense. We were in negotiations, then morning tea, then back again, then lunch. It was going on and on, and I remember walking out, feeling a little bit dispirited and wondering whether we would pull this off this time or not. I walked out with Linda and she looked at me. I won't repeat everything that was said at that moment, but it was basically: 'Enough. We're going in there. It's 50-50 or nothing, and we're going in hard.' I was like, 'Woah, okay!' It was like music to my ears. Not only was she intelligent and brilliant at negotiating, but she had the ability to empower those around her to have the strength to go in alongside her and have many of those difficult conversations that had to be had about the importance of gender equality in our world.

I have held that moment with me in many, many subsequent negotiations and efforts to ensure that our party adheres to its affirmative action principles. As I say, it's not just about having women in winnable seats so that they get elected into parliament; it's also about ensuring that the very power structures within our party are alive to the significance of gender equality and the role that women play. Like the member for Jagajaga and indeed many of us, we are deeply indebted, as those who come behind and get to benefit from the work of Linda White and all of those extraordinary women who came before us to ensure that we could get a resolution up at the 2015 national conference that established targets for positions within the party and within union delegations. This was another important skill. Linda was able to bring some authenticity to the table in encouraging union delegations to ensure that they had targets for women. She empowered the party's national executive, then, to intervene when state or territory branches didn't adhere to the rules, where they didn't preselect or hit their 50 per cent target on preselection.

For Linda, making those rule changes was really important. It ensured that they weren't just hollow words at a conference when we got up to speak at the lectern, or, indeed, standing in parliament—that you did the hard yards. It ensured that we had real rules and regulations, with sanctions if they were not met. That was the work of Linda White, who moved that motion in the 2015 national conference, and it was Linda White that gave all of us the strength and courage to stand up and say, 'Enough. Enough is enough.' So, Linda, your legacy in that regard will live for many, many decades to come, and we are really, deeply indebted to you.

The second piece of work that I got to do with Linda White was here, in this place. Again, I'm going to refer to party business. I was asked by the Prime Minister to head up a working group to revisit the Labor Party's policies around sexual harassment, bullying and harassment. I was very fortunate to have some remarkable people on this working group, but you won't be surprised to hear that the national executive representative was Senator Linda White. I couldn't have been more pleased to be able to get to work with Linda on the next stage of our work together to ensure that not only did we have gender equity within our party but also that our party would be a safe and respectful place for women to participate at every level.

It was a very big body of work. It took a couple of years. For those that may not have a deep appreciation of the way that political parties operate, the Australian Labor Party is a federated party, a bit like this parliament. Federation means you've got to do a lot of negotiation across a lot of state and territory branches. I've got to say there were a lot of people who doubted this was even possible. Linda, of course, was one of those women you need by your side at that moment because she utterly believed in this project. She believed that no legitimate political party in 2022—it was at that time—could proceed without having codes of conduct and rules in place that were fit for purpose, ensuring that our party was leading efforts to ensure best practice.

There were four documents created. I cannot tell you how proud she was. Again, when everyone suggested that it was going to be an impossible task, it was Linda's drive and determination—and her reminding me constantly that this is our window of opportunity; this is our moment to get this done—that really helped sustain me and many others on the committee to ensure that we didn't waste our time, we didn't waste our duty, and that this body of work was completed. Linda felt that as strongly as I did.

Whilst I got to chair and often speak and do a lot of the front-leaning work, I could not have done it without Linda White. With her knowledge of national executive operations and of the way that all of the state and territory branches operate, she was critical in always sustaining me and others on the committee in having the hard conversations, the hard talks, that had to take place. But it comes of no surprise that she was somebody who had, all her life, championed safe, inclusive and respectful workplaces, and she proactively sought to prevent discrimination, sexual harassment and bullying wherever it lived. So of course she was going to be someone on the frontlines of making sure that we clean our own house up as a party before ensuring that we do so on the national stage, in legislation that would come before our respective houses here.

Linda, through her work with the ASU, was instrumental in the campaign around paid family and domestic violence leave. It was wonderful that that legislation got passed while she was here in the Senate. Likewise, she understood well that there was not just a gender pay gap that we had to tackle in Australia but a super gap as well—and a big one, and one that was growing. She said in her first speech:

Superannuation is yet another area where women get a raw deal.

And, my God, she was so on the money again. Of course she was right. The gap in retirement savings between women and men is greater than the gender pay gap. We know there's at least a 25 per cent difference in those balances now. She campaigned fearlessly for reform while she was with the ASU, and she would have been so gratified to see Labor announce superannuation on paid parental leave, which occurred sadly just days after her passing.

In spite of all of Linda's achievements—and I have only just touched on a few and on ones that were meaningful to me—we know Linda would have had a list as long as could be of all the things she still wanted to do. She loved to contribute. She was a solid worker and one that never lost sight of that big picture.

My thoughts are especially with Linda's beloved brother, Michael; her extended family; and her staff, who spoke so highly of her and admired her so deeply. She spoke so highly of them, and they admired her so deeply in return, and I don't underestimate the challenge that is there for all of her staff now. They are hurt and they are grieving. I really want to acknowledge Ben Armstrong, who has had to bear a lot in these last few weeks; the remainder of Linda's staff, Ekta, Ned, Ead and Amit; and all of her comrades who worked by her side, whether it was at the Australian Services Union or it was in the very broad Labor Party in which she played a role in for so many decades.

We've lost a good human, in Linda White. Her selfless service—

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 11:44 to 11:54

We have lost a good human in Linda White, and our hearts are heavy. But we are forever grateful for her selfless service, for her leadership, for her big thinking, for her courage, and there is no doubt that we are all very much richer for having had Linda in our lives. Vale, Linda White. You will be missed.

James Stevens (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Government Waste Reduction) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, too, rise to pay tribute to Senator Linda White and pass on my condolences to her family and friends and, of course, her colleagues, particularly within the Labor Party room here in Canberra, at her passing. I served with Linda on the National Library of Australia Council. There is a representative from the House of Representatives and a representative from the Senate that serve on that council. The convention is that a member of the government and a member of the opposition have one of each of those positions. Soon after Linda's election, she was appointed as the Senate representative from the Labor Party. In reading her CV, we very much welcomed her selection by the government, given her service in a number of board roles, including, I think, with the MCG Trust in Victoria and a number of arts organisations. It was very much welcomed that we were receiving her experience to serve on the council. Regrettably, that was a much briefer period than all of us would have hoped. But, in the meetings that she attended after her appointment, she made excellent contributions and very insightful contributions. I would particularly like to put on record, on behalf of myself and all members of the council of the National Library, our deepest condolences at her passing and our deepest appreciation for her service to the National Library.

I've been listening to other contributions from members, and they've talked about the work that she did in raising budgetary matters with the ministers that she had excellent access to. With decisions that were made in the last budget that related to the National Library, I'm sure Linda was a very important part of achieving those outcomes, and the council very much appreciated the fact that she, within the government, was a great advocate for the Library, and all of the collecting institutions. I've learnt, through contributions, how much more broadly she was influential within the Labor Party insofar as cultural policy and arts policy were concerned.

I also note, in learning more about her contributions to the labour movement, the Labor Party and the union movement, as someone who has some similar history of having a deep involvement in my own political party, that I think we don't do a good enough job of acknowledging that it's actually quite significant and something to be proud of when someone has served their party in organisational capacities. I understand that Linda was the longest-serving female member of the National Executive of the Labor Party. That's very significant and something that shouldn't be in in any way downplayed. I think it should be promoted and celebrated, and it's an opportunity to acknowledge all the people that serve in significant roles in our political parties.

We are a great, vibrant democracy, and it's thanks to the strength of the political parties that participate in that democracy. The two major parties in our democracy, the Labor Party and the Liberal Party, have been continuously forming stable government in this country since the Second World War. I pay tribute to Linda White's contribution to her party and acknowledge that it's quite significant that people make those sorts of dedicated contributions to the organisation of their parties, because the strength of our parties is the strength of our democracy.

I very much regret that we won't have Linda's ongoing contribution at the National Library. That was the particular interaction that I had with her in her all-too-brief career in the Senate. We very much acknowledge and thank her for her contribution in that way. I associate myself with the remarks of so many other people on the other significant accomplishments of her life. Her time in this place was regrettably cut short, but it was nonetheless a significant contribution. Vale, Linda White.

Patrick Gorman (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is indeed a sad day, to be speaking on the condolence motion for our friend former senator Linda White. She was an incredible champion of democracy. Linda knew that Australia's democracy is something which we should all treasure and be proud of and that we should all take our own responsibility to ensure that we not only protect the next generation but enhance the next generation.

Much has been said in this condolence motion debate about how dedicated our friend Linda White was to ensuring that political parties were well run, knowing that our political party structures are so important to ensure the proper health and functioning of our democracy. Equally, she was very clear that trade unions, which, indeed, pre-date Federation themselves, have such an important role to play in the public policy debate, recognising that policy is better when you listen to the voices of working people and recognising that our electoral debate is strengthened through the engagement of those who represent working Australians.

When she came to this place, to the parliament, Linda was really committed to showing people that democracy works by showing that democracy delivers for them. She did that in large part—and much has been said about it—through her work in ensuring the that the National Anti-Corruption Commission was legislated. I note that not only was it legislated in the first term of a government but, thanks to Linda's work and the work she led with others, it was legislated in the first six months of a government. On something that had taken so long, she knew that to show the Australian people that democracy worked for them and respected their role in delivering on what they had asked the parliament to do we needed to deliver that.

We've seen that in other areas. I was so fortunate to be here for the speech by the Deputy Speaker, the member for Newcastle, talking about the implementation of the Set the standard report, talking about the implementation of enhanced codes of conduct for the Australian Labor Party and talking about something that Linda had campaigned for for so many years, ensuring that this place finally legislated paid domestic and family violence leave. Again, that was something that she had championed for so long and was able to be part of delivering in this government.

She also felt really strongly about protecting those national institutions on which we all rely to do our jobs well and to fulfil our obligations. The National Library, which has just been spoken of, is just one of those institutions which we recognise is stronger for having had Linda serve on the advisory council. I will say a bit more about the National Library in a moment.

I first met Linda White at a national conference of the Australian Labor Party. We got to know each other really well when we served together on the national executive of the Australian Labor Party. Neither of us were in parliament at the time. She was there as an ordinary member and I was there as the party secretary for WA. I will always remember that, when we had to submit our affirmative action reports to the national executive every meeting, it would be Linda who would read those reports diligently. If you had one a figure wrong or in any way it looked like you had not taken it as seriously as it needed to be taken you would be grilled at a national executive meeting. That was just one of those things that I shared with her. She was just so consistent in her expectations about what a great modern and progressive political party should look like.

As has been talked about, at the that 2015 conference we finally got a commitment to 50 per cent women in our preselections and other office bearer positions. It was about saying, 'The time has come; it needs to be done now,' and using all powers of persuasion and determination to ensure that the right thing was done, and it was. We can see in that legacy the benefit to the parliament to this very day in terms of the fantastic talent that is in the parliament because of the changes that Linda ensured were made.

I also remember her being a really strong supporter of the Western Australian branch of the Labor Party when we were going to the 2017 election. She sent people to assist with that campaign, and she was very engaged in ensuring that we were able to do some things that were really important for ASU members in Western Australia, including protecting Western Power and making sure it stayed in public hands. As she did in so many campaigns, she stood with us to ensure that we could protect that institution, that Western Australian asset. She ensured that it wasn't just lip service—that there was action behind it.

Last year I worked quite closely with Linda on rewriting the national platform of the Australian Labor Party. Despite the fact that she had come into parliament and now had an opportunity to contribute to so many other parts of our policy and political debate, she still wanted to make sure those foundational principles—that is, a strong platform of a strong party of government—were done well, and I really appreciate that. Some parts of rewriting a national platform of a political party are not always fun, but I now think back very warmly to the great advice that Linda gave me in that process.

We know that Linda was an incredible advocate for ensuring the proper scrutiny of delegated legislation. She was incredibly passionate about that. I hope I'm not going to breach a caucus rule in mentioning this, but she did encourage us—and I was pleased to work with her in delivering it—to change to the standard caucus submission template to ensure that we properly recognised delegated legislation. From now on, every time I see that in the caucus template I will think fondly of Linda and of her commitment to ensuring that we take all of the work that we do seriously and thoroughly. That, again, was a hallmark of her contribution in this place and beforehand.

Last year, she organised a tour of the National Library for a range of members. She was so proud to serve on that board. She was so proud of what the library did and such a passionate advocate for what the library needed to do for the future. She had thought very carefully about who her fellow library lovers were, who would come one early morning to see the library. When we arrived in the reading room of the library, there were items that she had asked them to prepare that corresponded to the electorates of every member who attended. I got to see a range of Perth pictorials from the 1920s, and she'd also found that the library had some of my old election flyers, amongst other things. She had ensured that we each had something that spoke directly to us, to appreciate the time that we'd spent there. It was one little way of showing how much she thought about others and cared for others.

I want to speak a little bit about Linda's contribution to the union movement. She and I had somewhat similar starts in our engagement with the formal union movement. Our first jobs were at McDonald's, and we both joined our first union while working at McDonald's. In a similar vein, we both found that there was a lot of work to do for the union that was working to ensure proper representation, support and wages for McDonald's workers. The second union I joined, indeed, was the ASU, at a time when I think Linda had just started her role as the assistant national secretary. Linda's contribution to the union movement, which is one of the things that makes Australia the great country it is today, is incredible: 25 years as Assistant National Secretary of the Australian Services Union, 15 years on the ACTU executive and, in the party that proudly stands for working people, 20 years on the Australian Labor Party National Executive. In part because of the equal pay case that Linda took forward and, ultimately, was part of successfully winning in 2012, alongside state and federal governments, I know that the lives of people in Perth are better for her union service, particularly those who work for the councils in Perth, Bassendean, Bayswater, Vincent and Stirling.

I want to very quickly highlight a few things that really stuck with me about how Linda spoke about the work that we do in this place. In her first speech, she said:

For some people, their pathway in life is determined by the circumstances of their birth. Governments, however, have the power to open up new choices and opportunities that would otherwise remain out of reach.

I think there are many great summings-up of what the purpose of a Labor government is, but, for me, that is one of them. It is actually that opening of opportunity and making things that some people felt were never possible for them, whatever their circumstances of birth, possible. She showed that time and time again in her—

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 12:10 to 12:21

As I conclude my remarks, I couldn't conclude without noting the incredible work that was done in delivering for some 16,000 Ansett workers who lost their jobs. Thanks to the incredible work of Linda White and her many years of fighting for them, workers were able to retain so many entitlements. The fact that the achievement, coming out of that corporate collapse, was noted by people across the political divide speaks again to how well she was regarded both as a senator and as a union leader.

In conclusion, I want to pass on my condolences to her brother, Michael; to Linda's family; to her other family, the ASU family; to all the ASU members; and to those who served with her on so many boards, from the MCG to ACMI and so many others. It is a huge loss that so many across Australia are feeling right now and will feel for many, many years to come. I want to echo the words of the Prime Minister that, at this really sad time, what will outlast is our pride in all that she did and all that she achieved, and we will remember her warmth, her wisdom and all of her achievements. We will continue to commit ourselves in this place to doing what she did when she was here: defending our institutions, supporting them for the next generation and defending our democracy.

For those of us in the Labor family, we will remind ourselves of all of those people who rely upon Labor governments, rely upon the sorts of people that we elect to parliament and rely upon us to do what we said we would do to show that democracy indeed does serve the Australian people. Once again, vale, Linda White.

Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I join all previous speakers and parliamentary colleagues across this chamber and the other place in expressing my heartfelt condolences at the passing of our friend and comrade Senator Linda White. As anyone watching would have seen, the whole Labor family and those from other political parties that saw the good and integrity in her were shocked and heartbroken, as she was truly a formidable person and an indefatigable champion of working Australians and the Labor movement.

As a young lawyer, she played her part in tackling injustices that were only just beginning to be confronted, and I'm talking about confronting horrendous wrongs like corruption in the police force and institutional child abuse. She saw that those things needed to be confronted and she went about being part of righting those wrongs.

She started as a rank-and-file activist and became the assistant national secretary of the Australian Services Union, where her legacy is massive, from protecting workers' entitlements in the Ansett collapse—that's one example—to leading the campaign for equal pay for social and community service workers to fighting for the right to income for members feeling the impacts of COVID.

The longest serving woman on the national executive of the ALP, Linda was absolutely central to the affirmative action reforms which led to our government, the Albanese government, being the first-ever government with a majority of female members in Australian history. So, as you can see, our caucus was literally shaped by Linda's activism and burning desire for social justice and good governance.

She was a loyal servant of the administration of the Labor Party federally and in Victoria, and it was a good day for the ALP when Linda put up her hand to enter the Senate. Although in the end she wasn't in the Senate for long, she made powerful use of the time that she had, really making a profound impact on matters as varied as the National Anti-Corruption Commission and better access to superannuation for Australian women.

Linda was someone who absolutely loved our party. She loved the union movement and the state of Victoria. She was an advocate of a big-hearted government, and she was adept at the power of collective action to set right the life of the city. She was very passionate about Melbourne and the MCG and about other iconic places in the great state of Victoria. She was political, absolutely political, but in the very noblest sense of that term. Passionate and always speaking her mind, never lacking moral courage, yearning to serve a cause greater than herself without taking credit or asserting her status—those are just some of the qualities that we all admired in Linda.

But it's right and important, as other members have done, that we also honour the broad and curious mind that was Linda White's outside of her better known political sphere. We've heard about her love of libraries, and one regret that I have is that I never got to speak with her about her love of libraries. When I was first elected in 2016, one of the first things I did was start the Parliamentary Friends of GLAM—galleries, libraries, archives and museums—libraries being such important cultural institutions. Linda was a massive supporter of libraries and a patron of the arts. Among the many organisations mourning her passing, of course, is our own National Library of Australia, and Linda sat on that council. She was a very avid reader and loved to discuss the latest works at the book club.

She is mourned, too, by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, and she would have been stoked to see an announcement from our government today about further empowerment of midwives.

She was a titan of the union movement, and, as I said, a lover of the creative arts; of good food and beautiful gardens; of bread and roses, as the Prime Minister put it; and of the sun drenched light that falls not only on the best but on the most ordinary days in our lives and even on the worst days, if we look right. So let us never tire of remembering not only today, when it's easier, but especially when the logic of political contest takes over, that beauty oft lays hidden, even in a place like this. And let Linda teach us that, instead of inspiring the very worst in ourselves, the fragility at the heart of this human experiment of ours can also bring out the better angels of our nature, forging the most unexpected of friendships, connecting in moments of shared vulnerability and appreciating each other, and expressing that appreciation as well, while we still have this incredible privilege.

My thoughts are with Linda's family, particularly her brother Michael, her extended family and all her loved ones, her staff and comrades at the ASU and across our party in Victoria, where I first became an ALP member 20 years ago. Finally, what always impresses me about people like Linda is that they are mentors for other. They take on young people, or people who are new to the movement or the party, and mentor them through. That's how we build a stronger country. Linda always took opportunities to mentor people, and through her mentees, her legacy and her impact in Australia will live on. Vale, Linda White.